Ellaborating on the takeover of Polartec by Milliken at the OutDoor by Ispo show, Steve Layton, the Milliken executive appointed as the new president of Polartec, and his predecessor, Gary Smith, dwelled on the potential synergies between the two companies. Polartec's knitting, dyeing and finishing operations don't compete with the facilities of Milliken, which gets about half of its annual turnover of around $1 billion from textiles and chemicals. They only cross over in the military and workwear businesses. With over 100 PhDs and 5,500 accumulated patents, Milliken can do more in the outdoor sector with Polartec and its connections as a family-owned group committed to innovation, sustainability and ethical practices. It will bring new capabilities in the back office and help Polartec to take its Power Air concept to the next level. Smith revealed that he had been discussing a possible deal with Milliken since 2014. There were many other candidates for the acquisition, but Milliken offered the best fit, and the negotiations started after Halsey Cooke became its chief executive last September.

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