▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁the ▁company ▁remained ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁largest ▁known ▁producer ▁of ▁Not ting ham ▁L ace ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁the ▁world ▁leader ▁in ▁Not ting ham ▁la ce ▁and ▁also ▁produced ▁table cl oth s , ▁nap kins , ▁val ances , ▁and ▁show er ▁cur tain s , ▁among ▁many ▁other ▁types ▁of ▁la ce ▁items . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁the ▁company ▁te amed ▁up ▁with ▁subs idi aries ▁such ▁as ▁Vict ory ▁Par ach utes , ▁Inc . ▁and ▁S ween ey ▁B ros . ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁par ach utes ▁and ▁cam ou fl age ▁net ting . ▁The ▁company ▁prosper ed ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁but ▁ris ky ▁invest ments ▁involving ▁Hal ▁Ro ach ▁Studios ▁and ▁the ▁fled g ling ▁television ▁industry ▁placed ▁the ▁company ▁in ▁financial ▁per il ▁and ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁its ▁closure ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁Despite ▁the ▁factory ▁being ▁one ▁of ▁area ' s ▁biggest ▁employ ers , ▁it ▁closed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁with ▁the ▁company ' s ▁vice ▁president ▁telling ▁its ▁employees , ▁mid - shift , ▁that ▁the ▁facility ▁was ▁closing ▁" effect ive ▁immediately ". ▁ ▁The ▁facility ▁featured ▁a ▁the ater , ▁bow ling ▁al ley , ▁g ymnasium , ▁inf irm ary , ▁clock ▁tower ▁( that ▁is ▁a ▁city ▁land mark ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁M ene ely ▁cast ▁iron ▁bell )