Sarlaflex to bring Walterboro 100 jobs

Sarla Performance Fibers, a producer of yarn and threads, said Friday that it will invest $13.8 million to establish its U.S. operations in Colleton County, creating 100 new jobs, according to a release from the S.C. Department of Commerce. The Mumbai, India-based company will open by the name of Sarlaflex in an industrial park in Walterboro, with operations beginning in May. Hiring will begin in January. For jobs, contact the Human Resources Department at the facility at 1497 Industrial Road. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a rural infrastructure grant of $500,000 and approved job development credits, which will be available when hiring targets are met.

911 call centers to get text messages

WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission says the nation’s four largest wireless carriers have agreed to relay text messages to 911 call centers by May 2014. The four carriers – AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile – cover 90 percent of the population. However, not all 911 call centers will be able to receive texts. In those areas, the carriers will provide an automated response that tells texters to call instead. The FCC says texting to 911 could be useful when a phone call could put the caller in danger. Texting could also aid a person with disabilities who is unable to call. However, the FCC says people should always call 911 during an emergency if they can.

American Airlines pilots OK contract

DALLAS American Airlines is closer to exiting from bankruptcy and possibly merging with US Airways after its pilots approved a new labor contract. With the pilots’ deal announced Friday, American has negotiated new, lower-cost contracts with all its unions since filing for bankruptcy protection just over a year ago. Company executives insist the savings will let American compete as an independent airline. But rival US Airways has been pressing to merge.

Gold dust missing

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. Pfizer Inc.’s medical research lab in St. Louis County is missing $700,000 worth of gold dust, and police are trying to determine if it was lost or stolen. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Chesterfield police began an investigation this week after a Pfizer employee conducting inventory couldn’t find the gold dust purchased last year for use in research. Police Capt. Steven Lewis says no one is “sure if they just didn’t account for it and it was used naturally, or if it was stolen or misplaced.” Pfizer said in a statement it is working with law enforcement and takes the matter seriously. It wasn’t clear what purpose the gold dust has in Pfizer’s research. Chesterfield is about 20 miles west of St. Louis.

U.S. consumer debt hits record

WASHINGTON Americans swiped their credit cards more often in October and borrowed more to attend school and buy cars. The increases drove U.S. consumer debt to an all-time high. The Federal Reserve said Friday that consumers increased their borrowing by $14.2 billion in October from September. Total borrowing rose to a record $2.75 trillion. Borrowing in the category that covers autos and student loans increased by $10.8 billion. Borrowing on credit cards rose by $3.4 billion, only the second monthly increase in the past five months.

The Associated Press contributed.