THE LYCRA COMPANY CHAPTER 11 EXIT FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING DEBT REDUCTION $1.2 BILLION DEBT CUT NEW INVESTMENT DEAN WILLIAMS INTERIM CEO GARY SMITH NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS BRUCE RUBIN GLOBAL APPAREL INDUSTRY FIBER TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS OPERATION GLOBAL
WILMINGTON, UNITED STATES
By IFAB MEDIA - NEWS BUREAU - May 27, 2026 | 117 4 minutes read
- Company positioned for long-term growth, operational excellence, and continued customer-focused innovation.
- Will emerge from financial restructuring with enhanced financial flexibility and significantly less debt.
- New ownership and Board of Directors committed to executing on vision to take the business to the next level.
- Bruce Rubin appointed Executive Chairman and Dean Williams appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer.
The LYCRA Company, LLC (“the Company”), a global leader in developing fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, has successfully complete its comprehensive financial restructuring process and emerge from Chapter 11 protection on May 20, 2026.
The LYCRA Company has established a durable capital structure that will enable the Company’s pursuit of its growth strategy through investment in innovation, customer partnerships, and global operations. The Company will emerge from its comprehensive restructuring process with significantly enhanced financial flexibility and a strengthened balance sheet to support long-term growth. The Company will have reduced its total long-term debt by more than $1.2 billion and will obtain more than $75 million in new money investment. Throughout the process, the Company has maintained uninterrupted operations and continues to deliver on commitments to its employees, customers, and vendors.
The LYCRA Company will be supported by new equity owners. The new owners are investment funds with a global presence that have been long-term investors in the Company’s securities. Collectively, they bring deep experience and commitment to the Company, its products, and its brands, and are committed to building on the positive momentum of the restructuring process by investing in the Company’s future success.
Dean Williams, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer. Williams will serve in an interim capacity while a search is conducted for a permanent CEO. Williams has been with the Company since its formation over seven years ago and has extensive experience in financial leadership, strategic planning, and operational management, positioning him very well to guide The LYCRA Company through this next phase. Gary Smith, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, has stepped down and separated from the Company.
The Company has also appointed a new Board of Directors, with Bruce Rubin, an experienced energy and chemicals executive with over 45 years of leadership experience, serving as Executive Chairman of the Board. Rubin stated, “With a strong foundation in place, The LYCRA Company will be well-positioned to enhance operational excellence, accelerate innovation, deepen customer partnerships, and reinvest in our high-quality products. We look forward to growing our distinct and trusted brands into the future. We would like to thank Gary and the departing Board for their steady leadership in guiding the Company through this pivotal period. The Board looks forward to working closely with Dean – an exceptional and trusted operational leader – as we position the Company for success.”
The rest of The LYCRA Company's executive leadership team remains in place and will continue to partner closely with Dean and other key stakeholders to accelerate the Company’s path forward.
“Emergence marks a defining moment for The LYCRA Company,” said Dean Williams, Interim Chief Executive Officer. “We will now be a financially stronger, more focused organization that is positioned for growth. This milestone would not have been possible without our team members, whose resilience, dedication, and commitment to our customers enabled us to navigate this process without disruption. While we still have work to do to reach our full potential, we have never been better positioned to do so.”
The LYCRA Company is advised in this matter by Linklaters LLP and Haynes Boone, LLP as legal counsel, Houlihan Lokey as investment banker, and FTI Consulting as financial and communications advisor.