NORTON - The world's first spandex maker has been sold to an upstate New York fabric manufacturer.

Tweave Inc. has become a subsidiary of Gehring Textiles, a development that should bring jobs to Norton, Tweave Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mary Reardon said.

The two companies make complementary products, she said.

Tweave has 35 to 40 part-time and full-time employees at 138 Barrows St. in Norton, where the stretch fabric maker has operated since about 1980.

"I think with Gehring helping us get into different work, it definitely allows us to grow, as far as jobs go," Reardon said. About 90 percent of Tweave's 36-person weaving staff will stay in Norton, Gehring President Skip Gehring said in a news release.

Dyeing and finishing will be consolidated at Gehring's upstate New York manufacturing plant.

Based in Garden City, N.Y., Gehring makes warp knit and circular knit fabric.

Its markets range from the military to activewear.

Company officials have sought to keep a hand in diverse markets, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bill Christmann said, which triggered Gehring's interest in Tweave.

"They've got a great company with a great talent and a great capability that's extremely unique," Christmann said. "With the right backing, we could keep it all together."

Reardon said Tweave had sought investors because CEO Bill Giblin and CFO Al Rainville are about 80 and "ready to retire and get out of the business."

"It was very important to us to keep the plant operational here in Norton," she said. "We wanted to keep as much of the facility up and running as we could."

Tweave bought its Norton site about 1980, she said.

Founded in 1951, the firm had been renting space in New Bedford for covering and weaving operations, and space in Fall River for dyeing and finishing. Tweave now looks to grow in Norton.

The company is buying new looms and weaving equipment, Reardon said.

And two or three new employees have been hired "to keep up with the demand."

Two new products are in the works using Tweave fabric, one for the Marines and one for the Army, Reardon said.

A Natick research and development laboratory is developing a cold weather glove for the Army, she said.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.