Rebtex of Somerset County ranks among the nation's top leaders in textile dyeing, servicing textile converters from coast to coast and around the world. During its many years in business, the firm has dyed millions of yards of material that grace today's fashions and homes.

The firm's family atmosphere starts with its president, Robert Brandell, and the more than 100 employees, who all take personal pride in every yard of fiber they dye.

Mr. Brandell takes a personal interest in every member of his staff. He and his wife, Frances, the company's secretary and treasurer, have worked side by side with emplyees for more than 40 years, keeping close tabs on how they and their families are doing. The result of this close interrelationship is loyal employees, some of whom have been with the company for 10 to 35 years. The quality of the company's dyed products is a direct reflection of the care the Brandell's and their employees give their work.

The firm's roots began in 1919, when Robert Brandell's father-in-law, Andrew J. Ackerman, helped a French company set itself up for the dyeing of greige goods for veils, which were then, and for decades after, a major high-fashion embellishment in millinery (women's hats).

Two years later Ackerman established his own business with 15 employees, the United Veil Dyeing and Finishing Company. In its many years of operation the company has consistently maintained an enviable industry-wide reputation for its expert and imaginative work.

Because of this reputation the word "veil" in the company's name has been retained, in spite of the fact that veils have been almost entirely eliminated in recent years. This occurred when former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and others among the world's best-dressed women introduced the pillbox hat, which revolutionized millinery fashion.

In 1939 Ackerman left Paterson and reestablised in Jersey City. Robert Brandell joined the family business in 1955, after serving in the armed services.

During the 1970s United Veil Dyeing and Finishing Company decided to diversify its business and directed its experience and sophistication toward textiles for better home furnishings, and it has progressed steadily to a position of leadership in that industry.

When the Jersey City location had to be expanded, the family moved the home-furnishings products operation to Somerset in 1985, where they started a new company called REBTEX. Brandell's two sons, Robert and Thomas, both played a leadership role in setting up the new Somerset operation. Brandell's dauther Michele is also active in the business.

Brandell and his family converted the former National Lockwasher Plant that produced automobile parts to an operation that dyes home-furnishing products such as shower curtains, draperies, and tablecloths. The structure of the building was well suited to be adapted for Rebtex's needs. Experienced employees from the Jersey City location helped set up the Somerset operation and trained new employees in the highly specialized techniques for fabric dyeing.

The shift to the home-furnishings market was a natural evolution of the firm's capabilities in the clothing industry as it uses lace to create home furnishings. The home-furnishing products are made radiantly beautiful by the unique dyeing processes that the firm uses. The Jersey City plant continues to dye and process lingerie and outerwear fabrics.

In a few years the Somerset plant was expanded from its original 65,000 square feet to 120,000 to keep pace with an increased demand for Rebtex dyed products. The Somerset location was ideal because it provided easy access to New York City for customer meetings and product shipments to major clients in fashion and home furnishings.

The Somerset location has the latest equipment, including computerized dyeing systems. Rebtex, Inc., is one of the few independent, small dyeing businesses in the country to use state-of-the-art technology. The equipment enables the firm to dye an increased number of goods per hour and to match colors more accurately.

"To ensure our clients are 100 percent satisfied with our work, every piece of linen has to be dyed to the designer's specification. We used to do it by eye before, using a process called spoon dyeing, but we can now avoid errors in mixing colors by using the computer, which gives the exact tone"," says Robert Brandell.