Marjorie Sparks operates a creeler yarn machine during the first day of production at Standard Textile Augusta, the former King Mill. ANNETT M. DROWLETTE/STAFF

Heat from floors below bakes a room of lifeless metal contraptions.

Some of the old machinery will never stir. Other pieces of the two- and three-generation-old equipment will be sold to third-world countries, such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.

But with each descending floor of the four-story building, the mill begins to wake. At the ground level, weaving arms move like disciplined seismographs, forming the intricate patterns on blankets that will provide warmth to scrunch-faced newborns and patients emerging from critical surgery.

The former King Mill is alive, and Augustans are back on the job. Standard Textile Augusta began production Monday.

Gary Heiman said he's glad to put people back to work, but that he's not unrealistic. He knows that a certain level of production has to come from overseas in order for an American textile manufacturer to compete.

Mr. Heiman, the president and chief executive officer of Cincinnati-based Standard Textile, has plants in 14 other countries.

But the local plant doesn't intend to subsidize its inventory with foreign products. And, so far, Mr. Heiman hasn't had to close any of his six existing American mills, he said.

The 191 recently hired employees at Standard Textile Augusta are hoping that track record will last.

Human Resources Director Jerry Fick said 180 of the workers were former King Mill employees.

Among them was Vernon Washington, who returns to the mill as its dying and bleaching manager. Mr. Washington worked for King for 37 years. Along with many others, he seemed pleased with the mill's reopening under Standard's leadership.

Standard was the mill's biggest customer. Mr. Washington said it's ''like renewing an old acquaintance.''

Co-workers Marjorie Sparks and Stanley Myers also said they were glad to be back in a familiar setting, the yarn preparation department. Ms. Sparks gave 32 years to King Mill; Mr. Myers gave 14.

''I wasn't ready to retire,'' the 60-year-old Ms. Sparks said before reinserting her ear plug.

Production began around 6:30 a.m. Monday after a week of intense preparations. Employees had to be hired, and inventory had to be fully inspected.

To date, only the spinning department is not yet running. Standard has almost two weeks of spun cotton yarn available before it must replace it.

Standard acquired the equipment at what was considered fair valuations for older machines. ''State of the art'' was not a phrase Mr. Heiman used to describe the equipment.

In fact, he said he was surprised by the poor condition of much of the machinery.

''Once a facility is shut down, you don't know what you're going to get,'' Mr. Heiman said. ''We didn't get a chance to bring in our engineers (prior to the sale). This was a very capital-starved company, and machinery could not be maintained properly. For years and years, they cannibalized their own machines for parts. We found machinery that was totally unusable.''

He declined to comment on whether he felt the assets were worth what the company paid.

Standard pays domestically competitive wages, said Mr. Fick, the human resources director. He said the benefits in many ways exceed those that Spartan offered.

''Medical and dental will be effective July 1 for people who started today,'' Mr. Fick said Monday.

Employees will also receive life insurance, vacation and paid holidays, and a 401(k) program that includes profit-sharing.

Mr. Heiman said sales will be a factor to determine whether they hire more workers. He said past buyers from the King Mill plant sought other sources during the mill's shutdown. Standard's sales department will now seek to reclaim customers and build new markets.

''Right now, we have one client - ourselves,'' Mr. Heiman said.

Reach Eric Williamson at (706) 828-3904.