BIDDEFORD – Biddeford Textile Corp. on Friday began distributing paychecks for back wages for 350 workers.

Tom LeVeen, president and chief executive officer, enclosed a letter with the checks that apologized for the company’s problems and asked for the support of workers as the company seeks to reorganize.

The company that produces electric blanket shells laid off its work force in early February, blaming its former owner, Sunbeam Corp., for failing to live up to its contract to buy more than $500,000 worth of blanket shells.