Tuesday, May 1, 2007

This edition of the Hosiery Insider is sponsored by CNR

THA’s Annual Meeting Elects New Leadership: The following individuals were elected as officers and will begin their terms of service on June 1: Chairman, Bill Nichol – Gildan Hosiery Division; First Vice Chairman – Cathy Allen, Crescent Inc.; Second Vice Chairman – Bruce Duncan, HanesBrands Inc.; and President/CEO – Sally Kay. The following were elected to serve second terms on the Board of Directors: Huntley Bossong, Bossong Hosiery; Eddie Ingle, Unifi Inc.; and Monty Milner, Hope Hosiery Mills.

THA’s 102nd Annual Convention April 26 – April 29, 2007

With over 175 in attendance at the Charleston event, this year’s program featured some of the best speakers and topics in the history of the Association.

THA would like to again THANK all of this year’s ANNUAL CONVENTION SPONSORS:

EVENTS
Asahi Kasei Spandex America – Sponsor of Chairman’s Reception & Banquet
Parkdale Mills – Sponsor of Bar at Chairman’s Reception
Arch Chemicals – Sponsor of Bar at Chairman’s Banquet

GOLF TOURNAMENT
R.L. Stowe Mills – Hole-in-One Competition
Groz-Beckert USA – Longest Drive Competition
Frontier Spinning Mills – Closest to the Pin Competition
RadiciSpandex Corporation – Hole Sponsor
Wellman Inc. – Hole Sponsor

THA would also like to again THANK all of this year’s ANNUAL CONVENTION EXHIBITORS: Arch Chemicals Inc., Asahi Kasei Spandex America, Caribex Worldwide, CIT Commercial Services, DeSales Trading Company, Dynamic Quest, Globe Express Services, Groz-Beckert USA Inc., Jimtex Yarns, Lang Ligon Co. Inc., Nilit America Corp., PAM Trading Corp., PrimaLoft, RadiciSpandex Corp., Sunrise Technologies, Unifi Inc. and Wellman Inc.

Save the Date: Environmental Issues Seminar June 27th: 8:00 am to 5:30 pm
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City. THA members will receive AAFA member discount to attend this program.

Highlights of the seminar will include:


• Training on the new AAFA Restricted Substances List
• Understanding the new European Chemical (REACH) registration requirements
• Information on how to approach California Proposition 65

Suggested attendees:
• Plant Managers & Supervisors
• Environmental, Health & Safety Staff
• Corporate Counsels
• Corporate Social Responsibility Staff
• Corporate R&D Staff

For more information contact Steve Lamar at slamar@apparelandfootwear.org or Sally Kay at sally.kay@hosieryassociation.com.

 

The US Department of Commerce US Commercial Service is pleased to announce its Signature Trade Event of 2007: Trade Winds Forum: Africa, Europe and India – Profitable Crossroads of Trade – All in One Location on May 15-16 at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, VA. The Trade Winds Forum will feature 33 U.S. Senior Commercial Service Officers from U.S. Embassies across Europe, Africa and India. Each of these Commercial Officers is in a unique position to deliver the most up-to-date information on developing opportunities for U.S. business. While at the conference you will have the opportunity to meet privately with the U.S. Senior Commercial Officers to discuss business opportunities for your company. Private appointments are on a first come, first served basis, so register today while space is still available. Visit www.buyusa.gov/southcarolina/tradewinds.html.

American Apparel and Footwear Organization is conducting an Ergonomics Training Seminar May 16, 2007 in Charlotte, NC. THA members offered same price! This is a half-day of comprehensive ergonomic training from industry safety and health experts and trainers. Highlights of the ergonomic training will include: Do we need an ergonomic process? Making a business case for an ergonomic process. Developing and implementing an ergonomic process. Several actual ergonomic case studies. Toolbox for manufacturing, warehouse and office. Training will run from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm. Material will be geared for anyone dealing with health & safety in the industry, such as plant managers, supervisors, safety coordinators, industrial engineers, plant engineers, warehouse managers and corporate safety staff. Note to retailers and apparel brands: This seminar will be especially valuable for internal compliance auditors as well as facility managers responsible for distribution centers.

Inaugural Americas Competitiveness Forum Announced
US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez will host the inaugural Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) on June 11–12, 2007, in Atlanta. The ACF will provide a venue for government ministers from the Western Hemisphere to come together with leaders from the private sector, academia, and nongovernmental organizations, to explore cutting edge ideas and best practices in several key areas of competitiveness.

The ACF’s main tracks are:

• sparking and sustaining innovation
• creating solutions in education and workforce development
• designing successful global supply chain strategies
• fostering small business development and growth

For more information, visit the website, http://trade.gov/competitiveness/ACF/index.asp

ASAPSHOW – Why Exhibit at ASAP? ASAP gives the apparel companies the best chance to meet top US retailers and brands who are seeking alternative sourcing options. ASAP’s reputation in the apparel industry boasts the highest number of attendees, and a diverse number of countries. ASAP receives the most endorsements from overseas governments and works directly with them to organize their respective country pavilions that represent the “Best of…” each country and buyers know this. The next show will take place on August 26-29 at the Venetian Grand Ball Room in Las Vegas, NV. For additional information, go to www.asapshow.com or email info@asapshow.com.

Independence Impacts Hanesbrands- Hanesbrands’s first quarter net income dropped to $12.0 million from $74.6 million a year ago. The company said that the fall was due mainly to its new independent structure. "Our performance was on track with our expectations for the quarter," Hanesbrands’s chief executive officer Richard A. Noll said. "We increased sales, made strategic advances in operations and generated cash for investment in our business. We are off to a solid start in our first full year, which is the foundation for achieving our long-term growth goals."

BASF nylon 6 price rises in North America BASF is to increase prices for nylon 6 polymer in North America. The company said that volatile raw material and energy costs were the reason for the increase. Effective today, or as its contracts allow, BASF will increase prices for nylon 6 polymer by $0.08 per pound. The increase covers nylon polymer for spinning, film, wire/cable and compounding applications.

Unifi records a Q3 loss of $13.2M Write downs on plants and equipment, as well as charges related to a customer's bankruptcy, contributed to a third quarter net loss of $13.2 million for textured yarn maker Unifi, Inc.


 

U.S. and EU Sign Open Skies Air Transport Agreement
The U.S. and the European Union signed a comprehensive, first-stage air transport agreement this week. The pact will replace existing bilateral agreements between the U.S. and EU member states and establish an open skies-plus framework between the U.S. and all 27 EU members.

USTR Releases 2007 Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Rights
This week the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative released its annual Special 301 report on the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights protection provided by U.S. trading partners. The report highlights the prominence of concerns with respect to China and Russia, in spite of some evidence of improvement. The report also acknowledges those trading partners whose efforts to improve IPR protection are producing positive results both for U.S. right holders and for innovators in those countries.

NCTO May Pursue CV Cases Against Imports of Chinese Apparel
According to news reports, the National Coalition of Textile Organizations is debating whether to file countervailing duty cases against apparel imported from China. The NCTO is not expected to make a final decision until the Department of Commerce makes a final determination in its ongoing CV case involving coated free sheet paper from China. The DOC’s preliminary affirmative determination led to the imposition of CV duties ranging from 10 percent to 20 percent.

U.S. and Malaysia Continuing FTA Discussions
The U.S. and Malaysia are continuing FTA negotiations despite the fact that they were unable to conclude the talks in time for the agreement to be considered under current trade promotion authority. The discussions stalled in March after the Malaysian cabinet could not agree on a political mandate for its negotiators, but that hurdle has apparently now been cleared. Last week a group of Malaysian officials traveled to Washington, D.C., where press reports indicate the two sides made some progress in the areas of government procurement, services and investment.

ITC Institutes Investigation of Panama FTA Effect
The International Trade Commission has announced that following a March 30 USTR request it has instituted investigation TA-2104-025 regarding the probable economic effect of an FTA between the U.S. and Panama. The schedule for this investigation is as follows:

• a public hearing will be held in Washington, D.C., May 16
• requests to appear at this hearing are due by May 7
• written comments are due by May 23

Democrats Call on Rangel to Stand by New Trade Policy Proposal
A group of 71 Democratic House members recently sent a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. urging him to use the Democrats’ New Trade Policy for America proposal as the “firm bottom line” from which to build in negotiations with the Bush administration.

DOC Hears Opposition to Vietnam Textile and Apparel Monitoring Program
The Department of Commerce held a hearing last week on its program to monitor imports of textile and apparel products from Vietnam. This program was initiated in January and the DOC has said it will use the data the program generates to determine whether to self-initiate antidumping investigations of such products. The DOC has begun posting this data online, but a decision on whether to launch one or more AD investigations is not expected until later this year. Those presenting testimony at the hearing generally opposed the Vietnam monitoring program, stating that it appears to violate world trade rules and has caused problems for U.S. importers and retailers as well as Vietnamese manufacturers. Furthermore, they added, there is little support for the program among the U.S. apparel makers for whose benefit it was ostensibly created because there is virtually no commercially significant domestic production of the goods being monitored.

Peruvian President Calls on Congress to Approve FTA
Peruvian President Alan Garcia was in Washington, D.C., last week to meet with President Bush and members of Congress to press for passage of the U.S.-Peru free trade agreement. Garcia asserted that the FTA is essential for the continued economic development of his country.

EU Adopts Negotiating Mandates for New FTAs with India, Korea and ASEAN
European Union member states formally adopted negotiating mandates for a new generation of free trade agreements with India, South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. According to an EU press release, new independent research released by the European Commission suggests that these FTAs could add more than €40 billion to EU exports annually. The commission, which will negotiate on behalf of EU member states, expects to launch negotiations in the months to come. The EU noted that the key economic criteria in choosing these FTA partners were market potential (economic size and growth) and the level of protection against EU export interests (tariffs and non-tariff barriers). The EU also considered potential partners’ trade negotiations with EU competitors and the likely impact of this on EU markets and economies.

House Bill Would Ban Sale of Imported Products Made in Sweatshop Factories
Reps. Mike Michaud, D-Maine, and Chris Smith, R-N.J., recently introduced legislation to ban the sale in the U.S. of imported products made in sweatshop factories. H.R. 1910 would not only impose a $10,000 fine for each violation of the ban but also give those who sell legitimately produced products the right to sue to recover damages from violators. Michaud has been among those leading the charge for a new trade policy in the House and is the co-founder of the House Trade Working Group. In introducing the sweatshop bill he pointed to recent problems with labor practices in Jordan as an example of why this legislation is needed. The U.S. free trade agreement with Jordan includes labor rights provisions designed to prevent violations of workers’ freedoms, but allegations of labor violations in Jordan’s qualified industrial zones surfaced last year.

 

The contents printed in this document are informational in nature. They are gathered from various industry sources and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or actions of THA.

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