Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i Page 2 Womble Named Bason, Inc. Acquires Clinton Mills Thomas Womble Smith Promoted To Cloth Room Superintendent Textile and Apparel Imports Hurt Industry Assistant Plant Engineer Thomas Womble has been promoted to the Lydia Plant as assistant plant engineer, according to Director of Plant Engineering Silas Campbell. Womble joined Clinton Mills, Inc. Febru ary 10, 1982, and has held numerous posi tions within Clinton Mills and its affiliated carpet yarn operations. He attended Piedmont Technical College where he earned an associate degree in heat ing, air conditioning and refrigeration. “Womble brings to this position a wide range of knowledge in numerous engineer ing and maintenance areas,” stated Camp bell. John Albert Smith Clinton Mills, Inc. has promoted John Albert Smith from assistant Plant No. 2 gen eral weaving superintendent to Lydia cloth room superintendent, effective February 1, 1985, according to Lydia Plant Manager Joe Nelson. Smith received his BS degree in account ing and business management from Pre sbyterian College in 1973. He joined Clinton Mills on March 11, 1974. He has served in assistant superintendent and assistant gen eral superintendent positions in Plant No. 2 weaving before assuming his new position. On December 20, 1984, Clinton Mills, Inc. stockholders approved a transaction whereby Bason, Inc., a local company orga nized and owned by the senior management of Clinton Mills, Inc., would purchase most of the operating assets and substantially all of the liabilities of Clinton Mills, Inc. The transaction was closed December 28, 1984, and Bason, Inc. changed its name to Clinton Mills, Inc. In his announcement via bulletin board notices to all employees, Chairman Robert M. Vance stated, “The new Clinton Mills, Inc. will continue to operate as the company WASHINGTON—Government trade fi gures released this week show that 1984 was the worst year in history for the Amer ican textile and apparel industry, the Amer ican Textile Manufacturers Institute re ported. Imports of textiles and apparel for 1984 reached an all-time record level of 9.8 bil lion square yards, up 32 percent from the 1983 previous record level of 7.4 billion square yards. In addition to total textile and apparel imports in 1984, record annual levels were set in separate categories for textiles (5.1 billion square yards); apparel (4.7); fabric (2.5); and miscellaneous (1.2). The 1984 textile and apparel trade deficit also hit a record level reaching $16 billion, a 53 percent increase over 1983's previous record of $10.5 billion. The 1984 textile and apparel trade deficit is 13 percent of the has in the past with the same management. Your job and benefits will in no way be affected by the change in ownership. The long-standing philosophy, practices and policies of Clinton Mills, Inc. will not change. You may be assured of your security with this organization.” Clinton Mills, a diversified textile manu facturer founded in 1896 and headquar tered in Clinton, S.C., operates four weaving plants in Clinton and two in Geneva, Ala. It also operates Elastic Fabrics of America, a knitted elastics plant in Greensboro, N.C., and America-West Industries, Inc., a carpet yarn manfacturer in Yuma, Ariz. nation's total merchandise trade deficit for the year. “The record level of just under 10 billion square yards is equivalent to one million American jobs in the fiber, textile,‘apparel complex,” said ATMI President James H. Martin, Jr. who is also vice-chairman of Ti- Caro, Inc., Gastonia, N.C. “Each month, more plants are closing or cutting back, and more jobs are being lost. If employed, these Americans would be contributng to the na tion's economic growth and helping to re duce the budget deficit,” Martin stressed. “The textile industry has invested heavily in modernization and product promotion in an effort to help itself, but the level of im ports is so overpowering that the government needs to take immediate and effective ac tions to stop the import surge, which is undercutting a basic, national industry with a gross national product of more than $45 billion,” he said. Imports Mean Lost Jobs For Industry Employees A merchant in one nearby town some months ago started featuring American- made clothes in his store. He still had some imported garments around, but he let it be known that he would much rather sell you something made in the United States. Why did he do it? A lot of people asked him that question. Couldn't he make more money selling imports? His answer was rather basic. Most of his customers worked in textile plants around the town. He was concerned that if imports continued to increase in volume, some of those textile plants were going to lay off employees or even close down. That would cost him customers. And, if enough of his customers lost jobs because of imports, then he might have to close down also. He decided it made sense—and dol lars, too—for him to promote American- made products. That actually occurred. It was before the import situation got as bad as it is now, back when many of us thought imports were going to level off at a reasonable percentage of the market. The leveling off has not happened. Im ports just keep growing—25 percent more in 1983 than in 1982, up almost 50 percent in 1984. And, our exports are way down, thanks to the high dollar value and trade barriers raised by our foreign competitors to keep our products out. It all translates into jobs—lost American jobs. Imports today represent about 800,000 American textile and apparel jobs. And, the problem continues to grow. Too frequently now we read of layoffs and plant closings because of imports. Deep down, do we keep thinking imports keep affecting the other person. How long will it be before you and I feel the effects? Why can't we compete more effectively? Yes, we have the most dedicated employees, the most modern machinery. Our productiv ity and the quality of our products are the envy of the world. On the other hand, our wages are among the highest in the world—five to ten times as high as some paid by our competitors are often subsidized. Some disregard trade agreements. But, imports are cheaper. Many times they are because of the things I just men tioned. Sometimes they are subsidized by government. But once control is gained of a market segment, the price tends to rise. I nterestingly, surveys show that the Amer ican consumer generally would prefer to have American-made products. The con sumer perceives the American-made pro duct to be of better quality and of greater value. The damaged caused by imports plus the consumer survey information has prompted companies in the fiber, textile and apparel industries to promote American-made pro ducts more than ever before. We have a selfish interest in the “Made in USA” program. Clinton Mills wants to stay in business and we want to make money. That is the only way we can provide jobs and continue our support for the good things— including the good business—of this com munity. Now there are importers who do not want to see us succeed. They make their money bringing foreign-produced products into this country, while Clinton Mills survives by manufacturing in America. Clinton Mills strongly supports the “Made in USA” program. Imports do not. When 1,000 textile and apparel jobs are lost, a domino effect occurs, equalling a loss of an additional 1,000 jobs in apparel shops, food stores, restaurants, gas sta tions, drug stores, etc. The best way for this community to ensure its own future is by us—employees, custom ers, retailers and manufacturers—joining together to provide the American consumer quality and value—products “Made With Pride In USA.” // V u.S> BUYTHEBEST EURAMERICAN BUY CLINTON FABRICS CRA^E^WU^PRIDE IN U.i CLINTON MILLS SALES CO. 111W. 40th St.. N.Y.C. • (212) 391-0270