Avondale Mills, Inc., located in Graniteville, SC, received an Export Achievement Certificate during a ceremony at their facility on Friday, September 17. The Certificate, presented by Congressman Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., was in recognition of Avondale’s recent entry into a new export market – Costa Rica. Mr. Norman Taylor, Credit Manager, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Ann Watts, Director, and Jayne Woodward, Senior International Trade Specialist, Columbia U.S. Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce also participated.

Avondale is a leading U.S. manufacturer and marketer of cotton and cotton-blend fabrics and yarns with facilities located in Graniteville, SC. as well as other locations within South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Avondale’s facilities and equipment are modern and efficient, reflecting significant investment in recent years to enhance productivity, operating efficiencies and manufacturing flexibility and to reduce unit costs. Avondale’s domestic manufacturing facilities are thus able to compete on a global basis while providing employment opportunities for its associates within the U.S. communities in which it operates.

In its 2004 fiscal year, Avondale’s exports increased 125% over the previous fiscal year. Programs offered by the Columbia U. S. Export Assistance Center were instrumental in helping Avondale achieve this growth. Trade Specialist Jayne Woodward has worked closely with Avondale to provide current export market information for their products and assist with specific situations they have encountered in developing international sales.

Avondale firmly believes that, despite the global economic challenges confronting American manufacturing, there is a future for domestic manufacture of fabrics and yarns. Proximity to the U.S. consumer provides a significant advantage for domestic textile mills. The ability to quickly respond to customers’ requests, routinely replenish customers’ inventories and jointly develop new products within this hemisphere is a key advantage. Additionally, unlike the “cut and sew” garment manufacturing process, textile production is not as labor intensive but requires modern, efficient production facilities that are very capital intensive. The required investment in facilities and equipment provides a significant barrier to expansion by competitors.

Avondale nonetheless emphasizes that trade laws that provide a fair and level playing field are crucial. Trade-distorting practices exercised by other countries (currency exchange rates, forgiveness of non-performing bank loans, export credits, etc.) must be met with trade laws that fairly counteract these measures.

The Export Achievement Certificate was created by the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce to recognize U.S. companies that successfully penetrate international markets for distribution of their products. The primary mission of the U.S. Commercial Service is to assist U.S. companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to sell their products and services into international markets. With a network of more than 100 U.S. Export Assistance Centers throughout the United States and more than 150 international offices located in American Embassies and Consulates throughout the world, the U.S. Commercial Service provides a direct link to international markets for U.S. companies wishing to initiate or expand export sales. Last year, the U.S. Commercial Service helped facilitate over $23 billion in U.S. export sales.