Textile groups in period of flux
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, April 5, 2004
HIGH POINT — Textile trade groups are in a period of flux as the industry looks to defend itself against trade policies many believe have cost more than 330,000 U.S. jobs and could fatally wound the domestic industry.
Until recently, textile trade groups were roughly distinguished by whether their membership traditionally was apparel-related or not. Because the apparel side of the industry took the first blows dealt by low-cost imports, membership rolls at those associations quickly shrank.
The shakeout is ongoing, but at this point groups can be distinguished by whether their membership is yarn-related or fabric-related.
Some long-standing associations have grown, such as the National Textile Assn., which has raised its profile recently in relation to upholstery flammability.
New groups have formed. Some are specific to textiles-related industries, such as the National Council of Textile Organizations.
Others are broader groups that include the textile industry among other manufacturing segments, such as the American Manufacturers Trade Action Coalition.
And some associations have dissolved, such as the American Textiles Manufacturers Institute. Others will dissolve in a few months when their funds are exhausted, such as the American Yarn Spinners Assn.
Because the new NCTO grew out of the former ATMI and soon-to-be-dissolved AYSA, its orientation is to the yarn side of the industry.
NTA, while not upholstery specific, skews to the fabric side. Its members make fabric, knitted or woven, for applications from home furnishings to industrial, technical, transportation, apparel and medical.
Executives from a few upholstery fabric mills met during Showtime here in January to discuss whether their segment would be better served by NTA or by forming a freestanding, upholstery-specific group.
Larry Liebenow, president and CEO of Quaker Fabric, hosted that meeting, but said last week no plan yet has been developed, partly because his company and others have been preoccupied with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's upholstery flammability regulations.
Several important upholstery fabric producers have been members of NTA, including Quaker, Sunbury, Burlington (which now operates Cone Jacquards) and Milliken. They recently have been joined by American Silk Mills, Craftex Mills, Weave Corp. and Wearbest Sil-Tex.
Four major players not yet accounted for are Culp, Joan, Tietex and Valdese Weavers.
Roger Berkley, president of Weave, said his company chose to align with NTA because "the new NCTO association is more of the same. Like ATMI before it, its focus is still more on the apparel sector and yarn spinners, not the upholstery sector."
Rob Culp, chairman and CEO of Culp Inc., said his company is still "evaluating the alternatives. We've talked with the folks at NCTO and the folks at NTA and we like them all, but we're waiting to see if anything develops with the upholstery-specific group we talked about in January."
"I admire the work Allen Gant has done getting the NCTO put together," said Karl Spilhaus, president of NTA. "We worked closely with ATMI and we intend to continue that relationship with NCTO, particularly on import issues related to China and quota removal. The added lobbying strength will help."
