Ramtex plans to add 40 jobs
By J.D. Walker, Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune

RAMSEUR - A local textile manufacturer chose a Congressional visit to announce an upcoming expansion in its workforce.

When U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) arrived to tour Ramtex's operation, he was greeted with an announcement of a 40-job expansion set for October. Coble hailed it as good news in an industry plagued by global pressures.

The jobs will be in Ramtex's weaving department. Earlier in January, Ramtex laid off 80 employees in the weaving department due to the economic recession and downturn in orders.

Bob Durand, Ramtex vice president, said the hiring push is necessary to replenish inventories for promising third- and fourth-quarter orders. He thanked Coble for helping to make the expansion possible with his pro-textile votes in Congress.

"You have been a great ally and supporter of textiles even when we know the votes in some cases have been hard for you," he said.

Durant referenced Coble's vote against the Trade Promotion Act (TPA) this spring. TPA - or fast track, as it is more commonly known - was promoted to give the president authority to negotiate trade agreements with foreign countries. Congress would not be allowed to modify the agreements. The body would only be allowed to vote the pacts up or down.

Coble said he hated to vote against Bush on the issue but argued that the bill could have been refined to make it more beneficial to the textile industry. Many pro-textile legislators expressed fear that textile jobs would be the first commodity traded away in any pact.

Company leaders including CEO Donald Yeung accompanied Coble through the 1 million-square-foot plant where the company manufactures yarn which it then weaves into fabric for shirts, sheets and more. The company also sells a portion of the yarn it spins.

Coble met briefly with plant department heads and shift managers to field questions about his work in Washington, D.C. The questions revolved around NAFTA regulations and expanding GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) treaty requirements through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) removed trade barriers between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. GATT, as it is implemented through WTO, is an ongoing global agreement between 144 member countries to reduce barriers to trade. The next round of tariff and trade barrier eliminations is set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2005.

"NAFTA is not the problem for textiles," said Coble. "China is."

Coble said China, in his opinion, follows no rules or regulations. He said the country is a threat to textiles because of its "dirt cheap" labor and refusal to crack down on bootleg and black market operations.

Coble remarked that it is only through investment and innovation efforts such as those implemented by Ramtex that American textiles stay competitive in the current global economic climate.