Glen Raven Cited as Leader in North Carolina's 'Second Industrial Revolution'
2007.09.10
A feature story in this week's Washington Post newspaper cites Glen Raven as a leader in North Carolina's "Second Industrial Revolution," reporting that the company is prospering in the global economy by focusing on specialty fabrics that require high-tech equipment and technical expertise.
"The refashioning has positioned Glen Raven to profit from what many portray as the mortal threat to the Carolina textile industry: China now buys growing volumes of the company's products," The Post reported.
"Last year, North Carolina exported $52 million of textiles and fabrics to China, a fivefold increase from 2003," according to the Washington Post's article published on Sept. 3. "Chinese factories increasingly use Glen Raven's fabrics to make sun umbrellas and upholstery for lounge chairs, sending many of these finished goods back across the Pacific to the United States."
The Post's article was published as part of Labor Day coverage, focusing on changes taking place in the manufacturing section due to global competition. The article notes that between 1977 and 2005, the value of American manufacturing grew from $1.3 trillion to $4.5 trillion. At the same time, however, the American manufacturing workforce has fallen from a peak of 19 million workers in 1979, to 14 million, the lowest number since 1950.
To illustrate how these trends are affecting workers, the article focused on what it calls North Carolina's "Second Industrial Revolution." While North Carolina lost 72,000 manufacturing jobs between 2002 and 2005, the state has become "a rising powerhouse in lucrative new manufacturing sectors" such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and sophisticated textiles including those manufactured by Glen Raven.
"Glen Raven's success allows the company to pay its American workers $10.50 to $22 an hour, plus benefits," according to The Post. "Even at those wages, labor represents only 5 percent of the overall cost of turning fiber into fabric. Put another way, the efficiency of the machines that have eliminated jobs at its plants has allowed Glen Raven to pay the remaining workers enough to afford cars, health care and homes. Some of those homes boast patios and lawns now shaded by sun umbrellas made in China using fabric woven just down the road."
Allen Gant, president of Glen Raven, a 127-year-old family owned company with approximately 3,000 employees, says that innovation and the ability to lead change have been part of the culture of the Glen Raven since its founding.
"Our company by nature has always been entrepreneurial, optimistic and innovative," Gant said. "The Post's article has a message to all businesses in North Carolina: opportunities for growth and success abound in a global economy for companies that are willing and able to change with the times. Our employees around the globe share in this well-deserved recognition."
