Harris Teeter 2006 Annual Report Download - page 11

8Ruddick Corporation & Subsidiaries Annual Report 2006
non-apparel thread manufacturing capacity at our Huamei Thread Company Limited joint venture. China is a
growing market for both apparel and non-apparel products, and we plan to participate in this growth and create
value for our customers throughout the Asian region.
In September 2006 we continued our expansion by acquiring TSP, a manufacturer and distributor of sewing
thread and trimmings for the industrial markets of Europe. This acquisition further diversifies our non-apparel
sales, particularly to automotive markets, and expands our production capacity in Europe. TSP’s location in
Central Europe improves our service capabilities throughout that region and to Eastern Europe. In the future,
we plan to expand TSP’s product lines by offering A&E branded apparel sewing thread products, together with
our extensive embroidery and technical textiles product lines.
The acquisition of Synthetic Thread Company, Inc. in 2004 provided us with an entry into the technical
textiles market, which we previously referred to as the specialty engineered yarn market. Technical textiles
represent non-apparel yarns we supply to our customers in the automotive, telecommunication, wire and cable,
paper production and other industries. We expanded our customer base and product line offerings in the
technical textiles arena by acquiring Ludlow Textiles Company, Inc. in 2005. During 2006 we successfully
converted a thread yarn spinning plant in the U.S. into a plant specializing in technical textiles, allowing us to
consolidate multiple operations into one. With our professional sales and technical team, we are well positioned
to provide some of the best products and services to our customers in the global diversified industrial markets.
We have also been successful in diversifying our product line through the acquisition of Robison-Anton
Textile Co. in 2005. Robison-Anton is a highly recognized global brand for quality embroidery threads and we
are focused on expanding the sales and distribution of this non-apparel thread throughout our global network.
During 2006 we launched the Robison-Anton products through our distribution network in Mexico and are
poised to expand our distribution in Asia, Central America and Europe in 2007 with the support of an
aggressive sales effort and advertising campaign.
We recognized many years ago that to be successful in our industry, it was imperative to be flexible, to
participate in the global market and to expand our customer base through product diversification. By continuing
our global expansion and diversifying our product lines, we are demonstrating our commitment to providing a
wide range of quality products and services that create value for our customers throughout the world.