ATMI President Talks about the Changing Face of the U.S. Textile Industry
Summary
Doug Ellis, chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based Southern Mills Inc. and ATMI president talked about the changing face of the U.S. textile industry. He pointed out that the textile, fiber and apparel complex is second only to the automobile industry in contribution to the U.S. economy, and the complex, which employs 1.4 million people, represents eight percent of all U.S. manufacturing employment. According to Ellis, being globally competitive and high tech means there are a number of interesting and exciting career opportunities for talented young people not only in plants but also in development labs, quality assurance labs, finance and data processing departments. Ellis concluded his remarks by saying the U.S. textile industry needs to do a better job of communicating just how much it has changed. He urged members of the audience to "be proud of your industry, get the facts together about what we have accomplished, have faith in our future, and then spread the word.