OTEXA To Offer Competitiveness Forum At Material World

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), will present a special program in connection with Material World Miami Beach next month to address textile and apparel competitiveness within the Western Hemisphere.

America’s Textile and Apparel Competitiveness Forum: Realizing the Benefits of Western Hemisphere Trade is scheduled to take place Monday afternoon, April 7, at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla. Material World Miami Beach — a global sourcing, fabric and trim trade event sponsored by the American Apparel & Footwear Association, and owned and produced by Urban Expositions LLC — will open Tuesday, April 8, at the convention center and will continue through Thursday, April 10.

Matt Priest, deputy assistant secretary, US DOC, and chairman, Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements, will moderate the program. Speakers will include representatives from major manufacturers, industry associations and government agencies in the region. Subject highlights will include textile trade policy initiatives, such as free trade agreements and preferential programs, and direction; and supply chain and logistics strategies and challenges such as speed-to-market.

Forum registration will begin at 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. The forum will take place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a reception from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required. Attendees may pre-register via e-mail to laurie_mease@ita.doc.gov or online at www.expologic.com/registration/clients/materialworld/.

March 25, 2008