Training people for jobs does no good if the plants close. So the other aspect of the Apparel Manufacturing Center's program is to help the local apparel industry find work and modernize their operations. Working with catalog company Augusta Sportswear, Roppe has managed to place work at four area plants keeping some busy through April 1998. Augusta Sportswear had the work and was fixing to send it to Mexico. We just tied the two together.
Plans are to tie in with other catalog companies and bring even more work to the area.
Meanwhile, area plants are trying to modernize their operations. In the past, U.S. apparel manufacturers relied on low wages to stay competitive, but the cost of domestic labor can no longer compete with overseas wages. With JIT, manufacturers give their customers just the amount of product needed, delivered on time and with excellent quality. Industry experts believe the use of JIT techniques, such as modular manufacturing, will not only improve competitiveness, but is necessary for survival of the domestic industry. Roppe is introducing modular manufacturing at several area plants.