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March 2010
Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine SERVING THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1912
Toothbrush Companies Discuss Demand, Plans Wisdom Oral Care Preserve Ranir, LLC Dr. Fresh, Inc.
Innovation Helps Grow Paintbrush Business Elder & Jenks Torrington Brush Works Shur-Line T.S. Simms & Co. Ltd.
Import/Export Review
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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
March 2010
Broom, Brush & Mop A RANKIN PUBLISHING PUBLICATION
March 2010
Volume 100, Number 3
CALENDAR
FEATURES
MARCH 14 - 16, 2010
Innovation, Planning Drive Success For Paintbrush Manufacturers____________________6
International Home & Housewares Show, Chicago, IL Information: 847-292-4200
4 Toothbrush Companies Talk About Their Products, Their Business & The Economy _____12
MARCH 17 - 20, 2010
Import/Export Overview________________________16
ABMA Annual Convention, Orlando, FL Information: 630-631-5217
November Imports & Exports____________________18
APRIL 26 - 29, 2010
ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Information: 847-982-0800
Broom Corn Dealer Survey _____________________28
MAY 4 - 6, 2010
STAFF CO-PUBLISHERS Don Rankin
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rick Mullen
drankin@consolidated.net
rankinmag@consolidated.net
Linda Rankin
GRAPHIC/PRODUCTION Jennie Grace David Opdyke RECEPTION Sandy Pierce
lrankin@consolidated.net
EDITOR Harrell Kerkhoff rankinmag@consolidated.net
National Hardware Show, Las Vegas, NV Information: 203-840-5622
MAY 22 - 25, 2010
National Restaurant Association Annual Show, Chicago, IL Information: 312-853-2525
NOVEMBER 9 - 12, 2010
ISSA/INTERCLEAN®, Orlando, FL Information: 800-225-4772
Rankin Publishing, Inc.
ASSOCIATIONS
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By Rick Mullen Broom, Brush & Mop Associate Editor
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n speaking with executives from four North American paintbrush manufacturers about how their respective companies have remained successful during the current economic downturn, certain principles became apparent. These executives told Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine recently that, among other things, innovation, planning, communication and an uncommon desire to work smarter than ever before have moved their companies through the recession and onto an even brighter future.
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lder & Jenks, of Bayonne, NJ, was founded in 1793 — the second year of George Washington’s second term as president. According to Vice President Michael Norton, Elder & Jenks is the oldest continuous paintbrush company in the United States and has always been a family run company. The Norton family has owned Elder & Jenks since 1960. As the nation’s economy struggles to rebound from recession, Elder & Jenks continues to emphasize innovation, honesty and hard work as the company’s foundational underpinnings of its more than 200 years of success. Taking advantage of more than two centuries of accumulated knowledge in the paintbrush marketplace, Elder & Jenks has successfully weather many other economic storms over the years, including the Great
March 2010
Depression of the 1930s. Nonetheless, doing business the past year has not been without its challenges. “It has been difficult to say the least,” Norton said. “We have seen customers reduce their inventories. Therefore, anytime there is a positive move in sales, people need fulfillment in a hurry. As a result, we must manufacture product in a hurry, and this creates an undulation in the supply chain. It is kind of like a whipsaw action.” While Elder & Jenks remains one of the few companies manufacturing commodity brushes onshore, the company’s focus is on professional, high-end brushes and rollers. Despite the recessionary times, sales in this segment have remained strong. “Professional brushes and rollers continue to be our core focus and it has gone very well,” Norton said. Norton explained that one of the reasons the company manufacturers its own commodity brushes has to do with maintaining control on the quality of the brushes. Despite their relatively inexpensive price points, these brushes are used to perform important functions where a quality product is essential. “Many of these brushes are used in areas such as the aerospace industry, where they oftentimes need a perishable brush that will perform from a quality standpoint for the given life of the brush,” Norton said. As it became apparent that the economy was slipping toward recession, Elder & Jenks realized the importance of communicating with customers and employees concerning what might lie ahead. “From the onset, we were upfront about the
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state of affairs with our employees,” Norton said. “It is important to communicate with your employees. Our employees were receptive to adjustments that we had to make as far as the workweek and other areas where we needed to be as lean as possible. “When you tailor your inventories to current business cycles and there is an unusual demand for a particular product, it is important to communicate with a customer as to your inventory position and timing. It may be that the customer would accept a partial order to fulfill their immediate needs. In coping with these types of marketplace issues, communication is critical.” At Elder & Jenks, brush making is considered an art. Bristle and synthetic filament blending is done by skilled professionals, and the company’s professional brushes are highly regarded throughout the industry. In addition, Elder & Jenks is a division of The Muralo Company, Inc., a paint manufacturer founded in 1894, which makes the well-known product “Spackle®.” The synergy between Muralo and Elder & Jenks has allowed for greater insights in the relationships between both paint and paint application products. Being involved in the paint industry, Norton has traditionally kept a close eye on legislative regulations pertaining to VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which affect the way paint behaves when applied. Early on, VOC requirements sometimes hindered the performance of paint products. However, efforts to comply with VOC standards spawned innovation, which, in some cases, resulted in the development of new and improved coatings. Now, through innovation and a lot of hard work in the laboratory, Muralo has developed paint products that contain zero VOCs. While the company views its zero VOC offerings as an important cog in protecting and sustaining the environment, Norton cautions that some products are not as “green” as presented. “As far as paintbrushes and paint rollers are concerned, the green movement has swept up a lot of products that really are not green,” Norton said. “We want to see truth in marketing. We don’t want to promote a green product unless it truly is eco-friendly. Some of the so-called green products need a cradle to grave analysis to see whether they really have less of an impact on the environment than a standard product.” Innovation is nothing new at Elder & Jenks. The company has a long and successful track record in developing cutting-edge products. Norton considers the ability to innovate as one of the most important aspects of the company’s success. “For example, from a paint manufacturing standpoint, we develop our own resins, which are the building blocks of a paint. For manufacturers our size, this is virtually unheard of,” Norton said. “We have been vertically integrated in this area for probably 45 to 50 years. Developing our own resins gives us the advantage of being able to tailor an emulsion to our specific needs.” Another foundational aspect of Elder & Jenks success is its emphasis on customer service, and while challenges still lay ahead, Norton is optimistic that the company’s tried and true core principles will assure future success. “We continue to do our best to satisfy customers in our market, and hopefully by our diligence we are going to be able to continue to grow in the marketplace,” Norton said. “We are a family-run business and we have never been afraid of hard work. We are going to continue to fight the good fight to provide customer satisfaction.”
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Contact: Elder & Jenks, 148 E. 5th St., Bayonne, NJ 07002. Phone: 201-437-0770; Fax: 201-437-2317. E-mail: info@elderandjenks.com. Web site: www.elderandjenks.com.
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orrington Brush Works began doing business around 1907 in a small wood frame building located in Torrington, CT. In the beginning, the company made scrub brushes and bench dusters. These first brushes were sold by salesmen who rode horseback up and down the Naugatuck River Valley. About 20 years ago, Torrington Brush Work’s owner, the late Sid Fitzgerald, who passed away Sept. 13, 2009, purchased a manufacturing facility in Sarasota, FL. Today, the company’s main headquarters and manufacturing operation are located in Sarasota, while there remains a distribution center in Torrington. Following Sid Fitzgerald’s death, his wife and the company’s current owner, Mary Fitzgerald, took over the reins of the business. Fitzgerald is determined to continue building upon her husband’s successful legacy, despite the enormous challenges presented in today’s down economy. “We are holding our own during these tough economic times,” Fitzgerald said. “Customers are buying, but just not as much. No one is trying to carry an inventory at this point, because they just don’t know what is going to happen. We still have our accounts and our goal for this year is to increase our sales and obtain new accounts.” Today, Torrington’s product lines have grown and include prod-
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ucts from artist brushes to wheel brushes. Warehouses in Connecticut and Florida have more than 3 million brushes in stock for immediate shipment. Torrington Brush Works ships brushes to customers all over the world. Torrington Brush Works’ primary customer base is industrial and manufacturing companies that oftentimes require paintbrushes to perform tasks other than painting. Craftmenship and quality are emphasized at Torrington as its products are still made by hand. “We are unique. Our brushes are not used for everyday purposes such as painting; they are used for other applications,” Fitzgerald said. “In addition, we manufacture custom brushes. If someone calls and wants a particular kind of brush, we always come up with a way to make that brush. “I think we are unique in that regard because we serve whoever calls. We don’t turn a customer away unless we absolutely cannot make what that customer is seeking. For example, we do not make cosmetic brushes or many of the types of brushes used in foodservice, although there are a few foodservice brushes that we can manufacture. If it is something we can make, we will produce it.” Fitzgerald said the company is in the process of studying some of the unique brushes it has manufactured to see if there would be enough of a market for some of them to be included in the Torrington catalog. Indeed, historically the company’s catalog has been an important and extremely effective sales and marketing tool. “We call the catalog our ‘storefront,’” Fitzgerald said. In the past, the catalog was distributed four times each year, but,
March 2010
because of the economy, last year the company issued one fullsized catalog and another smaller one officials called their “slim Jim” edition. Recently, Torrington also updated its Web site to make it more convenient for customers to place orders online. Preliminary results from the upgrade have been very encouraging. “Following the Web site upgrade, we have seen a huge increase in sales from that source,” Fitzgerald said. “The catalog and the Web site have been successful in obtaining new business.” In the new catalog, the company has emphasized products that are manufactured onshore. “In the current catalog, we have ‘made in the USA’ a little more visible than before,” Fitzgerald said. “We try to make many of our products in the United States. We take pride in the fact that an enduser is able to pick up one of our brushes and say, ‘This was made by Torrington Brush Works in the USA.’ We think stressing ‘made in the USA’ is going to be a big promotion for us, because there are so many products imported.” While Torrington has taken measures to save money in today’s economy, the company has also strived to help its customers weather the storm as well. “Because of the down economy, we didn’t increase prices in our catalog after January 1, even though our costs went up a little on raw materials,” Fitzgerald said. “We are also trying to help customers with shipping costs. For example, we pay the shipping on orders of more than $99. Otherwise, we charge a flat fee for shipping. Also, we don’t have re-stocking fees.”
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While Torrington spotlights its domestic offerings, the company does import some inexpensive throwaway type brushes. “We import these types of brushes because there are many manufacturers and industrial people who just want them for a one-time use. For that purpose, we must have some imports that are not going to be costly,” Fitzgerald said. As a bonus, Torrington is also able to modify many of the brushes it imports to meet a customer’s unique needs. “For example, if a customer is unhappy with the length, we can shorten the brushes,” Fitzgerald said. “Many times we can also put special markings on the handles of the brushes for a customer.” In the manufacture of quality products and in providing stellar customer service, Torrington’s employees have been an invaluable asset throughout the company’s long history. “We have very little turnover in employees,” Fitzgerald said. “Our people are very dedicated. They are here everyday and they are marvelous.” Fitzgerald spoke of one man, Frank Lauf, who will be 90 years old in April, and who has worked for the company for about 76 years. Lauf works as the shipping manager at the company’s Connecticut facility. “(Lauf) comes everyday and works 40 hours a week,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s nobody like him. Most everyone who has been in the company has been here 10 years or more.” Fitzgerald said several employees are facing retirement soon and it will be difficult to replace these good people and their expertise. “It is going to be tough, but challenges are good things,” Fitzgerald said. “My husband always said, ‘Never give up — keep looking forward and we will be fine.’ We will find people to train, but it will take time. “Torrington Brush Works is a stable company. My husband made it a stable company and we can take a hit here and there and still be fine. You cut back on some things, and you keep what you know is going to work going forward. That is what we are trying to do.” Despite pressures brought to bear by imports, the movement of paintbrush manufacturing offshore and consolidation, Fitzgerald sees a future for the domestic paintbrush companies that remain. She also sees many smaller companies opting to deal in imports. “There are not many paintbrush companies around anymore. Many companies import or they have sold out to bigger companies,” Fitzgerald said. “With the importing, I think a lot of the smaller companies are going to be successful acting as ‘the middle man,’ so to speak. There will be a few manufacturers that remain onshore.” As far as Torrington’s future is concerned, there may be another Fitzgerald waiting in the wings to take the company’s helm when his time comes. “I have a 7-year-old son and his dream has always been to take over from his daddy,” Fitzgerald said. “When I had to come home and tell my son my husband had passed away, the first words out of his mouth were, ‘What are we going to do about the Brush Works Mom?’ I’m hoping he has enough of my husband in him to carry on. “My husband was a brilliant man. He took Torrington Brush Works and brought it up from a small company to where it is today. He always said it was a small company, but it grew a huge amount after he bought the company. “Sometimes he would say, ‘I’m going to sell the Brush Works, but he couldn’t — it was just in his blood. He truly loved the paint-
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brush industry. He loved the people in it. They are really a nice group of people. Right up to the day he died he worked really hard at making improvements and trying to go forward with the company. The success of Torrington Brush Works is due to him.” Contact: Torrington Brush Works, Inc., 4377 Independence Court, Sarasota, FL 34234. Phone: 800-262-7874; Fax: 800-528-0109. E-mail: mail@torringtonbrushes.com. Web site: www.torringtonbrushes.com.
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hen it comes to offering some of the most innovative products in the paint applicator industry, Shur-Line — a Newell Rubbermaid Company has an impressive and proven track record. The company’s ability to innovate has been highlighted, as it has been a regular nominee (as well as a past winner) for the American Brush Manufacturers Association’ William Cordes Innovation Excellence Award. This prestigious award recognizes innovation of manufactured products, components or services in the broom, brush, mop and roller industries. This year, two Shur-Line products have been nominated for the award. The winner will be announced at the ABMA Annual Convention in March in Orlando, FL. The company’s Shur-Line Eco Applicators™ and Shur-Line Deck Pads and Paint Pads with DuPont Teflon® Coating are the two product nominees. “We are extremely proud of the (Shur-Line Eco Applicators™ line) because the products are 100 percent eco-friendly,” said Shur-Line Vice President of Sales - Tools & Hardware Chris Tesmer. “Whether it is the fabrics, the core materials, the epoxy, the ferrules, the filaments, the handles, the packaging — all the elements that make up this product are either coming from a 100 percent recycled source or is a biodegradable material. “Other products in the marketplace tout a green element, but when everything is said and done, we can feel comfortable that our products meet a standard of what the name represents — which is eco-friendly.” Tesmer stressed there is no “green” hyperbole going on with the Eco Applicators. “It is not just that we used materials that have been recycled, and yet do not paint well,” he said. “Consumer performance is always at the heart of everything we make.” Shur-Line’s partnership in recent years with DuPont has paved the way for some innovative paint applicator products, thanks to the use of Teflon® on such items as paint trays, paint rollers and, most recently, paintbrushes. The Shur-Line Deck Pads and Paint Pads with DuPont Teflon® Coating product line is designed to be faster than a brush and smoother than a roller. This product line is highly effective for both exterior and interior use. “Shur-Line’s core heritage is the paint pad business,” Tesmer said. “A paint pad is an exceptional tool. It is faster than a brush, more versatile and smoother than a roller. Paint pads are a little bit more of an acquired taste, but once people try paint pads, they stick with them. We wanted to launch the next major innovation in paint pads. We have taken the Teflon technology that has been proven in rollers and brushes and employed it into our paint pads.” In addition, the new Deck Pads rest on an exclusive tear-resistant foam.
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“If a person is working on a deck with a rough surface or one with exposed screws or nails that normally would tear a foam pad, this pad is going to be able to withstand those pressures,” Tesmer said. “In addition, these pads have a thicker resiliency so you can ‘scrub’ your coating into the surface.” Tesmer said the company’s products using Teflon have met with great success beginning with paint rollers in 2004, paintbrushes in 2006, and now paint pads. “First and foremost, these products perform. They live up to their brand promise to the end-user,” Tesmer said. “Another aspect of Teflon that resonates so well with the consumer is its global brand name recognition akin to that of such products as Coca-Cola.” Shur-Line focuses on offering its product lines to hardware stores and home center businesses where paint is sold. “In general, our niche is providing high quality applicators that really yield success for the user,” Tesmer said. “We put the skill in the hand of the user. A professional product in many instances is designed for an exacting user who uses the product 300-plus days a year. In contrast, the average do-it-yourselfer tackles a major painting project once a year to once every two or three years. “For the DIY (do-it-yourself) end-user, we really strive to develop innovative products that pick up paint and put on paint faster than any applicator that is out there. Our products give the user a greater factor of safety. In other words, if the end-user pushes harder or pushes softer on the product, he or she will still get the same results as if a pro was doing the job. “We offer edgers, trim tools and pads that really provide simple solutions to hard painting projects such as edging next to a ceiling, or painting in very tight areas such as inside cabinets, or behind radiators and commodes. We provide those items that really make the job much more successful and easier. I think the consumer looks for innovation. We provide innovation and we provide it at a value.” While Shur-Line has remained highly successful, the down economy has had some impact. The company has taken measures to keep its competitive edge despite the times. “I would say that in 2009 there were certainly significant headwinds economically,” Tesmer said. “However, the do-it-yourself paint marketplace showed some resiliency, more so than the residential construction building trades and some of the industrial trades. “In the professional painting arena, it was more commonplace, similar to the residential construction market and the industrial markets, to be down by mid-double digits. Large paint retailers struggled with the professional side of the business much more than the paint departments at home improvement centers or hardware stores. Most of our home improvement center and hardware store customers, in general, saw their paint departments as being one of the positive lights within their organizations. Paint out performed almost every other department. Paint and sundry sales go hand-in-hand, and sundries include paint applicators. “From a paint perspective, two of three years ago there was a big push to sell the most expensive paint. In the current environment, value becomes a good proposition, hence you see the price points in the $25 to $30 per gallon range winning at retail, and home centers show significant strength with that price point.” Before the worst of the recession hit, Shur-Line’s (Newell Rubbermaid) top leadership recognized the potential for an economic downturn and acted proactively. Communication with employees played a critical role in keeping the company prosperous through what proved to be some of the toughest economic
March 2010
times in the country’s history. “We had a mantra that came down from our CEO that everybody had to ‘Rise to the Challenge,’” Tesmer said. “I think everybody felt like there were a lot of challenges out there, whether it was professionally at our work, or with our customers, or at home with our families. “We were challenged to focus our efforts, look beyond the economic situation and to see how we were going to perform better for our customers, our company and our shareholders post crisis. “We sought to perform our jobs in ways that brought added value to shareholders, the company and customers. We worked hard to bring the right innovations to the field, merchandise them the right way in our customers’ stores, train associates, spend time in retail and help the customers gain market share.” In addition, management was encouraged to focus on further developing their leadership skills and to focus on employee development, as well. “We are concerned about our people. People, at the end of the day, are our No. 1 asset. They are the reason for us to either be great or to be average,” Tesmer said. “Our people are great at Newell Rubbermaid and at Shur-Line.” While there has been an added emphasis on such issues as working leaner and career development during the economic downturn, such principles have always been a part of the daily fabric of business at Shur-Line. Furthermore, these principles will continue to be emphasized as the economic condition improves. “We had to cut out some of the things that we normally did, but those cuts were never at the expense of our consumers or our customers,” Tesmer said. “We are very proud and privileged to have the people who work in our plants, on our merchandising teams, on our sales teams, on our marketing teams and our finance teams. We have great leadership and great management.” While Shur-Line managers and other personnel were working hard to see the company successfully through the down economy, they were also helping customers do the same. Among the ways Shur-Line accomplished this was by deploying people and resources to customers’ locations. “We helped customers learn about our products, sell more products and actually increase footsteps (people in the stores) within our retail partners,” Tesmer said. “We have done that with both our Shur-Line and our Newell Rubbermaid umbrella. Our strategy with our customers is to always teach them what our products are used for and how our products provide a good value proposition for the end-user.” While the road hasn’t been easy the past couple of years because of the economy, Shur-Line’s proactive measures, quality, innovation and service, as well as its dedicated people have placed company in good stead for the future. “I think that the painting industry is showing fantastic signs of resiliency as the professional contractor side of the business comes back and the DIY segment continues to grow,” Tesmer said. “I see the marketplace having quite a lot of positive yield in the future. There is a very strong opportunity for a company like Shur-Line to break through the clutter — break through the sea of sameness and deliver our consumer message and our brand promise. “Our mission is delivering innovative, satisfying results to the end-user at a strong value. Our job is to make the performance of Continued On Page 29
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By Harrell Kerkhoff Broom, Brush & Mop Editor
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oothbrushes today come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. It’s a product that has been around in one form or another for centuries but continues to be refined as technology and machinery automation improves. The days of simply distinguishing a toothbrush with a different color handle and/or filament are over. Many of today’s products are designed and marketed for individual groups, such as children, senior citizens, those with disabilities, etc. There are now even toothbrushes made for the pet care industry. After browsing today’s various Web sites of toothbrush producers/suppliers, one gets the feeling that there may be as many different types of toothbrushes available as consumers who use them. Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine recently talked with four toothbrush company representatives to learn more about the state of this important industry and what trends are driving the market. Although these four companies are somewhat different in their approach to business, one thing is in agreement — despite heavy competition, the need for both electric/batterypowered and manual toothbrushes continues to grow as the world’s population increases.
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ith its primary focus centered on providing private label toothbrushes and related oral care products found at major U.S. retailer establishments, Wisdom Oral Care Ltd., of Evanston, IL, works with various manufacturers to make sure these retailers are satisfied with not only product quality but high brand awareness as well. “We provide both high-end manual and battery-powered
March 2010
toothbrushes and other oral care items along with some lowerend products,” Wisdom Oral Care President Joel Warady said. Helping with contract manufacturing for those customers who are interested in having their company’s name on a specific type of product remains an important area of business for Wisdom Oral Care. “We will develop the design, find the right manufacturer and manage the whole project — packaging and everything,” Warady said. The company works with several manufacturers located in the Asian Pacific and India. Warady reported in early February that U.S. business for the company has been good as of late. “We can’t complain. There continues to be a tremendous amount of competition out there, but we bring a little bit of a different take on business for our customers as we can serve as a marketing group as well, creating entire marketing programs for our clients and their brands. We are not just supplying products,” Warady said. “In essence, we are solution providers. What a lot of other companies do is create a product and then go out and sell that product. On the other hand, we will ask our customers what they need — and then find a solution. This allows us to choose products that are available from a variety of manufacturers. We then aggregate those products in our Chicago warehouse. “We actually visit the (manufacturing) factories we do business with overseas. Our company audits them and makes sure they meet all proper standards that our clients expect. We take this headache away from our clients.” Warady explained that today’s toothbrush production process is highly automated and can produce a variety of products in a
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very timely and efficient manner. All of the manufacturers that supply toothbrushes for Wisdom Oral Care’s client base take full advantage of today’s automation capabilities. “Part of our audit process is to make sure that the end-rounding of filaments is being done properly, that the right size of staples is being used to hold in the filaments, etc.,” Warady said. Keeping up with changes within the toothbrush marketplace is also critical to success. Many of today’s changes are focused on filaments/bristles. “We are seeing more companies using feathered bristles, which allows the end-user to cover a larger surface area while brushing. More brushes also contain softer bristles, which are less abrasive on teeth,” he explained. “In addition to helping teeth and gums, softer bristles provide for greater product obsolescence, requiring people to purchase a toothbrush a little more often.” Another trend Warady reported has to do with changes in filament filling patterns found on the toothbrush head. “There are a lot of unique filling patterns taking place that we didn’t see even as recently as five years ago. For instance, a brush head may now contain filaments that form a circular pattern in the middle of the brush head, with other filaments set in three different heights on two outer sides of the head,” he said. Warady added that newer toothbrush production machinery allows for these new patterns to become possible, and all within the normal manufacturing process. Focusing on improved innovation in other ways is also vital. For instance, Wisdom Oral Care is currently working on a new design for a disposable toothbrush that will not require toothpaste in a separate tube. This could be especially beneficial for people traveling. Company officials hope to have this product available toward the end of 2010. Despite today’s advances in toothbrush equipment and innovations, the real difference maker between success and failure as it pertains to selling oral care products often comes down to a company’s customer service ability. “It’s the difference maker. Most companies that supply toothbrushes use the same type of machinery, and toothbrushes all tend to look alike for most people. Therefore, part of what makes us unique is our turn-around time and other customer service capabilities,” Warady said. “We can often turn an order around within one day. We also can take care of specific production orders with runs as short as 50,000 pieces. This is part of what we offer customers — the ability to be quick, flexible and have the systems in place to manage logistics.” Helping customers overcome other obstacles in business remains important as well. According to Warady, in recent years many U.S. companies and consumers looked toward Asia to receive various types of low-cost products. Today’s higher freight costs, however, are changing how some people view this process. “Freight charges have gone up considerably. The price advantage of going to Asia has been reduced. It’s not the answer for everybody,” he said. “Customers have become accustomed to low prices, and so the challenge is to provide a high quality product at a good price, while not being squeezed by freight and fuel surcharges.”
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Despite these obstacles, the good news for Wisdom Oral Care and other companies involved with toothbrush production and supply is that demand remains strong. “The need for this product doesn’t go away. People start using a toothbrush when they are very young and continue to do so for the rest of their lives. It’s always going to be there,” he said. “When battery brushes became popular years ago, there were those who thought the manual toothbrush industry was dead. This has not been the case. “In reality, the toothbrush has been around in its current form for several hundred years, and it’s here to stay. The industry doesn’t grow at a real fast pace, but it does grow as the population becomes larger and as there is greater awareness placed on proper oral care. This includes brushing teeth twice a day as well as changing the toothbrush on a regular basis.” Originally part of a joint venture with Wisdom UK, a British toothbrush company that can trace its roots back to the invention of the modern toothbrush in 1780, Wisdom Oral Care has been a wholly-owned U.S. company for the past 20 years. “Since then, we have produced products for Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid — many of the major retailers in the United States. I think in these economic times, it’s pretty amazing to have a company that has been around for 20 years,” Warady said. “We have a loyal group of employees, and this is what makes our customer service work so well. It’s definitely one of our competitive advantages.” Contact: Wisdom Oral Care, Ltd., 1010 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201. Phone: 847-859-1802; Fax: 847-859-1804. E-mail: sales@wisdomusa.com. Web site: www.wisdomusa.com.
T
oday’s focus on recycling has brought greater awareness to the importance of protecting the environment and sustaining natural resources. Not all products, however, are easy to recycle. With this in mind, Preserve was formed in 1996. The company has succeeded by offering a type of toothbrush, as well as other products, that are not only made from 100 percent recycled materials but are recyclable themselves. The Preserve® toothbrush continues to grow in popularity among those customer groups interested in not only using a quality product, but one with a true “green” focus. The product comes in a choice of three bristle strengths — medium, soft and ultra soft. The Preserve Jr. toothbrush, meanwhile, is designed for children ages 2 to 8. Preserve toothbrushes feature curved, easy-to-grip handles made from 100 percent recycled No. 5 (polypropylene) plastic. The handles are designed to make it easy to reach every part of the teeth and gums. Virgin nylon bristles are placed in a tri-level configuration on the brush head. Softer outer rows help protect gums and tooth enamel. “From the beginning, our company sought to create a really different type of toothbrush. Because a toothbrush is made from multi-materials, a consumer can’t just put it into any recycling bin. Therefore, Preserve has always offered a take-back policy for its toothbrushes,” Preserve Marketing Director C.A. Webb said. “For years, we have offered postage-paid mailers
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where people can place their used Preserve toothbrushes, and many of our other products, and send them back to us at our expense. Our company will make sure these items are then recycled into such things as plastic lumber used for picnic tables, decking, etc.” Preserve’s mailer can be downloaded from the company’s Web site. It has also recently introduced new Preserve toothbrush packaging that actually includes the mailer. “We feel this type of packaging is revolutionary within our product category. It’s a very lightweight package designed to not only contain the toothbrush, but also serve as a mailer,” Webb explained. “The packaging also features exciting graphics and is now available in stores. “We conducted a lot of consumer research and found people were excited and open to something different. Traditional blister and cardboard packaging is fine, but research found people were drawn to our fresh looking packaging. We have learned that many consumers are looking for less packaging. They don’t want to throw a lot of stuff away.” Preserve relies on in-house employees to take care of such job functions as new product designs, marketing, sales and customer service. Meanwhile, the company outsources its toothbrush production. “We work with one of the leading toothbrush manufacturers in the United States. This company not only produces these items but also ships them to our customers,” Webb said. Other Preserve products under the Preserve banner include razors, a tongue cleaner, tableware and kitchen items. In keeping with the company’s goal of limiting its environmental footprint, nearly all of Preserve’s products are made in the United States, which means shorter shipping distances using less fuel. Webb reported that business for the company has been solid and that Preserve continues to grow distribution, thus reaching more people and communities. “We are selling the Preserve toothbrush nationally at Target stores. We also continue to be the No. 1 selling toothbrush in the natural channels which includes Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s and independent natural food stores,” Webb said. “We are also selling more product into regional grocery chains, which has been a big boost for us. Preserve’s toothbrush sales grew last year, even as overall retail struggled.” Preserve CEO Eric Hudson founded the company in 1996. He set out to start his own business that developed creative ways to conserve and re-use the earth’s resources. He enlisted the help of his father, an industrial designer of racing cars and boats, to design the first Preserve toothbrush. This was done with input from dentists and hygienists. “When the company started, there was a realization that more people were recognizing the importance of recycling products found in their homes. They were dragging out their recycling bins to the curb or loading up their cars and transporting material to the nearest recycling center,” Webb said. “(Preserve) was very interested in helping people understand that their efforts did matter, and that everyday recyclables could be turned into useful products. “Our company focused on the toothbrush market partly because it’s an everyday item that is usually thrown away. Most people are taught to discard their toothbrushes three to five times a year. This represented a huge opportunity to make
March 2010
something that could be produced from recycled materials, while also keeping it out of a landfill once the product’s life was done.” Webb added that Preserve fields many customer service calls from people asking about various recycling options and programs. “Many people see us as a go-to solution for those hard-torecycle materials made from No. 5 plastic, which is commonly found in yogurt cups, takeout containers, medicine bottles, etc,” she said. To help with this demand, the company has implemented its “Gimme 5” program, which allows consumers to send used items made of No. 5 plastic to Preserve where these items will be used again in the making of new Preserve products. Preserve Gimme 5 bins are located at various retail outlets throughout the country. People can also mail these items to Preserve via an address listed on the company’s Web site. “We receive many calls about this program. It’s something that helps differentiate our company from a lot of oral care competitors,” Webb said. In looking ahead toward the remainder of 2010 and beyond, Webb spoke optimistically about Preserve’s future despite ongoing challenges often found in most industries. “Preserve basically offers one type of toothbrush that must go up against a sea of other toothbrushes. Our biggest challenges include that of standing out on the shelf and raising awareness that Preserve does exist. It’s also important to get the word out about where our products can be found,” she said. “We are fortunate in that the company has been around long enough that its built a very solid distribution network. The consumer can basically go to any community in the country and find us.” Another benefit for Preserve is that it offers such products as toothbrushes and razors — items that people will always need. “I feel the Preserve toothbrush will be in good shape as long as people keep brushing. It’s interesting to see innovation with electric and other types of toothbrushes come along, but I feel there will always be a need for a manual toothbrush,” Webb said. “As a company, Preserve continues to be optimistic that marketshare within this (toothbrush) category will continue to grow. “We hear from consumers on how toothbrush companies continue to add bells and whistles while making their toothbrushes more complicated. However, there is something about the Preserve toothbrush that is refreshing with its simplicity. This is really what Preserve is all about — creating elegant, everyday high-performance products that meet people’s real needs while also meeting the needs of the environment. We have an ambitious goal to bring this toothbrush to every household in America. It’s something we build upon every year.” Contact: Preserve, 657 Main St., Waltham, MA 02451. Phone: 888-354-7296. Web Site: www.preserveproducts.com.
S
ince the downturn in the U.S. economy, more consumers have been switching from national brands to store brand products, resulting in an increase in sales for Ranir, LLC, of Grand Rapids, MI, according to Ranir Director of Marketing Duff Lewis. Ranir sells an extensive range of adult and children’s manual
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and power toothbrushes that are sold under such customer brand names as CVS, Target, Kroger, etc. The company was founded by a dentist over 30 years ago in Grand Rapids and has grown to become a leading supplier of oral care products in the store brand (private label) industry, according to Lewis. Along with toothbrushes, Ranir also provides such items as dental floss, travel kits and dental whitening products. “We continue to supply our customers with high quality oral care products while also focusing on excellent customer service,” Lewis said. In January 2009, Ranir acquired Placontrol, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of interdental oral care products under the Plackers trademark. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Placontrol is the founder of the convenience dental flosser. The acquisition is expected to enhance new product development capabilities, open up the branded side of the business to capitalize on Plackers’ brand name and provide increased supply chain efficiencies for Ranir. In another effort to respond to the various needs of its customer base, Lewis said Ranir has implemented Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI). This has allowed Ranir to further improve its level of service by increasing the visibility of the company’s inventory within the customer distribution chain. VMI is a family of business models in which the buyer of a product provides certain information to a supplier of that product, and the supplier takes full responsibility for maintaining an agreed inventory of the material, usually at the buyer’s consumption location (a store). As it pertains to current trends within the toothbrush industry, Lewis said both manual and power toothbrush suppliers are focused on new features that add value to their products. This includes tongue and cheek cleaners, feathered bristles, Teflon bristles, flexible brush heads, etc. “The toothbrush industry is very competitive, particularly with overseas manufacturers trying to make in-roads into the U.S. market. Therefore, Ranir is continually looking at ways to drive costs down. This includes automating processes where it makes sense,” Lewis said. “Product innovation, costs and foreign competition will continue to challenge Ranir and the store brand industry in the years to come.” He predicted the toothbrush industry will continue to grow at slow rates of 2 to 3 percent per year, which means Ranir will have to expand into other product categories in order to maintain its double-digit growth rate. “Like any company, our success is also dependent on the quality of employees. Ranir employs almost 500 people, and each one has played a role in the success we’ve been able to achieve within the store brand industry,” he said. Contact: Ranir, LLC, 4701 East Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512. Phone: 616-698-8880. Web Site: www.ranir.com.
W
hile working to provide quality oral care items for the entire family at affordable prices, Dr. Fresh officials rely on product innovation and customer service to keep the company growing. Established in 1998, Dr. Fresh Vice President of Sales Daniel Enriquez said the company has passed its first decade with a consistent record of growth, going from 1 employee and $360,000 in sales in
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its first year to almost 100 employees and $50 million in sales. He added that Dr. Fresh is the developer of over 250 different personal care products. The company works to redefine oral care through innovation, new technology, higher standards of quality and lower prices. Among its personal care products are Dr. Fresh’s top-selling FireFly® flashing toothbrush with patented light-up technology, Binaca® breath freshening items and the recently introduced Infectiguard™ Hand Sanitizers. Enriquez said that in October 2008, Dr. Fresh acquired Binaca breath freshening products and has since worked to revitalize the brand through new packaging, line extensions and added marketing support. This includes a TV, print, outdoor and Internet campaign. Meanwhile, the new Infectiguard line of hand sanitizing products, consisting of 7 SKU’s, is proven to kill 99.99 percent of germs without the use of water, soap or towels, according to Enriquez. “In each year of its existence, Dr. Fresh has grown by double digits. Most recently, the company earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for 2008, ranking No. 3,873 among the fastest growing private companies in America,” Enriquez said. “Meanwhile, the FireFly Toothbrush, with proprietary timer technology, has been the No. 1 selling children’s light-up toothbrush for the past four years, according to IRI (Information Resources, Inc.) data.” He added that Dr. Fresh continues to improve upon its proprietary light-up technology, which is directed toward delighting children and aiding in their brushing capabilities. For example, the company will be introducing FireFly line extensions featuring Spiderman, Barbie and Hot Wheels brands, all the while maintaining the same compliance technology. These items are expected to become available beginning in April with many top retailers. “For kids, compliance-oriented oral care items that entertain are key. Popular licensed characters are a big factor. For adults, quality, efficacy and cost-effectiveness are very important in terms of selecting oral care items,” Enriquez said. “We focus on the practice of supplying high-end oral care products that promote healthy teeth and gums. This includes bacteria and cavity fighting toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwashes and breath fresheners.” A new state-of-the-art manufacturing and R & D facility for mouthwash production has been added to the company’s headquarters in Buena Park, CA. Dr. Fresh also has manufacturing plants in India and China, where all toothbrush production procedures, from molding to packaging, are carried out inhouse. Enriquez said the plants feature modern machinery to maintain the highest standards in quality control. These facilities are estimated to produce over 100 million toothbrushes annually. “Dr. Fresh oral care products can be found among major food, drug, mass and value retailers. The company also enjoys significant distribution internationally, covering over 42 countries,” he explained. Contact: Dr. Fresh, Inc., 6645 Caballero Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620. Phone: 714-690-1573. Web Site: www.drfresh.com.
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March 2010
Imports, Exports Decline In Several Categories By Rick Mullen Broom, Brush & Mop Associate Editor
2008 of 55 cents. For the first 11 months of 2009, the average price per brush back was 43 cents, down about 35 percent from the average price of 66 cents for the first 11 months of 2008.
U.S. government trade figures for the first 11 months of 2009 indicate raw material imports were down in two of the three categories outlined in this issue, compared to the first 11 months of 2008. Figures for metal handles prior to March 2009 are not available for comparison. For November 2009, raw material imports were down in all three categories outlined, other than metal handles, compared to November 2008. Import totals for the first 11 months of 2009 were down in five of the seven finished goods categories outlined from the same time period in 2008. Also, in November 2009, two of the seven categories outlined recorded increases, compared to November 2008.
Metal Handles The import total of metal handles during November 2009 was 2 million, down from the October 2009 total of 2.1 million. Since March 2009, 27 million metal handles were imported. The United States imported 13 million metal handles from Italy and 11.3 million from China during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per handle for November 2009 was 56 cents, down from the previous month’s average price of 63 cents. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was 62 cents.
RAW MATERIAL IMPORTS Hog Bristle The United States imported 36,353 kilograms of hog bristle in November 2009, down about 36 percent from 56,875 kilograms imported in November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 311,143 kilograms of hog bristle were imported, about an 18 percent decrease from 378,690 kilograms imported during the first 11 months of 2008. China exported 308,717 kilograms of hog bristle to the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per kilogram for November 2009 was $7.98, down 1 cent from the average price per kilogram for November 2008. The average price per kilogram for the first 11 months of 2009 was $8.15, down about 45 percent from the average price per kilogram of $14.86 for the first 11 months of 2008. Broom And Mop Handles The import total of broom and mop handles during November 2009 was 1.4 million, down about 42 percent from 2.4 million broom and mop handles imported in November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 18.4 million broom and mop handles were imported, compared to 28.2 million for the first 11 months of 2008, a decrease of about 35 percent. During the first 11 months of 2009, the United States imported 6.9 million handles from Brazil, 5 million from Honduras, 3.5 million from China and 2.1 million from Indonesia. The average price per handle for November 2009 was 69 cents, down about 19 percent from 85 cents for November 2009. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was 68 cents, down 1 cent from the average price for the first 11 months of 2008. Brush Backs November 2009 imports of brush backs totaled 138,555, down about 37 percent from the November 2008 total of 220,025 brush backs. During the first 11 months of 2009, 2.5 million brush backs were imported, an increase of about 14 percent over the total for the first 11 months of 2008 of 2.2 million. The United States imported 1.4 million brush backs from Canada during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per brush back was 37 cents during November 2009, down about 33 percent from the average price for November
FINISHED GOODS IMPORTS Brooms Of Broom Corn Valued At Less Than 96 Cents The United States imported 15,828 brooms of broom corn valued at less than 96 cents per broom during November 2009, compared to 29,040 in November 2008, a decrease of about 45 percent. During the first 11 months of 2009, 138,396 brooms of broom corn were imported, down about 41 percent from 235,902 imported during the first 11 months of 2008. Mexico shipped 131,196 brooms of broom corn to the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per broom for November 2009 was 73 cents, up about 6 percent from 69 cents for November 2008. The average price per broom for the first 11 months of 2009 was 76 cents, up about 6 percent from the average price for the first 11 months of 2008 of 72 cents. Brooms Of Broom Corn Valued At More Than 96 Cents The United States imported 567,474 brooms of broom corn valued at more than 96 cents per broom during November 2009, compared to 637,710 in November 2008, an decrease of about 11 percent. During the first 11 months of 2009, 7.8 million brooms of broom corn were imported, down about 4 percent from 8.1 million imported during the first 11 months of 2008. Mexico shipped 7.4 million brooms of broom corn to the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per broom for November 2009 was $2.39, up about 8 percent from the average price for November 2008 of $2.22. The average price per broom for the first 11 months of 2009 was $2.44, up about 7 percent from $2.29 for the first 11 months of 2008. Brooms & Brushes Of Vegetable Material The import total of brooms and brushes of vegetable material during November 2009 was 93,002, down about 74 percent from 353,611 brooms and brushes imported during November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 1.4 million brooms and brushes were imported, down about 30 percent from 2 million imported during the first 11 months of 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the United States imported 759,151 brooms and brushes from Sri Lanka. The average price per unit for November 2009 was $1.67, up about 8 percent from $1.54 for November 2008. The average price
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for the first 11 months of 2009 was $1.83, up about 21 percent from $1.51 for the first 11 months of 2008. Toothbrushes The United States imported 58 million toothbrushes in November 2009, down about 14 percent from 67.2 million imported in November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 710.6 million toothbrushes were imported, down about 4 percent from 737.3 million imported during the first 11 months of 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the United States received 494.3 million toothbrushes from China. The average price per toothbrush for November 2009 was 20 cents, down 1 cent from the average price for November 2008. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was 21 cents, down about 16 percent from the average price of 25 cents for the first 11 months of 2008. Paint Rollers November 2009 imports of paint rollers totaled 4.7 million, up about 15 percent from 4.1 million imported during November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 51.2 million paint rollers were imported, down about 9 percent from 56.4 million for the first 11 months of 2008. China sent 35.3 million paint rollers to the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per paint roller was 34 cents during November 2009, down about 13 percent from 39 cents for November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the average price was 49 cents, up about 23 percent from 40 cents for the first 11 months of 2008. Paint Pads November 2009 imports of paint pads totaled 565,682, down about 56 percent from 1.3 million imported during November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 10.8 million paint pads were imported, up about 6 percent from 10.2 million for the first 11 months of 2008. China sent 10.1 million paint pads to the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per paint pad was 83 cents during November 2009, up about 118 percent from 38 cents for November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the average price was 70 cents, up about 43 percent from 49 cents for the first 11 months of 2008. Paintbrushes U.S. companies imported 13.2 million paintbrushes during November 2009, up about 7 percent from 12.3 million brushes imported during November 2008. Paintbrush imports for the first 11 months of 2009 were 188.7 million, up about 2 percent from 185.9 million recorded for the first 11 months of 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the United States imported 145.9 million paintbrushes from China. The average price per paintbrush for November 2009 was 28 cents, down about 22 percent from 36 cents for November 2008. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was 30 cents, down 1 cent from the average price for the first 11 months of 2008.
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EXPORTS Export totals for the first 11 months of 2009 were down in all four of the categories outlined, compared to the first 11 months of 2008. In November 2009, two of the four categories reported increases in exports, compared to November 2008. Toothbrushes U.S. companies exported 6.3 million toothbrushes during November 2009, down about 55 percent from 13.9 million exported during November 2008. Toothbrush exports for the first 11 months of 2009 were 80.6 million, down about 51 percent from 165 million recorded for the first 11 months of 2008. The United States shipped 30.2 million toothbrushes to Canada during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per toothbrush for November 2009 was 90 cents, up about 120 percent from the November 2008 average price of 41 cents. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was 76 cents, up about 111 percent from the average price of 36 cents for the first 11 months of 2008. Paint Rollers The export total of paint rollers during November 2009 was 282,834, down about 66 percent from 833,221 paint roller exports recorded for November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 4.4 million paint rollers were exported, down about 2 percent from 4.5 million during the first 11 months of 2008. Canada imported 2.2 million paint rollers from the United States during the first 11 months of 2009, while Mexico imported 1.1 million. The average price per paint roller for November 2009 was $2.95, up about 55 percent from $1.90 for November 2008. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was $2.69, up about 7 percent from $2.51 for the first 11 months of 2008. Paint Pads November 2009 exports of paint pads totaled 27,232, up about 279 percent from 7,194 exported during November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, 218,439 paint pads were exported, down about 34 percent from 333,130 for the first 11 months of 2008. Mexico received 70,961 paint pads from the United States during the first 11 months of 2009. The average price per paint pad was $2.50 during November 2009, down slightly from $2.55 for November 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the average price was $4.10, down about 17 percent from $4.93 for the first 11 months of 2008. Paintbrushes U.S. companies exported 81,477 paintbrushes during November 2009, up slightly from 81,075 brushes exported during November 2008. Paintbrush exports for the first 11 months of 2009 were 970,071, down about 46 percent from 1.8 million recorded for the first 11 months of 2008. During the first 11 months of 2009, the United States exported 401,968 paintbrushes to Canada. The average price per paintbrush for November 2009 was $16.53, up about 9 percent from $15.18 for November 2008. The average price for the first 11 months of 2009 was $15.68, up about 30 percent from the average price for the first 11 months of 2008 of $12.08.
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EXPORTS November Exports By Country
Foreign Merchandise 1404902000 Broomcorn (Sorghum Vulgare Var. Technicum) Used Primarily In Brooms Or In Brushes, Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles November Year To Date Net Q/Ton Value Net Q/Ton Value Country Canada 2 5,175 29 63,757 Hondura 3 12,118 10 39,184 U King 5 19,673 5 17,293 44 122,614 TOTAL 9603100000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles Year To Date November Country Net Q/Dozen Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 291 10,084 5,176 354,139 Mexico 217 15,119 Norway 218 7,191 TOTAL 291 10,084 5,611 376,449 9603210000 Toothbrushes, Incl. Dental-Plate Brushes November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 1,096,641 1,033,193 12,029,734 10,716,352 Mexico 121,954 116,874 520,955 434,732 Belize 6,336 2,850 Hondura 3,456 2,848 C Rica 3,456 2,845 3,456 2,845 Jamaica 17,959 51,774 Dom Rep 32,616 12,273 Antigua 12,960 5,830 Colomb 4,070 8,140 Finland 9,456 4,001 Denmark 180 5,616 U King 7,532 75,078 Ireland 23,856 26,502 Nethlds 59,149 215,553 France 670 3,283 Fr Germ 111,462 69,424 Switzld 4,320 3,500 Italy 384 3,930 India 85,008 33,507 Malaysa 737,437 267,851 Singapr 36,480 26,525 421,586 266,336 Phil R 34,680 15,681 Kor Rep 79,819 35,333 Hg Kong 5,136 2,557 Taiwan 111,152 56,063 Japan 725 5,950 Austral 17,640 8,590 220,178 118,544 N Zeal 337 3,452 Algeria 31,392 22,006 TOTAL 1,276,171 1,188,027 14,576,001 12,471,811 9603290000 Shaving Brushes, Hairbrushes, Nail Brushes, Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use On The Person November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 87,869 177,383 1,155,754 1,555,057 Mexico 26,433 37,811 1,024,784 1,028,450 Chile 1,800 7,785 15,432 14,234 Brazil U King 5,973 53,276 38,403 281,281 Nethlds 2,626 22,827 Belgium 700 4,834 1,600 10,323 Andorra 72 3,000
France Fr Germ Switzld Italy Croatia Lebanon Arab Em Indnsia Phil R China Taiwan Japan Austral Rep Saf TOTAL
March 2010 1,556 210
83,996 11,356
87,635
27,596
210,376
396,252
835,225 208,043 5,021 3,784 3,682 1,500 25,096 939 18,640 1,514 720 739,030 5,941 3,410 4,093,016
765,908 398,883 10,219 41,649 3,070 4,580 28,826 8,583 45,620 13,849 26,145 286,728 21,851 5,920 4,584,788
9603300000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes and Similar Brushes for the Application of Cosmetics November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Country Canada 249,241 862,437 2,913,915 9,051,418 Mexico 24,213 57,876 406,396 902,511 Guatmal 7,579 27,967 240 5,198 Salvadr 144 3,119 Nicarag 10,396 480 C Rica Dom Rep 185 2,642 2,160 3,119 Aruba Brazil 53,700 44,913 85,732 120,560 Argent 26,089 72,481 Sweden 16,000 31,410 108,328 318,584 Norway 300 3,842 8,907 67,270 128,608 476,579 130,308 483,883 Finland 22,991 88,773 453,732 1,522,975 U King Ireland 1,450 5,351 Nethlds 1,080 13,219 6,824 57,285 Belgium 11,273 41,595 264,174 974,714 France 543 7,403 27,994 155,059 Fr Germ 9,289 34,273 66,193 112,149 Czech 1,731 6,388 13,641 24,791 2,882 10,633 60,177 222,032 Switzld 738 3,657 Estonia Poland 2,230 8,227 4,421 15,285 Russia 19,110 72,170 508,008 1,128,918 Ukraine 3,985 13,640 99,125 250,696 3,804 10,673 53,594 95,093 Kazakhs Moldova 1,101 4,063 1,101 4,063 Spain 11,880 12,980 20,488 33,735 Italy 48,582 161,713 80,177 293,770 82,337 297,154 Greece Israel 4,303 15,878 Arab Em 1,971 7,271 94,820 341,725 Thailnd 26,900 103,564 Malaysa 963 3,553 Singapr 2,807 10,354 21,067 82,587 Indnsia 2,379 8,778 Phil R 1,020 3,288 22,000 19,663 637,906 1,024,846 China Kor Rep 13,043 36,251 132,029 327,215 10,669 39,365 41,110 163,818 Hg Kong Taiwan 1,530 5,646 33,974 140,129 13,062 43,549 80,733 335,002 Japan 9,851 38,024 194,203 615,259 Austral N Zeal 2,576 9,503 2,576 9,503 Senegal 3,828 23,534 12,476 2,810 Rep Saf TOTAL 721,647 2,304,490 6,683,663 19,344,973
Country Canada Mexico U King
9603402000 Paint Rollers November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 33,190 57,243 219,717 313 5,486 166,842 4,025
Value 574,173 373,843 17,731
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March 2010 Ireland Nethlds Fr Germ Turkey Arab Em China Austral TOTAL
Country Mexico TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
33,503
62,729
354 146 498 144 215 615 396 392,952
9603404020 Paint Pads November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 2,514 10,281 159,058 2,514 10,281 159,058
6,206 2,564 5,185 2,520 10,080 10,800 6,944 1,010,046
Value 388,094 388,094
9603404050 Paint, Distemper, Varnish or Similar Brushes (Except Brushes of 9603.30) Year To Date November Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 7,526 45,209 55,935 566,495 Mexico 5,415 112,284 359 7,456 359 7,456 Salvadr 236 4,898 Trinid 3,176 153 Sweden Nethlds 493 10,221 1,180 24,455 Fr Germ Spain 326 6,762 Malta 437 9,057 Greece 630 13,066 Indnsia 2,500 31,248 806 16,716 Austral 7,885 52,665 68,470 805,834 TOTAL 9603900000 Hand-Operated Mechanical Floor Sweepers, Not Motorized, Mops & Feather Dusters; Prepared Knots & Tufts For Broom or Brush Making, NESOI November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value 61,882 536,308 470,172 4,925,007 Canada 1,347 23,787 98,762 1,329,627 Mexico C Rica 871 14,129 11,631 188,603 Panama 5,951 96,514 29,767 482,855 Bermuda 2,331 14,427 Jamaica 98 2,506 Trinid 850 11,218 Chile 2,397 38,854 Brazil 236 3,251 17,516 55,336 825 5,472 Uruguay Iceland 98 5,360 Sweden 245 3,966 Norway 515 8,346 2,351 38,129 Finland 210 3,400 685 11,096 Denmark 89,998 959,414 U King 258 5,927 24,394 268,269 Ireland 243 3,947 977 15,844 6,093 70,576 Nethlds 150 8,757 Belgium 20,548 262,118 France Fr Germ 3,426 55,562 29,881 350,208 10,306 1,002 Czech 374 3,300 Estonia Poland 166 2,687 Russia 400 2,880 75,639 4,663 Ukraine Spain 389 6,308 Italy 403 8,373 Turkey 750 2,790 750 2,790 Iraq 604 9,794 Israel 770 5,712 1,605 24,121 Arab Em India 620 2,516 1,078 9,947 Malaysa 502 8,148 502 8,148 Singapr 182 2,947 182 2,947 436 7,061 Phil R
China Kor Rep Japan Austral Rep Saf TOTAL
PAGE 19 253
13,245
1,425
23,115
78,671
803,932
253 256 3,350 17,158 1,606 845,716
13,245 4,148 53,965 163,393 21,446 9,483,852
Domestic Merchandise
1404902000 Broomcorn (Sorghum Vulgare Var. Technicum) Used Primarily In Brooms Or In Brushes, Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles Year To Date November Net Q/Ton Value Net Q/Ton Value Country Mexico 16 58,590 Venez 4 14,500 4 14,500 Denmark 1 3,434 U King 1 4,100 1 4,100 Ireland 4 16,241 France 9 31,800 26 89,858 Fr Germ 1 4,262 Malaysa 1 3,530 TOTAL 14 50,400 54 194,515 9603100000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles November Year To Date Country Net Q/Dozen Value Net Q/Dozen Value 3,417 96,646 27,466 897,791 Canada Mexico 136 12,642 2,240 126,265 Guatmal 24 4,530 Belize 1,108 40,124 Salvadr 361 8,573 C Rica 152 3,006 273 6,993 Panama 825 30,446 Bermuda 1,044 38,321 Bahamas 169 17,897 2,818 172,250 Jamaica 147 4,049 457 13,973 Antigua 12 2,549 2,784 120 S Lucia 110 3,902 497 10,407 Barbado Trinid 1,082 37,324 N Antil 12 3,550 Venez 120 3,211 Ecuador 18 2,915 Peru 17 5,025 Chile 85 59,303 Brazil 435 15,122 448 27,556 Uruguay 91 7,114 Argent 426 12,168 Finland 17 5,172 Denmark 622 25,053 6,545 283,740 U King Ireland 1,278 73,810 France 1,438 114,680 Fr Germ 1,965 27,316 17,300 419 Poland 2,846 97,658 Italy Croatia 24 12,229 Greece 189 6,685 57 4,130 Turkey Iraq 59 20,448 Israel 41 3,840 S Arab 127 2,509 1,010 76,385 Arab Em 50 7,074 Afghan 12 5,762 India 50 2,850 Malaysa 3 2,945 Singapr 39 10,212 Phil R 207 3,540 259 8,356 China 7,695 261,600 Kor Rep 200 8,372 552 28,394 3,061 91,950 Hg Kong 4 2,610 43 7,904 Taiwan Japan 159 18,483 4,435 144,022
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PAGE 20 Austral Libya Nigeria Angola Rep Saf TOTAL
Country Canada Mexico Guatmal Belize Salvadr Hondura Nicarag C Rica Panama Bermuda Jamaica Cayman Haiti Dom Rep Antigua Barbado Trinid N Antil Aruba Colomb Venez Guyana Surinam Ecuador Peru
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
5,263
188,778
276 503 4 10 891 73,937
9603210000 Toothbrushes November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 3,124,668 1,617,610 30,198,731 961,629 518,258 18,436,615 8,999 222,315 137,881 3,456 5,184 33,720 137,851 7,560 2,824 7,560 3,613 50,489 10,704 666 749 7,667 22,973 23,544 6,308 460,895 194,364 60,555 638,558 35,402 35,958 21,281 296,422 43,235 7,415 150,147 17,184 14,475 431,586 10,440 529 22,104 5,790 159,525 123,768 63,543 332,568
28,276 16,575 9,500 3,690 32,393 2,943,121
Value 20,024,513 7,326,959 9,093 91,500 93,519 2,848 4,272 23,012 74,515 2,824 33,793 6,085 18,357 241,691 334,441 31,942 303,800 44,034 6,537 139,821 223,714 9,180 6,115 65,342 147,406
Supplier of Raw Materials to Manufacture Brooms, Mops, and Brushes • Galvanized & tinned wire for brush - broom - mop production • Processed Broom Corn & Yucca • Wood Broom - Mop - Brush Handles • Craft Broom Corn And Supplies • Other Materials - Broom Twine, Broom Nails, Mop Hardware We ship by pup or truck load direct from Mexico, or LTL/ UPS from our Greensboro warehouse.
P.O. Box 14634 • Greensboro, NC 27415 336-273-3609 800-213-9224 Fax: 336-378-6047 E-mail: sales@recaddy.com
Chile Brazil Paragua Uruguay Argent Iceland Sweden Denmark U King Ireland Nethlds Belgium Luxmbrg France Fr Germ Austria Czech Hungary Switzld Lithuan Poland Russia Spain Italy Bulgar Turkey Lebanon Israel Kuwait S Arab Qatar Arab Em India Thailnd Vietnam Malaysa Singapr Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal Moroc Nigeria Rep Saf TOTAL
March 2010 85,777
41,659
4,892 35,617
35,349 57,568
4,000
7,759
52,170 432,000 62,715
271,499 126,630 582,123
5,653 90,597
57,836 796,835
5,012 355
50,040 3,629
240
5,702
2,892
4,309
78,048 1,170
147,854 11,969
64,584
25,110
14,030 337,921 46,649 119,566 49,601 236,932
128,173 138,769 159,746 71,633 417,187 133,063
6,252,653
5,596,366
464,116 1,626,950 1,202 11,137 976,772 10,560 9,408 8,957 247,966 2,619,405 3,063,562 6,931 278 1,450,268 1,720,899 5,580 1,163 4,894 24,059 247 3,096 1,308 410,468 99,606 908 350 3,323 9,250 144,927 15,732 2,000 18,056 756,288 238,518 207,330 7,152 1,215,512 12,069 657,172 6,230,717 1,276,679 1,437,578 1,459,831 2,293,302 1,772 168 360 10,368 80,601,356
246,503 786,414 19,191 74,059 686,681 16,341 47,498 44,462 1,322,987 2,558,278 5,096,340 6,971 2,849 800,247 5,002,838 6,294 11,899 5,875 17,677 2,526 2,509 11,424 235,324 135,083 4,449 5,532 37,250 57,098 66,640 16,766 12,500 91,979 1,495,059 137,599 106,200 16,858 579,508 11,898 1,809,766 2,730,121 974,531 717,175 4,748,546 1,327,343 11,958 6,090 3,681 3,648 61,377,778
9603290000 Shaving Brushes, Hairbrushes, Nail Brushes, Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use on the Person November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q./No. Value Canada 316,398 316,806 2,867,861 2,834,268 153,358 116,617 3,595,945 3,487,639 Mexico Salvadr 418 6,352 8,421 21,966 C Rica Panama 9,062 12,485 Bermuda 336 6,553 6,328 23,548 Bahamas Jamaica 1,721 8,749 Dom Rep 3,408 40,070 172 6,377 Barbado 2,490 26,000 19,852 181,445 Trinid 2,496 4,524 Aruba Colomb 122,551 28,988 235,701 262,111 Venez 3,742 34,222 5,104 54,075 Guyana 360 3,046 1,656 15,329 Ecuador 29,114 49,471 Peru 3,756 23,629 39,400 9,532 Chile Brazil 135,000 28,620 373,059 193,652 Uruguay 430 4,666 Argent 1,374 21,838
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March 2010 Norway Finland Denmark U King Ireland Nethlds Belgium France Fr Germ Czech Hungary Switzld Poland Spain Italy Turkey Cyprus Lebanon Iraq S Arab Arab Em India Pakistn Thailnd Malaysa Singapr Indnsia Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal Rep Saf TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
8,921 525 1,323
41,339 4,802 9,936
2,926 11,559
19,085 84,702
2,578
23,579
8,601 315 5,151
78,664 2,883 49,722
84,070 392
35,172 6,248
860,260
910,431
Carlson
1,098 10,430 117 95,565 7,327 33,816 16,031 52,060 85,941 226 504 1,017 938 9,412 8,069 10,094 2,638 1,404 1,097 1,985 15,148 1,009 7,736 17,973 858 1,566 1,703 85,155 249,223 7,513 387,331 30 539,906 17,405 1,566 1,885 8,851,522
10,040 13,769 2,691 585,088 38,872 294,384 136,228 430,065 382,549 11,712 4,608 9,300 8,575 91,213 59,890 15,192 24,128 3,383 11,498 22,856 190,712 12,250 15,813 155,278 3,605 14,144 11,140 69,168 1,288,482 58,083 772,542 5,550 586,877 172,328 15,965 45,445 12,871,570
Drills
Double Lip Spur Drills Drills For Plastics Special Half-Round and Spoon Drills
Often Copied But NEVER Equalled Standard Sizes Normally In Stock For Rapid Delivery For Availability And Pricing Contact Our Parts Dept.
TEL: 630.232.2460 • FAX: 630.232.2016 EMAIL: parts@carlson-tool.com
PAGE 21
9603300000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes and Similar Brushes for the Application of Cosmetics November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Country Canada 311,113 657,113 3,742,189 9,003,486 Mexico 22,280 82,206 457,016 1,918,363 Salvadr 3,312 8,348 Hondura 12,093 39,127 15,685 50,356 Nicarag 3,552 3,817 6,129 39,165 C Rica Panama 4,302 5,266 21,956 73,013 5,488 7,386 Bahamas Jamaica 1,255 4,629 Cayman 3,184 17,846 48,469 64,379 Dom Rep Barbado 3,279 3,908 914 3,374 3,492 6,246 Trinid Aruba 1,920 3,010 Colomb 3,440 8,930 43,249 129,321 Venez 24,753 59,712 Ecuador 22,263 109,850 Peru 1,871 9,232 Bolivia 174 7,490 Chile 2,500 8,551 Brazil 1,314 4,849 11,376 47,976 Paragua 1,051 3,878 Uruguay 4,324 77,753 Sweden 3,418 12,611 Norway 121,209 454,749 Finland 17,025 73,280 Denmark 3,252 12,000 U King 37,603 155,081 431,906 2,701,659 Ireland 889 3,279 65,777 224,524 Nethlds 841 3,103 182,826 680,104 Belgium 5,078 18,734 37,825 139,560 France 23,247 84,704 229,454 1,051,956 Fr Germ 86,491 339,322 Austria 11,176 41,233 Czech 1,355 5,000 1,599 5,900 Slovak 16,368 70,402 Switzld Estonia 4,911 17,033 Poland 6,284 23,186 Russia 18,401 72,942 6,947 25,631 6,947 25,631 Ukraine 8,988 7,087 8,988 7,087 Spain Italy 63,607 248,651 Greece 51,584 190,326 Bulgar 5,024 18,538 Turkey 19,257 71,050 31,805 94,175 Lebanon 909 12,631 Israel 6,689 23,436 S Arab 5,760 7,819 Arab Em 5,559 29,900 31,325 213,551 Oman 157 3,211
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PAGE 22 India Thailnd Vietnam Malaysa Singapr Indnsia Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal Tokelau Moroc Algeria Ivy Cst Ghana Nigeria Rep Saf TOTAL
Country Canada Mexico Salvadr C Rica Panama Bermuda Bahamas Jamaica Dom Rep B Virgn S Lucia Trinid Aruba Colomb Venez Ecuador Peru Brazil Argent Finland U King Ireland Nethlds France Fr Germ Austria Italy Croatia Slvenia Turkey Israel Jordan S Arab Arab Em India Pakistn Malaysa Singapr Indnsia China Kor Rep Hg Kong Japan Austral New Gui N Zeal Marshal Fiji Rep Saf TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP 20,878 28,986 5,111 799 9,445 3,783 12,312 390,971 108,742 102,353 14,684 136,491 307,912 6,280 1,357 21,941 17,630 6,183 1,200 21,930 3,804 7,103,351
77,031 107,136 35,590 2,949 53,993 13,956 45,425 1,216,876 811,653 404,217 59,775 558,319 1,188,152 31,502 5,008 80,956 68,717 111,186 4,115 80,914 15,945 23,401,647
9603402000 Paint Rollers November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 173,551 535,004 2,239,152 15,219 42,171 1,149,303 100 2,009 10,310 38 2,513 20,516 5,140 10,270 104,892 3,804 200 4,352 76,384 6,142 175 6,005 113,127 3,432 1,000 32,953 8,660 9,163 1,362 10,334 2,400 9,288 5,471 150 560 197 1,150 20,196 33,394 177 170 322 3,560 507 349 6,118 9,749 190 1,528 5,929 225 3,941 225 35,000 188 3,300 188 29 796 1,000 3,440 12,681 14,172 18,520 14,560 279,512 2,888 28,495 4,392 18,127 4,392 4,836 706 6,000 21,592 20,228 58,798 40,571 235,556 282,834 834,118 4,406,092
Value 7,587,407 2,221,860 8,995 53,012 29,854 49,959 11,209 30,013 218,006 4,720 3,900 90,459 3,067 35,187 171,662 12,279 40,962 45,837 21,234 22,544 33,751 6,374 2,808 3,452 81,474 3,100 7,493 5,655 8,414 8,900 35,179 3,562 44,441 23,081 3,941 29,475 3,300 3,835 3,598 41,026 34,201 289,914 12,229 259,916 18,127 24,071 3,405 51,786 165,570 11,874,244
501
2,645
974 680 17,343 10,398 4,112
3,593 2,508 63,989 38,365 27,353
10,210 15,731 3,206
38,550 72,206 10,453
2,476 529,496
9,136 1,468,232
Country Mexico Hondura Panama Dom Rep Grenada Barbado Aruba Martinq Colomb Venez Peru Chile Brazil U King France Israel Arab Em Malaysa China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral Rep Saf TOTAL
March 2010 9603404020 Paint Pads November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 70,961 151 336 120 3,083 60 121 876 2,684 1,691 12,000 4,775 5,855 87 2,117 752 247 2,000 1,576 545 8,079 649 11,316 10,080 13,104 23,704 670 4,754 10,259 14,791 38,256 61,634 6,452 27,232 68,114 218,439
Value 166,156 7,265 2,768 3,720 21,882 2,910 8,260 6,215 19,056 33,889 41,560 2,981 10,427 12,320 10,445 16,857 11,190 3,869 57,353 4,608 80,326 30,815 37,804 256,516 45,800 894,992
9603404050 Paint, Distemper, Varnish or Similar Brushes (Except Brushes of 9603.30) November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 24,942 338,977 401,968 5,208,165 Mexico 211 4,378 9,733 125,769 Guatmal 6,343 95,111 Hondura 376 9,740 2,574 53,707 Nicarag 755 13,579 7,605 4,450 87,753 366 C Rica 1,929 44,984 13,260 204,073 Panama Bermuda 739 32,271 9,019 146,440 Bahamas 15,515 331,506 Jamaica 1,357 28,138 Turk Is 78 7,820 Cayman 493 10,223 7,366 77,590 Haiti 126 2,608 Dom Rep 4,704 52,208 Anglla 246 5,093 B Virgn 484 11,475 Antigua 3,777 45,229 Monsrat 1,019 27,909 2,090 48,209 2,975 68,350 S Lucia S Vn Gr 498 10,334 Grenada 1,611 33,406 Barbado 551 24,261 5,990 84,449 Trinid 120 3,000 653 13,950 N Antil Colomb 1,320 8,423 7,499 108,330 2,720 40,356 Venez 3,227 607 6,863 432 Guyana Surinam 822 6,000 973 8,661 Ecuador 727 15,071 2,629 64,850 Peru 1,428 37,806 Chile 6,162 127,917 Brazil 13,296 516,809 465 15,142 Argent Sweden 2,462 39,120 10,007 154,364 422 11,327 Norway 259 5,371 720 14,933 Finland Denmark 2,472 10,009 19,721 80,825 8,625 145,398 89,958 1,405,224 U King 1,625 10,305 11,877 98,834 Ireland 19,870 345,387 173,855 3,503,649 Nethlds
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March 2010 Belgium France Fr Germ Czech Lithuan Poland Russia Ukraine Spain Italy Croatia Greece Turkey Cyprus Lebanon Israel Kuwait S Arab Arab Em Afghan India Thailnd Vietnam Singapr Phil R China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal W Samoa Egypt Eq Guin Ivy Cst Nigeria Rwanda Rep Saf Namibia TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
236 699
2,554 4,428
481
8,207
232
4,816
485
14,500
164
3,402
396
12,073
1,260 261 72 3,296
18,375 8,999 3,348 119,012
4,015
59,464
81,477
1,346,876
17,587 5,851 11,089 489 233 6,717 615 1,226 1,320 772 156 1,149 483 129 719 9,541 2,937 711 6,146 171 485 3,838 1,693 8,581 28 6,778 4,385 2,849 850 7,998 10,727 5,778 72 3,296 98 969 750 4,015 1,329 120 970,071
366,613 84,331 142,966 11,215 7,435 117,749 7,257 4,819 7,426 24,341 3,234 66,196 10,010 2,679 15,818 183,662 21,142 14,742 90,682 3,548 14,500 38,459 35,112 83,787 6,581 123,965 92,425 90,559 3,410 94,182 149,170 96,077 3,348 119,012 2,780 20,104 6,525 59,464 27,566 3,099 15,210,803
9603900000 Hand-Operated Mechanical Floor Sweepers, Not Motorized, Mops & Feather Dusters; Prepared Knots & Tufts for Broom or Brush Making, NESOI November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value 237,434 2,026,903 2,745,907 25,585,723 Canada Mexico 59,046 855,895 670,114 8,568,683 Guatmal 820 8,434 Belize 281 4,562 281 4,562 Salvadr 941 15,259 Hondura 4,428 71,820 Nicarag 581 9,427 759 12,313 C Rica 5,659 40,978 Panama 933 15,128 13,280 212,354 Bermuda 90 6,139 2,784 24,586 Bahamas 3,155 51,273 Jamaica 582 3,727 826 7,689 Haiti 247 4,000 Dom Rep 1,027 16,652 7,299 63,295 152 3,314 B Virgn St K N 1,073 17,410 S Vn Gr 83 2,877 Barbado 1,476 9,890 Trinid 1,458 5,618 5,214 39,168 N Antil 3,896 45,009 Aruba 221 3,580 Colomb 2,227 26,234 11,871 127,246 Venez 1,675 27,169 9,524 128,014 Ecuador 35,974 578,142 Peru 9,076 138,287 Bolivia 215 3,480 Chile 80 9,456 28,502 386,320 Brazil 765 14,897 17,070 263,023 Uruguay 116 2,601 Argent 2,760 28,730
Sweden Norway Finland Denmark U King Ireland Nethlds Belgium Luxmbrg France Fr Germ Czech Slovak Switzld Estonia Lithuan Poland Russia Ukraine Georgia Kazakhs Spain Italy Greece Romania Lebanon Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait S Arab Qatar Arab Em Bahrain India Pakistn Bngldsh Thailnd Malaysa Singapr Indnsia Phil R Maldive China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Zeal Moroc Angola Djibuti Uganda Rep Saf TOTAL
PAGE 23
3,952 192 3,022 47
22,296 6,967 31,003 7,218
848
13,762
1,272 480
3,115 4,056
164
2,658
1,280
16,442
108
2,916
160
2,600
3,236
47,280
3,673 1,225 426 855 5,675 6,453 1,596
42,625 9,595 6,898 13,875 42,510 74,351 8,189
235
2,571
341,078
3,382,734
1,293 860 3,317 4,337 91,483 4,702 42,589 20,630 213 11,660 28,470 792 341 5,592 369 902 2,592 6,717 203 420 497 3,220 11,096 1,013 1,541 1,192 8,298 2,329 400 1,744 5,611 675 12,802 215 958 356 160 1,751 658 4,438 5,643 285 14,875 22,943 21,671 14,204 12,705 56,050 83,848 13,575 135 1,734 546 150 813 4,119,336
20,119 12,329 58,479 31,495 1,039,863 80,644 373,178 215,143 3,455 169,523 445,373 12,849 5,524 91,165 5,988 12,806 53,170 90,730 3,140 6,804 8,072 35,582 132,246 11,772 25,000 12,340 132,194 42,907 3,220 9,698 60,684 11,829 197,312 3,485 18,354 5,782 2,600 38,294 8,595 91,129 77,559 4,628 92,960 424,927 214,461 212,804 176,108 539,740 836,117 94,906 2,624 27,766 8,850 3,338 13,337 42,761,057
Broom and Brush
IMPORTS November Imports By Country
Country Fr Germ Thailnd China Hg Kong TOTAL
0502100000 Pigs’, Hogs’ or Boars’ Bristles and Hair and Waste Thereof Year To Date November Value Net Q/KG Net Q/KG 59 155 290,172 308,717 36,353 2,212 36,353 290,172 311,143
Country Mexico
0502900000 Badger Hair and Other Brushmaking Hair and Waste Thereof November Year To Date Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG 2,568
Value 7,190 11,524 2,492,040 24,071 2,534,825
Value 7,722
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PAGE 24 Paragua U King Fr Germ Italy Thailnd China Japan TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP 9,099 6
105,061 11,352
5,761
102,363
14,866
218,776
22,086 496 2,414 62 1,665 26,488 413 56,192
246,909 57,886 122,168 3,008 84,917 462,580 13,062 998,252
0511993300 Horsehair and Horsehair Waste, Whether or Not Put Up As A Layer With or Without Supporting Material November Year To Date Country Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG Value 20 2,208 20 2,208 Argent Fr Germ 700 10,981 China 15,706 159,606 151,408 1,579,743 TOTAL 15,726 161,814 152,128 1,592,932 1404903000 Istle Used Primarily In Brooms or In Brushes, Whether or Not In Hanks or Bundles Year To Date November Net Q/KG Value Net Q/KG Value Country Mexico 17,258 84,288 370,742 1,833,231 TOTAL 17,258 84,288 370,742 1,833,231 4417002000 Broom and Mop Handles, 1.9 CM or More In Diameter and 97 CM or More In Length, Of Wood November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 36,600 3,786 98,950 33,148 Hondura 264,068 135,540 5,011,845 2,347,560 Colomb 97,686 59,303 Brazil 736,700 582,415 6,897,956 5,915,237 Argent 56,750 36,396 Spain 193,384 90,649 India 10,896 3,704 Sri Lka 3,600 4,039 191,200 217,231 Vietnam 100,644 92,051 Malaysa 204,600 186,982 Indnsia 54,198 52,162 2,076,493 1,849,686 China 280,275 176,458 3,353,200 1,661,152 Hg Kong 27,500 16,050 Taiwan 33,000 36,190 Egypt 20,000 5,000 TOTAL 1,375,441 954,400 18,374,104 12,550,339 4417004000 Paint Brush and Paint Roller Handles, Of November Year To Date Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable Guatmal Fr Germ 4,724 Czech 7,908 Poland Italy 520,788 India Indnsia 97,381 China 110,619 Taiwan TOTAL 741,420
Wood Value 17,581 19,793 76,175 134,754 4,187,275 97,234 915,489 2,761,418 10,446 8,220,165
Country Canada Hondura Brazil Sri Lka Indnsia China Hg Kong TOTAL
4417006000 Brush Backs, Of Wood November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 135,195 47,381 1,439,125 166,864 52,675 253,211 145,448 3,360 3,194 444,522 25,000 138,555 50,575 2,526,845
Value 550,702 68,537 68,380 212,560 72,463 101,420 16,944 1,091,006
Country Canada
4417008010 Tool Handles of Wood Year To Date November Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable 9,462
Value 60,621
Mexico Salvadr C Rica Colomb Brazil Paragua Nethlds Poland Spain India Pakistn Indnsia China Taiwan TOTAL
March 2010 33,349 2,439 173,495
28,517 13,670 260,932
131,879 24,924 26,722 6,328 2,786,077 31,818 5,533 30,568 18,514 11,117 2,340 53,868 545,601 47,649 3,783,559
4417008090 Tools, Tool Bodies, Broom or Brush Bodies, Shoe Lasts and Trees, of Wood November Year To Date Country Net Q/Variable Value Net Q/Variable Value 735,342 87,965 Canada 24,722 Mexico Hondura 2,327 37,181 Nicarag 2,542 Colomb 10,305 Chile 542,514 6,134,505 Brazil 3,284 5,665 Finland 6,114 6,114 20,637 68,587 U King France 12,318 Fr Germ 64,968 Austria 5,143 3,194 Russia Spain 12,405 Italy 13,288 42,214 Slvenia 91,015 India 104,336 950,893 Pakistn 6,540 Sri Lka 89,545 986,463 Vietnam 27,280 3,682 Singapr Indnsia 51,433 302,470 China 441,835 2,358,426 Taiwan 90,636 Japan 352,072 3,431,635 1,715,350 15,414,245 TOTAL 7326908576 Metal Handles For Brooms, Mops, Paint Applicators November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 186 13,465 577 27,921 Mexico 36,192 12,084 247,962 94,569 C Rica 4 2,929 Chile 8,040 3,699 Brazil 157,882 57,492 Denmark 445 4,765 2,092 19,396 U King 218 2,234 218 2,234 Luxmbrg 450 3,272 France 78 2,851 Fr Germ 55,568 31,788 Spain 161,280 72,692 2,178,180 953,612 Italy 755,640 303,337 12,985,851 6,024,286 Malaysa 605 7,608 China 1,003,581 694,674 11,304,402 9,452,518 Hg Kong 74,740 58,000 Taiwan 23,148 34,273 Japan 616 6,142 TOTAL 1,957,542 1,103,251 27,040,413 16,782,590 9603100500 Wiskbrooms, of Broom Corn, LT=.96 EA. Prior to Entry or Withdrawal for Consumption of 61,655 Dozen In Calendar Year November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 8,316 7,747
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March 2010 China TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP 7,200 15,516
4,757 12,504
9603104000 Other Brooms, of Broomcorn, LT=.96 EA, Prior to Entry or Withdrawal For Consumption of GT=121,478 Dozen in Calendar Year November Year To Date Mexico 54,456 40,808 2,520 2,456 China TOTAL 56,976 43,264 9603105000 Other Brooms, of Broomcorn, LT=.96 EA, at Entry or Withdrawal For Consumption of GT=121,478 Dozen in Calendar Year November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 15,828 11,611 131,196 99,565 7,200 5,020 China TOTAL 15,828 11,611 138,396 104,585 9603106000 Other Brooms, Of Broomcorn, Valued Over .96 Each Year To Date November Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 540,864 1,291,069 7,362,802 18,173,578 Hondura 26,610 67,197 413,310 848,777 3,200 7,910 Fr Germ China 42,390 77,739 TOTAL 567,474 1,358,266 7,821,702 19,108,004 9603109000 Brooms & Brushes, Consisting of Twigs or Other Vegetable Materials Bound Together, With or Without Handles, NESOI November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 320 2,388 5,727 39,636 Mexico 85,174 174,942 20,139 22,080 Salvadr 600 3,568 Haiti 25,208 31,718 Colomb Nethlds 36 3,883 Fr Germ 8 7,013 Estonia 2,400 17,042 Italy 3,849 21,959 Turkey 1,100 4,640 Israel 174 5,130 India 584 20,784 Sri Lka 68,090 127,540 759,151 1,401,117 Thailnd 5,000 5,045 97,884 183,810 Vietnam 17,000 17,546 156,510 151,015 7,000 10,293 Phil R China 2,592 2,962 185,072 371,668 Taiwan 1,200 2,401 TOTAL 93,002 155,481 1,353,757 2,470,758 9603210000 Toothbrushes, Incl. Dental-Plate Brushes November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 73,836 124,381 Mexico 1,327,441 206,453 11,286,242 1,952,932 Chile 38,016 9,216 Brazil 11,769,452 3,337,973 27,736 9,082 157,504 166,404 Sweden Denmark 2,220 2,478 U King 113,293 66,027 Ireland 373,176 255,236 6,927,792 2,739,782 Nethlds 38,597 7,813 615,326 67,062 France 447 4,287 Fr Germ 1,822,789 1,271,757 34,670,356 20,883,231 Hungary 3,696 7,930 Lichten 630 3,466 Switzld 6,401,016 1,566,721 77,492,418 25,869,531 Italy 220,500 88,934 1,731,608 823,666 Greece 20,724 5,960 20,724 5,960 Turkey 5,710 13,872 Israel 20,736 3,469 786,632 167,705 India 1,126,410 155,558 24,075,582 4,117,835
Thailnd Vietnam Malaysa Indnsia China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Austral N Caldn Kenya TOTAL
PAGE 25 1,308,620 5,601,672 1,965,560 12,900 36,136,862 39,750 15,200 437,573 1,135,984
125,894 325,817 113,320 3,049 7,181,289 35,531 29,419 113,887 159,560
58,033,246
11,658,749
6,247,084 15,311,685 13,347,662 891,916 494,344,324 1,265,530 367,936 4,045,422 4,576,339 383,000 93,456 3,264 710,649,102
762,518 1,987,855 787,184 65,058 85,253,338 313,910 253,075 975,171 804,034 56,709 24,162 4,176 151,650,928
9603294010 Hairbrushes, Valued Not Over .40 Each Year To Date November Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Poland 13,824 4,460 Thailnd 77,040 23,086 86,112 28,445 Vietnam China 4,440,786 1,087,095 43,788,242 11,479,751 Kor Rep 149,030 28,307 Hg Kong 64,800 8,826 707,136 123,448 10,080 2,866 Taiwan TOTAL 4,505,586 1,095,921 44,831,464 11,690,363 9603294090 Shaving Brushes, Nail Brushes, Eyelash Brushes & Other Toilet Brushes For Use On The Person, Valued Not Over .40 Each November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 2,419,800 161,790 39,110,497 3,244,874 Nethlds 1,420,000 69,877 Belgium 90,000 4,155 141,117 564,364 France 5,420,370 582,439 44,375,829 7,601,351 Fr Germ 3,023,337 676,119 Italy India 1,058,580 32,574 China 3,508,673 386,440 37,811,002 5,393,503 Kor Rep 12,251,156 315,325 Hg Kong 469,000 56,993 Taiwan 247,240 56,872 TOTAL 11,348,843 1,130,669 140,421,005 17,592,760 9603302000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application Of Cosmetics, Valued Not Over .05 Each November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Country Canada 282,500 9,451 Mexico 537,000 8,530 5,577,200 95,527 U King 500,000 12,337 3,107,500 43,133 23,216,000 598,407 Fr Germ 11,725,000 131,687 34,277,900 388,014 Italy India 1,980,000 27,196 Thailnd 4,320,000 15,612 4,320,000 15,612 China 9,397,232 283,832 114,708,946 2,761,984 Kor Rep 725,000 26,995 27,830,000 744,720 Hg Kong 1,003,760 37,166 3,296,020 105,729 Taiwan 100,128 2,421 1,578,208 35,750 30,915,620 549,376 217,566,774 4,794,727 TOTAL 9603304000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application of Cosmetics, Valued Over .05 But not Over .10 Each November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Mexico 6,463,105 498,018 60,405,852 4,838,698 Dom Rep 33,060 2,874 Brazil 96,000 6,717 480,000 33,703 104,000 8,626 U King Fr Germ 1,232,500 88,813 India 739,308 60,200 261,504 27,476 Indnsia China 10,505,470 772,215 110,598,247 8,944,204 Kor Rep 5,513,320 372,932
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PAGE 26 Hg Kong Taiwan TOTAL
BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
144,720 17,209,295
12,510 1,289,460
652,000 1,541,496 181,561,287
54,486 107,525 14,539,537
9603306000 Artists Brushes, Writing Brushes & Similar Brushes For Application Of Cosmetics, Valued Over .10 Each November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value 216 15,275 5,696 223,411 Canada Mexico 11,839,723 1,953,036 113,649,052 18,109,578 Dom Rep 78,097 91,422 1,760,295 1,804,335 Denmark 220 3,020 U King 64,058 147,590 1,706,287 2,645,531 5,000 12,734 Nethlds Belgium 55,160 76,219 France 36,397 142,756 697,300 2,451,014 Fr Germ 191,037 234,738 3,005,458 2,270,353 Czech 120 2,267 Switzld 662 23,871 Spain 8,979 42,287 111,253 545,853 Italy 27,223 25,560 261,681 237,431 Greece 188 3,707 Israel 2,500 5,450 7,742 20,441 India 568,256 258,925 5,187,488 2,279,670 Sri Lka 117,756 64,380 1,316,854 739,551 Thailnd 303,461 154,217 2,759,093 1,798,653 Vietnam 70,200 26,700 China 13,536,611 7,780,043 152,291,638 102,871,227 Kor Rep 128,880 84,411 2,239,364 2,276,489 Hg Kong 396,926 170,387 4,626,757 2,420,829 Taiwan 242,340 64,845 1,608,215 548,804 Japan 296,675 763,578 2,770,153 7,972,787 Austral 4,348 19,679 Microns 2,240 3,114 Mauritn 3,788 12,312 3,788 12,312 Maurit 38,500 92,783 TOTAL 27,842,923 12,011,212 294,184,752 149,492,363
Country Canada Mexico Brazil Sweden U King Nethlds Fr Germ Austria Czech Italy Singapr China
9603402000 Paint Rollers November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 5,428 5,713 474,998 969,639 395,714 10,745,494 44,652 400 4,449 400 32,889 70,770 353,743 134,425 3,718,334 800 25,060 32,360 14,843 9,307 73,394 3,100,411 1,017,567 35,353,031
BROOM CAPS
Value 452,463 5,967,215 32,369 4,449 31,023 9,613 943,343 4,009 9,777 44,694 21,831 17,617,799
Hg Kong Taiwan Japan TOTAL
March 2010 287,152
46,283
4,731,616
1,613,458
588,104 15,000 41,750 51,217,036
104,477 15,525 34,546 25,293,133
9603404020 Paint Pads (Other Than Of Subheading 9603.30) November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 7,000 3,110 U King 94,715 59,140 1,315 6,600 Nethlds Fr Germ 1,000 2,364 Italy 44 7,438 Thailnd 5,040 4,119 Indnsia 433,440 52,819 China 565,682 471,392 10,104,241 6,489,250 117,308 928,313 Taiwan TOTAL 565,682 471,392 10,764,103 7,553,153 9603404040 Natural Bristle Brushes, Other Than Brushes Of Subheading 9603.30 November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Canada 24,024 26,720 38,319 41,362 Sweden 100 4,542 U King 169,741 137,817 Nethlds 642 5,085 France 1,340 3,475 Fr Germ 43,752 37,633 Italy 75,810 157,109 Turkey 20,088 57,220 121,962 393,448 Israel 12,000 9,423 Thailnd 4,135 3,095 375,799 55,815 Vietnam 569,244 75,999 Indnsia 4,273,271 602,503 37,677,467 5,583,324 China 61,199 35,060 903,849 365,802 Taiwan 500 3,281 622,074 172,456 Japan 6,600 56,958 TOTAL 4,383,217 727,879 40,618,699 7,100,248 9603404060 Paint, Distemper, Varnish/Similr Brushes Exc Brushes of Subheading 9603.30 NESOI November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value Country Canada 5,053 10,440 154,493 202,061 Mexico 212 6,069 Guatmal 33,420 29,187 76,737 81,319 61,948 33,372 Brazil Sweden 25,000 10,527 50,331 49,851 U King 103,396 82,306 Nethlds 3,918 17,540 France 1,663 6,872 1,663 6,872 Fr Germ 17,637 50,555 86,233 266,651
BRUSH and HANDLE FERRULES
MANUFACTURING INCORPORATED P.O. Box 6505
Wolcott, CT 06716
Phone 203-879-1481
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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
Czech Switzld Poland Italy Turkey India Vietnam Singapr Indnsia China Kor Rep Hg Kong Taiwan Japan TOTAL
388,304 13,252 13,220,483
Country Canada Mexico Brazil China Taiwan Rep Saf TOTAL
9603908010 Wiskbrooms November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 20,160 5,911 2,429 68,734 50,977 565,495 1,938 2,784 68,734 50,977 598,717
Value 10,482 10,254 30,033 470,980 6,446 9,233 537,428
Country Canada Mexico Guatmal Salvadr Colomb Brazil Fr Germ Spain Italy Vietnam Phil R China Hg Kong Taiwan Japan Egypt TOTAL
9603908020 Upright Brooms November Year To Date Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 496 55,302 46,540 509,092 17,400 23,682 93,272 41,054 64,020 7,368 57,144 268,055 670 22,431 92,454 120,319 351,176 2,700 3,302 4,300 2,750 790,668 1,027,276 6,383,139 11,520 3,000 7,132 55,452 100 7,020 5,668 42,360 975,912 1,291,063 7,849,887
Value 12,171 525,337 133,444 39,858 51,978 434,764 6,848 85,218 505,534 42,638 2,841 7,102,677 15,366 60,340 15,000 29,762 9,063,776
6
2,409
8,856
24,875
47,416
14,011
2,854,199 9,825,677
437,841 3,004,971
86,800 36,188 3,714,676
24,000 517 6 51,053 19,188 30,000 950,268 20,250 38,158,634 145,909,173 216,400 48,000 2,353,978 354,903 188,675,301
15,098 2,358 2,409 77,207 55,111 3,381 258,439 8,805 6,437,420 48,728,471 37,030 7,340 600,708 170,113 57,149,931
9603908030 Push Brooms, 41 CM or Less in Width November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value 12,106 22,279 Argent Sri Lka 864 3,608 4,500 19,823 China 3,000 15,705 75,090 184,601 600 5,090 Taiwan TOTAL 3,864 19,313 92,296 231,793
Country Canada Mexico Guatmal Salvadr Panama Dom Rep Colomb Venez Brazil U King Czech
9603908040 Other Brooms, NESOI Year To Date November Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. 205,757 485,366 1,696,638 405,820 506,815 4,563,925 143,655 30,900 29,952 96,983 12,120 1,577 15,000 18,750 326,540 725,793 32,863 94,210 251,856 995 7,812 2,471 28,176 27,014 291,482
Value 2,742,007 7,482,857 142,780 150,514 21,842 27,278 393,453 86,988 680,448 18,793 251,171
Hungary Poland Spain Italy Israel India Sri Lka Thailnd Vietnam Indnsia China Kor Rep Taiwan Egypt Rep Saf TOTAL
PAGE 27
18,992 68,586 158,195
13,658 99,167 188,502
5,625 71,232 5,000 3,400
4,320 132,134 8,459 5,001
524,571
518,588
33,455
42,416
1,608,567
2,182,164
27,900 18,992 205,364 805,031 3,986 18,719 515,424 21,500 51,190 38,150 6,209,163 182 49,370 3,600 4,170 16,085,781
8,777 13,658 266,170 1,194,637 3,257 18,141 1,159,199 31,019 48,058 38,974 7,101,572 2,789 136,167 2,904 15,370 22,038,823
9603908050 Brooms, Brushes, Sqeegees, Etc., NESOI November Year To Date Country Net Q/No. Value Net Q/No. Value 2,724,805 23,273,758 Canada 2,414,529 35,856,743 Mexico Salvadr 58,619 175,415 Hondura 1,228,727 15,376,441 Panama 9,716 Dom Rep 76,122 395,971 85,331 1,251,911 Colomb Chile 7,365 7,365 Brazil 65,439 738,191 Argent 143,088 Sweden 13,528 172,258 Norway 7,345 7,345 Finland 10,595 Denmark 167,831 1,226,493 U King 11,975 864,883 Ireland 3,612 Nethlds 267,138 2,262,987 Belgium 42,412 1,643,652 France 5,695 132,581 Fr Germ 144,564 2,147,886 Austria 243,588 Czech 1,306,500 1,548,419 Switzld 2,347 248,073 Estonia 2,309 2,309 Lithuan 5,692 36,237 Poland 5,934 53,403 Russia 4,643 Spain 63,192 556,203 Portugl 2,290 Italy 354,823 6,271,336 Serbia 29,056 Romania 8,611 Turkey 2,480 49,649 3,299 Syria Israel 439,817 India 64,736 1,053,036 Pakistn 287,922 3,985,541 Sri Lka 263,306 3,729,707 527,978 7,064,700 Thailnd Vietnam 14,865 485,040 Malaysa 12,410 360,695 Singapr 33,662 Indnsia 19,676 513,738 China 22,846,716 273,013,882 Kor Rep 141,575 2,509,858 Hg Kong 466,661 4,823,173 Taiwan 995,861 10,817,380 Japan 53,396 516,073 Austral 298,569 1,830,523 W Samoa 83,464 Egypt 9,297 196,533 35,067,670 406,214,829 TOTAL
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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
March 2010
U.S. Imports 16 Short Tons Of Broom Corn In December A total of 16 short tons of broom corn was imported into the United States during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Total value of this import was $26,521, with a cost per ton of $1,658 (83 cents per pound). According to the government, two countries provided broom corn for the month. India was the leading importer at 10 short tons, with a total value of $13,750 and a cost per ton of $1,375 (69 cents per pound). The other country to send broom corn was Mexico with 6 short tons. Total value of this import was $12,771, with a cost per ton of $2,129 ($1.06 per pound). It should be noted that Broom, Brush & Mop is still in the process of working with officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce about the possibility that not all imported broom corn entering the United States as of late is being correctly classified and/or counted. An informal poll taken among several U.S. broom corn dealers in February revealed that at least 21 short tons of broom corn actually were imported into the United States during December. It is also suspected that the Indian import for the month is most likely not broom corn. It could possibly be palmyra. Final 2009 broom corn import figures for the United States showed that 324 short tons arrived into the country. Total value of this import was $868,463, with a cost per ton of $2,680 ($1.34 per pound). Richard Caddy of R.E. Caddy & Co., Inc., in Greensboro, NC, said he questions whether just 6 short tons of broom corn were brought into the United States from Mexico in December. He also felt the price for this Mexican corn at $1.06 per pound was too low. “You can’t even bring in raw broom corn at $1.06 per pound,” he said. As for current activity in Mexico as of the middle of February, Caddy reported that processors have a little more broom corn avail-
able to them than earlier expected. This is due to carry-over inventory and a larger-than-expected second Torreon harvest in late 2009. “We aren’t feeling the crunch right now of trying to find enough broom corn like was experienced last year at this time,” Caddy said. He added that Mexican broom corn prices should remain steady as long as there is enough broom corn available and demand does not escalate. The next Mexican broom corn expected to be available comes from the Apatzingan region. This crop is usually smaller in quantity and used mostly for Mexican broom production. “There was actually some decent Apatzingan broom corn last year that I ended up buying,” Caddy reported. “Occasionally, we will see some pretty nice Apatzingan that is of good export quality.” After returning from a trip to Mexico in mid-February, Ray LeBlanc of PelRay International, LLC, in San Antonio, TX, reported that the second crop harvested last fall from the Torreon region turned out to be approximately twice as large as earlier expected. It was also larger than the first Torreon crop harvested in 2009. “It’s not shocking (to see the second crop larger than the first),” Leblanc said. “It’s a little surprising, however, to receive reports that the second crop was to be quite small when, in fact, this was not the case. The problem is, people aren’t traveling back and forth in Torreon like in past years. This is due to safety issues. There are at least two (drug) cartels in the area fighting for control of that region.” He added two weather-related factors helped increase yields of the second Torreon — a late frost and additional rainfall in October and November. LeBlanc expects fewer supply problems to take place this spring due to more broom corn now available in Mexico. Continued On Page 30
Broom Corn Dealer Allen Pelton Celebrates 100th Birthday Allen Lincoln Pelton, born Feb. 12, 1910, celebrated his centennial birthday at his home in Fort Worth, TX, with a reception held in his honor by his children, Alice, Julie and Bart. Over 60 friends and family members, including his 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, wished him congratulations. By his side was his bride of 68 years, Katie Pelton. The couple were often seen together at many broom corn and industry conventions. Pelton has a long history in the broom industry. His father, Harve Pelton, went to work in the broom industry in 1900 and started National Broomcorn Company in Wichita, KS, in 1904. Allen Pelton first started selling broom corn in 1930 for his father when his education at the University of Oklahoma was temporarily interrupted by the Crash of ’29. He received his degree in mechanical engineering from OU in 1932. He continued working for his father from 1932-34 when broom corn typically sold for about $600 per boxcar load. In 1935, he found a better paying job ($75 a month) working in the oil industry where he met his long time friend and future business partner, Francis “Rudy” LeBlanc. Pelton enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served as first lieutenant
in Charleston, SC, until the end of World War II. In 1946 he moved to Fort Worth and started Pelton Manufacturing Company with his brother Charlie. That same year, Harve Pelton hired Rudy LeBlanc to manage Southern States Supply Company in Birmingham, AL. Allen Pelton Allen Pelton took over management of National Broomcorn Company in 1950 after the untimely death of his father. He spent many summers in the 1950s and 60s in South Texas buying broom corn. He started a broom corn processing plant in Oklahoma in the late 1960s and opened the first broom corn warehouse in Laredo, TX, in 1968. In 1977, Allen Pelton hired his son, Bart, and Rudy’s son, Ray, to work for National Broomcorn Company. (Both sons are still working in the industry with PelRay International.) In his youth Allen Pelton loved to play tennis, basketball, baseball and poker. At 92, he bought his first computer and still gets on the Internet daily. He is actively managing his stock portfolio, exercising on his stationary bike and will always take time to share a story.
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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
Paintbrush Continued From Page 10 that paint, that paint project and that paint retailer really shine at the end of the day. Paint is a liquid in a can. It is a raw material. You really unlock the secrets and the attributes of that paint can when you use the right quality sundries. It is our job to focus ourselves on the next breakthrough of rollers, brushes and pads, and possibly the next ‘unknowns’ in applicators or application techniques that lie in our future.” Contact: Shur-Line — A Newell Rubbermaid Company, 8935 NorthPointe Executive Dr., Huntersville, NC 28078. Phone: 704-987-6083; Fax: 704-987-4340. Web site: www.shurline.com.
F
or nearly a century-and-a-half, T.S. Simms & Co. Limited, of Saint John, New Brunswick, has been one of the foremost manufacturers of quality paint applicators in Canada. The company is currently owned by Chairman/CEO Thomas S. Simms, the founder’s great-grandson. T.S. Simms’ started in 1866 and the company’s production facilities have been located in Saint John since 1872. “We have a long history. We have been in business about 144 years spanning four generations of the Simms family,” Simms said. “We manufacture handmade professional brushes. We also have an extensive consumer line of brushes that we have made in China to our specs. This allows us to control the quality of what we are offering. In addition, we manufacture rollers. We offer quite a range of paint applicator accessories.” While the worldwide economic downturn has had some impact in Canada, the country has not suffered as much as the United States. “Business has been good for us. We have held our own in the face of all that has been happening around us, and we have actually experienced significant growth,” Simms said. “We are thankful that things have worked out the way that they have.” There is evidence that the down economy has spawned a significant upturn in the do-it-yourself marketplace. “We have noticed there is more emphasis on renovation and home decorating. You can see it in the way a number of the large retailers are promoting their businesses. It is also evident in the popularity of television shows that are promoting renovation and home decorating,” Simms said. “Generally, all of this has been very beneficial to our industry.” T.S. Simms sells direct, both through resale and also through distribution. The company’s customer base includes hardware, building supply, wallpaper, paint and industrial businesses. The company believes that product development is one of the keys to remaining competitive in the paint applicator and paint accessories marketplace. “We feel that we are very strong in merchandising and promotions. With our merchandising programs, we have software that facilitates organizing the array of brushes and rollers that we want to present. This system has been very effective for us,” Simms said. “We have also found the move to eco-friendly products has been worthwhile as well.” One of the company’s newest entries into the eco-friendly market place is its Eco Sense line of paint rollers, utilizing recycled plastic, roller fabric and compostable packaging. Simms credited President Chuck Martin as having been instrumental in the suc-
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cess of the Eco Sense line. “When we were developing the Eco Sense line, we wanted to make sure we were developing environmentally friendly products that perform well and are durable,” Martin said. “We feel products must be long-lasting to be eco-friendly.” Simms added: “The Eco Sense line is going extremely well. It has been very carefully developed. We wanted to make sure of our ground in terms in what materials were recycled; therefore, everything has been certified. We are cautious because sometimes people can present something as recycled that really isn’t. There can be a lot of misrepresentation. So we have been very careful and we have also made sure that what we develop really performs well.” When it comes to the green aspects inherent in the company’s line of quality paintbrushes, longevity is also key. “In paintbrushes you are looking for something that is durable,” Martin said. “Our feeling on paintbrushes is as long as the enduser is buying good quality products and re-using them, they are being friendly to the environment.” While the company makes some professional brushes by hand, automation is also an important ingredient. “We have continued to make investments in our operations and we have some new state-of-the-art equipment,” Simms said. “This equipment is important to help us remain competitive and keep our quality at a high level. We do have a number of operations that require skill, and we are fortunate to have craftsmen here who have experience and who make certain products by hand.” In good times or bad, there are always challenges to overcome in business. One of the challenges T.S. Simms faces is the fluctuating exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian dollars. “Some of the challenges will be the nature of consolidation in our trade. There is also uncertainty with respect to the exchange rate, especially when it is fluctuating,” Simms said. “On the other hand, we remain very optimistic about the future. We see continued growth in our roller business, which has been substantial. Also, the emphasis on home renovation and decorating is really going to help all of us in the paintbrush industry in the days ahead.” When Simms thinks about what has made his company so successful for so long, it is T.S. Simms’ employees that he thinks of first. “We would have never been able to achieve what we have if it was not for them,” he said. “Also, we have been strong in introducing innovations that have made a true difference. We have a number of products that we have developed for which we have patents. “We have also been strong in system development — computer systems. We feel you have to be ‘with it’ in that realm, or you are just not going to be able to come through for the customer. “The investment in our plant operations has been another factor as has our consistent emphasis on quality and service. Unless you keep this in the forefront, you are going to lose ground and fade. “We feel we have had competitive pricing over the years, and with the combination of things we can offer, that is what certainly has contributed to our success. “When we look at the future of paintbrush making and roller making, these products have stood the test of time. They are very effective economic tools for the homeowner to use.” Contact: T.S. Simms & Co., Limited, 33 Bridge Road, P.O. Box 820, Saint John, New Brunswick E2L 4C5. Phone: 506-635-6330; Fax:506-635-6309. E-mail: info@simms.ca. Web site: www.simms.ca.
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BROOM, BRUSH & MOP
March 2010
Zahoransky Develops True-Grit Abrasive Tufting System The Zahoransky Group of Germany has introduced True-Grit, its latest development in staple-set machinery for tufting brushes with abrasive filaments. According to the company, while the current abrasive system from Zahoransky has proven to be a work horse for the industry, the True-Grit system nonetheless introduces several upgrades. This includes: New cruising speed of 400 rpm for filament up to 12-inches long; New patented wear free stock box; New low cost notched material picker with quick change features fabricated from wear resistant material, providing significantly improved
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS ABMA ..........................................................................30 Amerwood ......................................................................1 Caddy & Co., Inc., R.E.................................................20 Carlson Tool .................................................................21 Chung Thai Brushes Co..................................................8 Crystal Lake ..................................................................11 Jones Companies.............................................................5 Line Manufacturing, Inc. ..............................................26 Manufacturers Resource ...............................................31 PelRay International .......................................................3 St. Nick Brush Co. ........................................................21 Zahoransky ...............................................................2, 32 Zhenjiang Ruifeng Brush Co. ........................................7
picker life; New special suction system reducing ambient abrasive dust by up to 90 percent; and, Special filling tool with quick change head, including low-cost wear parts. The True-Grit system can be installed with Zahoransky machine models ET, TH and V for producing all types of industrial staple-set brushes. For more information, contact: Zahoransky USA, 1981 Bucktail Lane, Sugar Grove, IL 60554. Phone: 630-466-1901. E-mail: Info.usa@zahoransky-group.com
Dealer Survey Continued From Page 28 “Whenever there is enough broom corn to have a carry-over situation, it always influences pricing,” LeBlanc said. “We are now likely to see (Mexican broom corn) prices remain where they currently are or become lower somewhat heading into the new crop (season).” LeBlanc also reported that the Apatzingan harvest is quite early this year with material heavy to insides. “This broom corn is becoming better in quality and possessing longer material with each passing week. It’s probably still 80 to 85 percent insides,” LeBlanc said on February 18. Tim Monahan of The Thomas Monahan Co., in Arcola, IL, was unavailable for comment for this month’s broom corn dealer survey.
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MANUFACTURERS RESOURCE, INC. P.O. Box 720396, Atlanta, GA 30358 Fax: 770-491-0101 Phone: 800-772-8503 or 770-491-0080 E-mail: sbpmri@bellsouth.net
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