Buckeye Reporter

Bruce Atherley, executive director of Cotton Council International, was among a group of Americans in the cotton industry who recently visited the Texhong Renze Vietnam factory. 

Atherly was given a demonstration of the SAP software program from Texhong Renze, which accurately tacks cotton as it travels through supply chains. The mill reportedly consumes more than 100,000 tons of cotton from the U.S. each year. In exchange, the U.S. imports about 42% of all textile and apparel made in Vietnam. Vietnam is one of the main buyers of cheap industrial cotton from the U.S. Up to 20% of the $5.6 million worth of yarn exported by Vietnam in 2021 originated from Texhong. 

“Senior executive with outstanding record of success in general management and marketing roles," Atherley’s LinkedIn account notes. Proven results in growing sales and profit for both branded and private label products across multiple categories including food, pet, confectionary, personal care, household products and durables. Have introduced numerous successful new products. Global marketer who has done business in over 20 countries. Outstanding strategist and leader who builds strategies and teams that sustain."

Atherley was named executive director of CCI in 2015. The Washington, D.C.-based group advocates for cotton exporters, according to the Textile Magazine. CCI is the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America.

Vietnam’s export of cotton products grew at a rate of 17% per year from 2014 to 2019 and is notching annual revenues worth $39 billion, the bulk of which was in clothing exports, Vietnam Briefing reported.

Texhong Textile Group Ltd., a textile business founded by Tianzhu Hong with its headquarters in Hong Kong, principally operates in mainland China, Vietnam and Macao. It plays a key role in the manufacturing, promotion and processing of colored apparel, Reuters reported. It is worth roughly $1 billion on the market.