September 15, 2004
September 2004 -- In an attempt to expand their global market, Lempriere Ltd. recently established a wool branch in the United States. Lempriere USA will be buying, selling and organizing the shipping of domestic wool to international manufacturers.
?We found a desirable product in U.S. wool,? says Eric Durand from Lempriere USA.
Durand introduced the U.S. branch in a presentation to American Sheep Industry Association Executive Board and Wool Council members at their quarterly meeting in July.
He also mentioned that international retailers are looking for a wide range of products, and that the U.S. has a good supply chain.
The purpose of Lempriere USA is to create more of a balance between supply and demand of wool in the United States through the use of contracts, which will allow for investments to be made in the industry.
Durand says Lempriere USA would like to see the industry break out of the traditional cycle and develop a long-term relationship between producers and retailers.
?Lempriere USA is able to sell U.S. wool to manufacturers whose needs match the attributes of the wool grown in the United States,? adds American Wool Council Consultant Barry Savage.
Lempriere USA educates the international market on the types of wool grown in the United States, and also communicates to producers both the types of wool and quality of wool needed in the market.
Lempriere USA aims to provide a better return on wool for producers as well as offer retailers a multitude of product selections.
?We understand the challenges both on the producer side and the retail side,? says Durand.
He adds that Lempriere wants to be able to provide buyers with an accurate description of the wool they purchase as well as a consistent product. On the producer side, Lempriere wants to offer fair prices as well as an explanation for the price that was given. These goals can be achieved through the use of core testing, length and strength tests and the Australian Wool Exchange Identification (AWEX-ID) program.
<< Back
