USA: Russell Corporation Acquires A&C International

Russell Corporation (NYSE:RML) today announced it had acquired the assets of A&C International, Inc of Vidalia, Georgia. Terms of the agreement were not released. A&C International is a privately held company with more than $30m in annual sales. It designs, sources, markets and distributes a broad line of woven casual apparel including shirts and outerwear. The products are sold primarily in the distributor channel under the Three Rivers and Camp Creek brand names. A&C has 18 employees at its headquarters and distribution center in Vidalia. "This acquisition allows us to take advantage of the growth in the woven shirt market brought on by the continuing trend toward casual dressing," said Jack Ward, chairman, president and CEO. "The Three Rivers and Camp Creek brands give us an immediate leading position in the distributor channel with woven and denim shirts and allow us to expand our position in that market." The operations of A&C International will become a part of Russell's Cross Creek Apparel division. In addition to its presence in the department and specialty store channel, Cross Creek is a leading producer of knit sport shirts in the distributor channel. Russell Corporation is an international branded apparel company specializing in activewear, casualwear and athletic uniforms. Its major brands include Russell Athletic, JERZEES, and Cross Creek. The company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RML and its website address is