West Texas Mill Makes Denim for the Masses

Guest Blogger: Rick Rhodes, Assistant Commissioner for Rural Economic Development

Special Contributor: Mica Graybill, Communications Intern, Plains Cotton Cooperative Association

Last month, I had the opportunity to tour the American Cotton Growers (ACG) Denim Mill in Littlefield, Texas.

With an annual capacity to produce 38 million linear yards of denim, ACG is one of the most modern and well-known textile facilities in the world. It currently employs 545 people, with an annual payroll of approximately $20.5 million.

As the largest employer in Lamb County, ACG makes a tremendous impact on the local economy. In local taxes and utilities, ACG contributes approximately $4.9 million per year to the local economy. Meanwhile, cotton contributes an estimated $4 billion dollars annually to the entire state’s economy.

This type of pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship not only drives the Texas economy, but also keeps the Lone Star State at the forefront of the worldwide marketplace. For that, my hat's off to ACG.