SAINT GEORGES, Quebec — Contract continues to be the most important market for Victor Textile Mills with at least 70% of its overall business and double digit gains in 2011, according to its owner, Alain Duval.

Duval admitted the recession was quite strong and his accounting background came in handy in reducing the operating costs six months after making the Quaker Fabrics acquisition in Fall River, MA.

VALDESE, North Carolina — When F&FI listed the Top 50 Mills of the World in 2008, Valdese Weavers was among the top five with $150 million in sales. Today, it is the only mill remaining and continues to grow.

“The textile industry has changed  dramatically, as the result of globalization and the dramatic impact of the recession of 2008,” said Mike Shelton, president of Valdese Weavers LLC since 1996. “In 2009, we saw the beginning of a turn-around and it has steadily rebounded for us in the last six quarters.”

BALTIMORE, Maryland — Darren Fradin, 41, returns to his hometown of Baltimore from Adventura, Florida after a 20-year absence. He will join Rockland Industries Inc. and his father, Stan Fradin, president. Effective September, Darren will be assigned to a management role and plans on attending HD Boutique in Miami Beach where Rockland will have a stand.

WEISSBACH, Germany -- Konrad Hornschuch AG, a producer and marketer of highly technical films, foils and artificial leather for the residential, fashion, furniture, automotive and construction related markets, has acquired Virginia-based O’Sullivan Films to expand its business into the U.S. market. The company is already active in more than 100 international markets.

NEW YORK, New York -- Richloom Fabrics Group expanded its global reach with the opening of an office in India and the signing of a licensing agreement to produce Crypton, Inc.,  in China.

TORONTO, Canada — Joanne Fabrics Inc., the 33-year-old Canadian fabrics wholesaler, is reaping the benefits of a bullish attitude from its founder Bernie Hovesen and his plans to construct a 25,000 square-foot-addition to the company’s automated ‘smart’ warehouse in Oakville.

“Business is up double digits for us,” said Hovesen. “There is plenty of growth left for us in the U.S. market alone. We want to get into new products like hardware which can drive the fabrics business.”

 NEW YORK, New York -- Designtex, the Manhattan-based design and product development firm, has introduced a new, self-designed format of fabric samples, abandoning

MIRA LOMA, California – Enudratex, a company known for its vinyl coated fabrics, announced today its foray into the European upholstery market. The move will make sharing of product lines easier to serve the European marketplace, according to Jeff Post, vice president and general manager of the parent company, China General Plastics Corporation of America (CGPC).

POMPANO BEACH, Florida — As the-five-year-old residential faux leather division of Valley Forge, Valtekz Composite Fabrics is reporting seven-figure sales and has grown exponentially in the last two years, according to Allison Weinbaum, manager at Valtekz.

COSTA MASNAGA, Italy—By changing its strategy from a supplier of novelty fabrics to a supplier of basic fabrics in an expanding price range, Limonta began 2010 sales with a gain in interior furnishings over 2009, which had been one of the more difficult years, according to Davide Malagutti, sales manager for Limonta.