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102-398: The company was founded by Wilbur Ross . WL Ross & Co acquired the assets of the former Burlington Industries out of bankruptcy in late 2003, and the assets of the former Cone Mills Corporation in 2004. In 2006, ITG merged with Safety Components International, Inc., a Greenville, South Carolina company that manufactures nylon fabrics that are used in automotive airbags , that

204-403: A Master of Business Administration degree at Harvard Business School . In 1963, he joined what became Wood, Struthers & Winthrop . There, he liquidated the portfolio of its venture capital affiliate. He then worked for Faulkner, Dawkins & Sullivan , an institutional securities research company, where he rose to become president of its investment banking operation. The firm

306-480: A lightning strike , led to the deaths of 12 miners. The mine had 12 roof collapses in 2005, and U.S. Department of Labor data showed 208 citations for safety violations in that same period, including 21 times for build-up of toxic gases. Miners and their families accused Ross of ignoring safety violations. Ross defended his company's management of the mine. In 2011, Arch Coal acquired International Coal Group for $ 3.4 billion. By January 2016, WL Ross & Co

408-565: A ring-opening polymerization . The peptide bond within the caprolactam is broken with the exposed active groups on each side being incorporated into two new bonds as the monomer becomes part of the polymer backbone. The 428 °F (220 °C) melting point of nylon 6 is lower than the 509 °F (265 °C) melting point of nylon 66 . Homopolymer nylons are derived from one monomer. Examples of these polymers that are or were commercially available: Nylons can also be synthesized from dinitriles using acid catalysis. For example, this method

510-491: A $ 200 million fund to invest in distressed securities . In its first year, it earned a 15.2% return. In April 2000, just before the dot-com bubble burst, Ross founded WL Ross & Co and raised $ 450 million to buy the fund from Rothschild and make additional investments. By 2003, the fund had averaged a 30% return. In 2006, Ross sold WL Ross & Co to Amvescap (now Invesco ). In February 2002, WL Ross & Co founded International Steel Group . He first agreed to buy

612-534: A 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports. In September 2018, Ross said that the tariffs are meant to "modify China's behavior". In 2018, under Trump and Ross, the U.S. imposed tariffs on the import of steel and aluminum from the European Union , Canada , and Mexico . Ross dismissed concerns that the tariffs would increase costs to U.S. consumers, harm the U.S. economy, and damage relations with U.S. allies, saying that tariffs were "blips on

714-591: A Cypriot bank reportedly caught up in the Robert Mueller investigation , and that Ross had failed to divest his financial holdings, instead putting them in a trust for his family members, contradicting Ross's written statement in November 2017 that he had divested all his financial holdings. Ross may have broken the law in doing so. These holdings posed a conflict of interest for Ross, as the Trump administration

816-456: A bachelor's degree from Yale College , his father's alma mater. At Yale, Ross edited one of the literary magazines and worked at the radio station. His dream was to be a writer. He enrolled in an English course that required writing a thousand words by 10 a.m. every day; after two weeks, he ran out of things to write about and dropped the course. His faculty adviser at Yale helped him get his first summer job on Wall Street . In 1961, he received

918-457: A different molecule based on caprolactam , on January 29, 1938. In the spring of 1930, Carothers and his team had already synthesized two new polymers. One was neoprene , a synthetic rubber greatly used during World War II. The other was a white elastic but strong paste that would later become nylon. After these discoveries, Carothers' team was made to shift its research from a more pure research approach investigating general polymerization to

1020-862: A lawsuit brought by shareholders that Ross breached his fiduciary duty when structuring the merger. International Textile Group was acquired by private equity firm Platinum Equity in 2016. International Automotive Components Group was formed in 2006 by WL Ross & Co and investment funds managed by Franklin Templeton Investments . In 2006, the company acquired the European operations of Lear Corporation and in 2007, it acquired Lear's North American interiors operations. In 2005–2007, IAC purchased several divisions of Collins & Aikman . In September 2005, investors led by Ross invested $ 100 million in Oxford Automotive for 25% of

1122-467: A lawsuit from ex-business partner David Storper on his financial disclosure forms. Ross settled the lawsuit for $ 9 million after being subpoenaed for information that he did not want to disclose. In June 2018, an investigation by Forbes found that Ross, while Secretary of Commerce, owned "stakes in companies co-owned by the Chinese government, a shipping firm tied to Vladimir Putin 's inner circle,

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1224-459: A meeting with executives from Chevron Corporation where they discussed oil and gas developments, tax reform and trade issues. Ross's wife owned a stake in Chevron worth at least $ 250,000 at the time. In October 2020, it was reported that Ross had continued to serve on the board of a Chinese joint venture until January 2019 (which was nearly two years into his tenure as Secretary of Commerce); at

1326-649: A mill in Amritsar , India, which is also owned by funds controlled by W.L. Ross & Co. Customers of the wool fabrics include many well-known makers of wool garments such as Jos A. Bank and others. The company also produces some technical fabrics, such as fabrics made of polyester and nylon . These fabrics have a variety of uses, such as in uniforms, in performance apparel items, and for safety services. The ITG Automotive Group manufactured fabrics and cushion for airbags, which are sold to automotive safety groups, such as Autoliv, TRW and Delphi. Many automobiles throughout

1428-484: A more practically focused goal of finding "one chemical combination that would lend itself to industrial applications". It was not until the beginning of 1935 that a polymer called "polymer 6-6" was finally produced. Carothers' coworker, Washington University alumnus Julian W. Hill had used a cold drawing method to produce a polyester in 1930. This cold drawing method was later used by Carothers in 1935 to fully develop nylon. The first example of nylon (nylon 6.6)

1530-623: A profit after operations improved, a record that had earned him the moniker "King of Bankruptcy". Ross has been chairman or lead director of more than 100 companies operating in more than 20 countries. In 2017, Ross became commerce secretary in the Donald Trump administration ; at age 79, Ross was the oldest first-time Cabinet appointee in U.S. history. Ross was born on November 28, 1937, in Weehawken, New Jersey , and grew up in nearby North Bergen, New Jersey . His father, Wilbur Louis Ross,

1632-495: A range of blends to be made. The two polymers can react with one another by transamidation to form random copolymers. According to their crystallinity, polyamides can be: According to this classification, PA66, for example, is an aliphatic semi-crystalline homopolyamide. All nylons are susceptible to hydrolysis , especially by strong acids , a reaction essentially the reverse of their synthesis. The molecular weight of nylon products so attacked drops, and cracks form quickly at

1734-572: A result of air pollution, attributing it to London smog in 1952, as well as poor air quality in New York and Los Angeles. The solution found to problems with pure nylon fabric was to blend nylon with other existing fibers or polymers such as cotton , polyester , and spandex . This led to the development of a wide array of blended fabrics. The new nylon blends retained the desirable properties of nylon (elasticity, durability, ability to be dyed) and kept clothes prices low and affordable. As of 1950,

1836-588: A seat on the board of directors of Mittal Steel. After outbidding Warren Buffett , who offered $ 579 million, WL Ross & Co acquired Burlington Industries for $ 620 million and combined it with Cone Mills in 2004 to form International Textile Group . In 2005, Ross acquired 77.3% of Safety Components International for $ 51.2 million. In October 2006, Ross had International Textile Group acquire Safety Components International. Ross controlled both companies and in February 2014, Ross paid $ 81 million to settle

1938-716: A significant mismatch between Secretary Ross's decision to add the question, and his stated reason that the question would support Department of Justice's Voter Rights Act. In November 2017, leaked documents known as the Paradise Papers showed that, during his confirmation hearings, Ross had failed to clearly disclose a financial interest in Navigator Gas , a shipping company which transports petrochemicals for Russian gas and petrochemicals company Sibur . Ross had failed to clearly disclose ties to Russian interests during his confirmation hearings. While his confirmation

2040-569: A total of $ 120 million. In December 2017, a report by two Irish financial analysts, commissioned by Luke Ming Flanagan , an Irish member of the European Parliament , accused Ross of insider trading as part of a 2014 sale of shares in the Bank of Ireland by WL Ross & Co. In August 2016, Ross agreed to reimburse investors $ 11.8 million and pay a fine of $ 2.3 million to settle a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission probe into

2142-687: A wide variety of additives. Many kinds of nylon are known. One family, designated nylon-XY, is derived from diamines and dicarboxylic acids of carbon chain lengths X and Y, respectively. An important example is nylon-6,6 (C₁₂H₂₂N₂O₂). Another family, designated nylon-Z, is derived from aminocarboxylic acids with carbon chain length Z. An example is nylon-[6]. Nylon polymers have significant commercial applications in fabric and fibers (apparel, flooring and rubber reinforcement), in shapes (molded parts for cars, electrical equipment, etc.), and in films (mostly for food packaging ). Researchers at DuPont began developing cellulose-based fibers, culminating in

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2244-461: A year after its launch, a second plant was opened in Martinsville, Virginia, to meet the growing demand and ensure a steady supply of this popular fabric. This expansion underscored the profound impact nylon had on the textile industry and its rapid rise to prominence as a versatile and sought-after material. While nylon was marketed as the durable and indestructible material of the people, it

2346-509: Is applicable for preparation of nylon 1,6 from adiponitrile , formaldehyde and water. Additionally, nylons can be synthesized from diols and dinitriles using this method as well. It is easy to make mixtures of the monomers or sets of monomers used to make nylons to obtain copolymers. This lowers crystallinity and can therefore lower the melting point. Some copolymers that have been or are commercially available are listed below: Most nylon polymers are miscible with each other allowing

2448-462: Is derived from "New York" and "London"; however, no organisation in London was ever involved in the research and production of nylon. Nylon’s popularity soared in the 1940s and 1950s due to its durability and sheerness. In the 1970s, it became more popular due to its flexibility and price. In spite of oil shortages in the 1970s, consumption of nylon textiles continued to grow by 7.5% per year between

2550-530: The acid and the base to neutralize each other. The salt is crystallized to purify it and obtain the desired precise stoichiometry. Heated to 285 °C (545 °F), the salt reacts to form nylon polymer with the production of water. Nylon 510, made from pentamethylene diamine and sebacic acid, was included in the Carothers patent to nylon 66 Nylon 610 is produced similarly using hexamethylene diamine. These materials are more expensive because of

2652-478: The 1960s and 1980s. Overall production of synthetic fibers, however, dropped from 63% of the worlds textile production in 1965, to 45% of the world's textile production in early 1970s. The appeal of "new" technologies wore off, and nylon fabric "was going out of style in the 1970s". Also, consumers became concerned about environmental costs throughout the production cycle: obtaining the raw materials (oil), energy use during production, waste produced during creation of

2754-462: The 1980s, Donald Trump 's three casinos in Atlantic City were under threat of foreclosure from lenders. Ross, who was then the senior managing director of Rothschild & Co, represented investors in the casino. Along with Carl Icahn , Ross convinced bondholders to strike a deal that allowed Trump to keep control of the casinos. In November 1997, under Rothschild & Co, Ross started

2856-769: The 2003 establishment of the company, ITG continued to manufacture fabrics in North America , but it also opened fabric mills in China , Vietnam and Central America . Its best-known fabrics are denim and specialty nylon fabrics used in automotive airbag systems. ITG denim fabrics were made in the United States in Greensboro, North Carolina , in Mexico , and at the time newer company plants in China and Nicaragua. In

2958-586: The Commerce Department, Ross said in a speech to Cypriot financiers that Brexit was a "God-given opportunity" for other countries, such as Ireland and Germany, to draw business away from the United Kingdom's financial services industry . In 2017, Ross said that a trade deal with the UK was a low priority for the Trump administration; however, he outlined possible terms. No U.S. trade deal with

3060-688: The Department of Rayon. Some of the key ingredients of nylon had to be produced using high pressure chemistry , the main area of expertise of the Ammonia Department. Nylon was considered a "godsend to the Ammonia Department", which had been in financial difficulties. The reactants of nylon soon constituted half of the Ammonia Department's sales and helped them come out of the period of the Great Depression by creating jobs and revenue at DuPont. DuPont's nylon project demonstrated

3162-599: The EU adopted a proposed carbon tax , comparing it to a proposed EU digital services tax , to which the administration has also threatened tariffs in response. In January 2019, Ross was present with other American politicians when 23 criminal charges were announced against Huawei and its CFO Meng Wanzhou , including financial fraud , money laundering , conspiracy against the United States , industrial espionage , mail and wire fraud , obstruction of justice and violation of sanctions against Iran . In July 2019, Ross stated that

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3264-720: The ITG family of business. By adding BST Safety Textiles ITG's business in automotive components has now grown significantly. However, in the summer of 2009, ITG's air bag unit filed bankruptcy and was taken over by secured creditors. In December 2006, Wilbur Ross completed the purchase of BST Safety Textiles GmbH (BST), previously known as Berger Safety Textiles, of Maulburg, Germany. BST is a producer of flat fabric used in manufacturing automobile airbags, one piece woven (known as OPW) airbags, and narrow fabric used in automobile seatbelts and all types of industrial strapping applications. BST currently operates locations in southern Germany, Poland, and

3366-619: The New York Quartermaster Procurement Agency (NYQMPA), which developed and tested textiles for the Army and Navy , had committed to developing a wool-nylon blend. They were not the only ones to introduce blends of both natural and synthetic fibers. America's Textile Reporter referred to 1951 as the "Year of the blending of the fibers". Fabric blends included mixes like "Bunara" (wool-rabbit-nylon) and "Casmet" (wool-nylon-fur). In Britain, in November 1951,

3468-452: The Senate confirmed Ross in a 72–27 vote. Ross was sworn into office on February 28, 2017. Ross took office at the age of 79, making him the oldest first-time Cabinet appointee in U.S. history. The previous record-holder was another Secretary of Commerce, Philip Klutznick , who took office in 1980 at the age of 72. In December 2016, after being designated by Trump as his nominee to lead

3570-588: The Trump White House over congressional oversight, but was largely symbolic as Trump's Justice Department did not act on the criminal citation. On June 27, 2019, the Supreme Court, in Department of Commerce v. New York , left the citizenship question blocked from the 2020 census, in part because of the government's explanation for why it was added. In the Supreme Court opinion, there was

3672-558: The Trump administration refused to comply with a congressional subpoena , issued by the House Oversight Committee , for documents regarding efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. After Trump asserted executive privilege over the subpoenaed documents, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Ross and Attorney General William Barr in criminal contempt of Congress , with

3774-476: The UK was concluded, although Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin stated in January 2020 that they hoped to have an "easy" agreement with the UK that year. In September 2017, Ross traveled to Beijing as part of efforts to de-escalate the U.S.–China trade war . In February 2018, the Commerce Department recommended an increase of tariffs in aluminum and steel imports. On March 1, 2018, Trump implemented

3876-664: The US in Virginia. BST employs over 1200 persons worldwide. In 2008, ITG sold trademark rights to the Burlington brand for men's clothing and accessories to Falke , a German fashion company. ITG was sold to private equity firm Platinum Equity in 2016, and later moved its headquarters to its parent company's home city of Beverly Hills. ITG announced layoffs at its Greensboro -based White Oak denim mill in April 2009. ITG closed

3978-473: The United States will keep Huawei on its blacklist but will allow licensed sales. In May 2017, Ross accompanied Trump on his first foreign visit, to Saudi Arabia , where Ross generated controversy after heralding the president's visit as a success due to a lack of protests, unaware that the Saudis had banned public protest and demonstrations since 2011. During the 2018–19 federal government shutdown , Ross

4080-632: The White Oak mill entirely on December 31, 2017, after 110 years of operation. The venture capital firm Platinum Equity followed its 2016 purchase of ITG with the acquisition of Mount Holly, North Carolina -based thread maker American & Efrid in 2018. In 2019, Platinum consolidated ITG, American & Efrid, and other fabric and materials manufacturers into the new Elevate Textiles . ITG's operating companies included Cone Denim, Burlington WorldWide Apparel, Burlington House Interior Fabrics, Carlisle Finishing, and Automotive Safety Textiles. After

4182-439: The administration's sanctions of Russian and Venezuelan entities". In July 2019, Politico reported that the Commerce Department under Ross reached "new heights of distraction"; an outside source, as well as multiple senior staffers, described Ross as "seen as kind of irrelevant" and morale at the department as "very low because there's not a lot of confidence in the secretary." Ross allegedly left his department leaderless due to

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4284-407: The affected zones. Lower members of the nylons (such as nylon 6) are affected more than higher members such as nylon 12. This means that nylon parts cannot be used in contact with sulfuric acid for example, such as the electrolyte used in lead–acid batteries . When being molded, nylon must be dried to prevent hydrolysis in the molding machine barrel since water at high temperatures can also degrade

4386-494: The agency disavowed its contradiction of Trump's false claim, leading to a September 6 NOAA statement from an unidentified spokesperson endorsing Trump's position and declaring that the NWS Birmingham's contradiction of Trump was incorrect. The Commerce Department denied that Ross had threatened to fire "any NOAA staff over forecasting and public statements about Hurricane Dorian." Later reporting said that Ross had made

4488-410: The announcement of nylon, therefore he was never able to see his success. Nylon was first used commercially in a nylon- bristled toothbrush in 1938, followed more famously in women's stockings or "nylons" which were shown at the 1939 New York World's Fair and first sold commercially in 1940, whereupon they became an instant commercial success with 64 million pairs sold during their first year on

4590-425: The assets of bankrupt Ling-Temco-Vought for $ 325 million, paying $ 11 per ton of capacity when other firms were trading for $ 200 per ton of capacity. A few weeks later, George W. Bush slapped a 30% tariff on many types of imported steel. A year later, WL Ross & Co acquired the assets of bankrupt Bethlehem Steel . As part of the bankruptcy reorganizations, these companies shifted their huge pension liabilities to

4692-521: The bankruptcy restructuring practice at N M Rothschild & Sons in New York beginning in the late 1970s. In the 1990s, Ross was an adviser to New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani on privatization, and was appointed by U.S. president Bill Clinton to the board of The U.S. Russia Investment Fund . In 2000, he left Rothschild to found WL Ross & Co. Ross was a banker known for acquiring and restructuring failed companies in industries such as steel, coal, telecommunications and textiles, later selling them for

4794-534: The black market for as high as $ 20. Once the war ended, the return of nylon was awaited with great anticipation. Although DuPont projected yearly production of 360 million pairs of stockings, there were delays in converting back to consumer rather than wartime production. In 1946, the demand for nylon stockings could not be satisfied, which led to the nylon riots . In one instance, an estimated 40,000 people lined up in Pittsburgh to buy 13,000 pairs of nylons. In

4896-719: The call from Greece, where he was traveling, after being told to "fix the problem" by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney , reportedly on Trump's orders. The NOAA's disavowal prompted an outcry from scientists and others, who said that the agency's failure to back its hurricane forecasters damaged its credibility. Nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers with amide backbones, usually linking aliphatic or semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are white or colorless and soft; some are silk -like. They are thermoplastic , which means that they can be melt-processed into fibers, films , and diverse shapes. The properties of nylons are often modified by blending with

4998-410: The carboxylic acid(s). Subsequent use of cyclic and aromatic monomers required the use of letters or sets of letters. One number after "PA" or "Nylon" indicates a homopolymer which is monadic or based on one amino acid (minus H 2 O) as monomer: Two numbers or sets of letters indicate a dyadic homopolymer formed from two monomers: one diamine and one dicarboxylic acid. The first number indicates

5100-399: The chemical department would be composed of several small research teams that would focus on "pioneering research" in chemistry and would "lead to practical applications". Harvard instructor Wallace Hume Carothers was hired to direct the polymer research group. Initially he was allowed to focus on pure research, building on and testing the theories of German chemist Hermann Staudinger . He

5202-657: The citizenship question's origins. Specifically, Ross had testified under oath that the addition of the question was prompted by DOJ when in fact he had made the request via the Hofeller letter he had transmitted. It became known in July 2021 that the Justice Department inspector general had determined Ross had misled Congress, but the Trump Justice Department declined to prosecute him. Ross and

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5304-459: The committee's chairman saying that Ross and Barr had "blatantly obstructed our ability to do congressional oversight ." In June 2019, the House held Barr and Ross in contempt of Congress on a mostly party-line 230–198 vote; this was only the second time in U.S. history that a sitting Cabinet member was held in contempt. The vote signified an escalation of the House of Representatives' battles with

5406-519: The company. In 2006, Oxford merged with Wagon Automotive . WL Ross & Co founded International Coal Group in 2004 after acquiring the assets of several bankrupt coal companies. The United Mine Workers of America protested the reorganization as it led to changes in health care and pensions for the existing employees. In 2006, the Sago Mine disaster , an explosion in a coal mine indirectly owned by International Coal Group, likely caused by

5508-452: The controversial question: "Is this person a citizen of the United States?" New York solicitor general Barbara Underwood led a lawsuit filed by 18 states and many cities to attempt to stop the Trump administration from adding a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. The Department of Justice supported the Department of Commerce. U.S. federal judge Jesse M. Furman ruled against the Department of Justice and Wilbur Ross, stating that if

5610-496: The danger of claims such as "New Hosiery Held Strong as Steel" and "No More Runs", DuPont scaled back the terms of the original announcement, especially those stating that nylon would possess the strength of steel. Also, DuPont executives marketing nylon as a revolutionary man-made material did not at first realize that some consumers experienced a sense of unease and distrust, even fear, towards synthetic fabrics. A particularly damaging news story, drawing on DuPont's 1938 patent for

5712-418: The fabric were produced, marking a remarkable start for this innovative material.[8]: 100  The demand for nylon surged, particularly for nylon stockings, which became an instant sensation. During their first year on the market, an astounding 64 million pairs of nylon stockings were sold, reflecting the fabric's rapid integration into daily life and fashion.[8]: 101  Such was the success of nylon that in 1941, just

5814-407: The fiber, and eventual waste disposal of materials that were not biodegradable. Synthetic fibers have not dominated the market since the 1950s and 1960s. As of 2020 , the worldwide production of nylon is estimated at 8.9 million tons. Although pure nylon has many flaws and is now rarely used, its derivatives have greatly influenced and contributed to society. From scientific discoveries relating to

5916-465: The first case, the "repeating unit" has the ABAB structure, as also seen in many polyesters and polyurethanes . Since each monomer in this copolymer has the same reactive group on both ends, the direction of the amide bond reverses between each monomer, unlike natural polyamide proteins , which have overall directionality: C terminal  → N terminal . In the second case (so called AA),

6018-473: The form of a letter (which was originally drafted by Thomas Hofeller , a noted anti-immigrant political figure) that was later copied by James Uthmeier into a memo, a request to the Department of Justice to add a question to the Census for the first time since the 1940s asking about the U.S. citizenship status of the members of the responding household. Specifically, Ross sought to amend the decennial Census to add

6120-495: The government-backed Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation . Ross had support from the United Steelworkers , negotiating a deal to save some jobs. In April 2005, WL Ross & Co sold International Steel Group to Mittal Steel Company for $ 4.5 billion, half in cash and half in stock, and made 12.5 times its original investment. Ross personally made a $ 260 million profit on his $ 3 million investment and gained

6222-407: The importance of chemical engineering in industry, helped create jobs, and furthered the advancement of chemical engineering techniques. In fact, it developed a chemical plant that provided 1800 jobs and used the latest technologies of the time, which are still used as a model for chemical plants today. The ability to acquire a large number of chemists and engineers quickly was a huge contribution to

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6324-564: The inaugural address of the 198th session of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce focused on the blending of textiles. DuPont's Fabric Development Department cleverly targeted French fashion designers, supplying them with fabric samples. In 1955, designers such as Coco Chanel , Jean Patou , and Christian Dior showed gowns created with DuPont fibers, and fashion photographer Horst P. Horst

6426-712: The incorrect claim that Hurricane Dorian presented a major threat to Alabama ; minutes later the Birmingham, Alabama , branch of the National Weather Service (NWS) (which is under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is part of the Commerce Department) reported that Alabama was not at risk. The New York Times reported that Ross had threatened, a few days late, to fire high-level NOAA staff unless

6528-404: The invention to Coca-Cola in the eyes of 20th century consumers. In common usage, the prefix "PA" ( polyamide ) or the name "Nylon" are used interchangeably and are equivalent in meaning. The nomenclature used for nylon polymers was devised during the synthesis of the first simple aliphatic nylons and uses numbers to describe the number of carbons in each monomer unit, including the carbon(s) of

6630-731: The large amounts of time spent in the White House trying to win support from President Trump. Also, Ross allegedly tended to fall asleep in meetings to the extent that senior staffers avoided putting him in critical meetings where he could fall asleep. Reports of Ross's inability to stay awake have gone back as far as May 2017, where in a meeting in Riyadh with the Arab-Islam-American Summit during President Donald Trump 's speech, Ross appeared to have been completely asleep. On September 1, 2019, President Donald Trump made

6732-400: The market. During World War II, almost all nylon production was diverted to the military for use in parachutes and parachute cord . Wartime uses of nylon and other plastics greatly increased the market for the new materials. The production of nylon required interdepartmental collaboration between three departments at DuPont: the Department of Chemical Research, the Ammonia Department, and

6834-441: The meantime, women cut up nylon tents and parachutes left from the war in order to make blouses and wedding dresses. Between the end of the war and 1952, production of stockings and lingerie used 80% of the world's nylon. DuPont put focus on catering to the civilian demand, and continually expanded its production. As pure nylon hosiery was sold in a wider market, problems became apparent. Nylon stockings were found to be fragile, in

6936-405: The media was making "a lot more out of it than it deserves" and "There is nothing wrong with it. The fact that it happens to be called a Russian company doesn't mean there is any evil in it." A spokesman for Ross stated that Ross has never met Shamalov, Timchenko or Mikhelson and that Ross "recuses himself from any matters focused of transoceanic shipping vessels, but has been generally supportive of

7038-407: The name was originally intended to be "No-Run" ("run" meaning "unravel") but was modified to avoid making such an unjustified claim. Since the products were not really run-proof, the vowels were swapped to produce "nuron", which was changed to "nilon" "to make it sound less like a nerve tonic". For clarity in pronunciation, the "i" was changed to "y". A persistent urban legend exists that the name

7140-554: The national market until May 15, 1940. However, a limited number were released for sale in Delaware before that. The first public sale of nylon stockings occurred on October 24, 1939, in Wilmington, Delaware. 4,000 pairs of stockings were available, all of which were sold within three hours. Another added bonus to the campaign was that it meant reducing silk imports from Japan, an argument that won over many wary customers. Nylon

7242-441: The new polymer, suggested that one method of producing nylon might be to use cadaverine (pentamethylenediamine), a chemical extracted from corpses. Although scientists asserted that cadaverine was also extracted by heating coal, the public often refused to listen. A woman confronted one of the lead scientists at DuPont and refused to accept that the rumour was not true. DuPont changed its campaign strategy, emphasizing that nylon

7344-581: The number of carbons in the diamine. The two numbers should be separated by a comma for clarity, but the comma is often omitted. For copolymers the comonomers or pairs of comonomers are separated by slashes: The term polyphthalamide (abbreviated to PPA) is used when 60% or more moles of the carboxylic acid portion of the repeating unit in the polymer chain is composed of a combination of terephthalic acid (TPA) and isophthalic acid (IPA). Nylon 66 and related polyamides are condensation polymers forms from equal parts of diamine and dicarboxylic acids . In

7446-420: The number of shares he owned, which was not disclosed. Ross said that he "mistakenly believed that all [his] previously held Invesco stock was sold". On July 13, 2018, after he received a letter from the government's top ethics watchdog warning of "potential for a serious criminal violation", Ross announced that he will sell all his remaining stock. In October 2018, documents showed that Ross had participated in

7548-503: The overcharging of fees by WL Ross & Co. The company had self-reported the issue and did not admit any liability. On August 7, 2018, five former WL Ross & Co. employees and investors claimed the firm was charging its investors fees on money it had lost, including allegedly charging fees on one investment that was essentially worthless. On November 30, 2016, then- President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Ross for Secretary of Commerce . On February 27, 2017,

7650-464: The product was available to the general market. Nylon's commercial announcement occurred on October 27, 1938, at the final session of the Herald Tribune ' s yearly "Forum on Current Problems", on the site of the approaching New York City world's fair. The "first man-made organic textile fiber" which was derived from "coal, water and air" and promised to be "as strong as steel, as fine as

7752-476: The production of plastics and polymerization, to economic impact during the depression and the changing of women's fashion, nylon was a revolutionary product. The Lunar Flag Assembly , the first flag planted on the moon in a symbolic gesture of celebration, was made of nylon. The flag itself cost $ 5.50 but had to have a specially designed flagpole with a horizontal bar so that it would appear to "fly". One historian describes nylon as "an object of desire", comparing

7854-453: The radar screen" and that the EU "will get over this in due course." He also dismissed concerns over EU retaliatory tariffs. In November 2019, Ross indicated that the Trump administration might now also impose tariffs on imports of automobiles from the EU; in January 2020, however, Ross said that the Trump administration might still impose tariffs on European cars despite ongoing trade talks. Also in January 2020, Ross threatened retaliation if

7956-459: The relatively high cost of sebacic acid. Owing to the high hydrocarbon content, nylon 610 is more hydrophobic and finds applications suited for this property, such as bristles. Examples of these polymers that are or were commercially available: These polymers are made from a lactam or amino acid. The synthetic route using lactams (cyclic amides) was developed by Paul Schlack at IG Farben , leading to nylon 6, or polycaprolactam —formed by

8058-491: The repeating unit corresponds to the single monomer. Wallace Carothers at DuPont patented nylon 66 . In the case of nylons that involve reaction of a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid, it is difficult to get the proportions exactly correct, and deviations can lead to chain termination at molecular weights less than a desirable 10,000 daltons . To overcome this problem, a crystalline , solid "nylon salt " can be formed at room temperature , using an exact 1:1 ratio of

8160-401: The same time, the United States and China were engaged in a trade war. While Secretary of Commerce, Ross shorted at least five stocks. In June 2018, it was revealed that Ross shorted stock after he knew of an upcoming report with information that would adversely affect the company but before the story was published. Ross later closed out the position at a substantial profit after the story

8262-589: The sense that the thread often tended to unravel lengthwise, creating 'runs'. People also reported that pure nylon textiles could be uncomfortable due to nylon's lack of absorbency. Moisture stayed inside the fabric near the skin under hot or moist conditions instead of being "wicked" away. Nylon fabric could also be itchy and tended to cling and sometimes spark as a result of static electrical charge built up by friction. Also, under some conditions, stockings could decompose turning back into nylon's original components of air, coal, and water. Scientists explained this as

8364-583: The spider's web" was received enthusiastically by the audience, many of them middle-class women, and made the headlines of most newspapers. Nylon was introduced as part of "The world of tomorrow" at the 1939 New York World's Fair and was featured at DuPont's "Wonder World of Chemistry" at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco in 1939. Actual nylon stockings were not shipped to selected stores in

8466-548: The success of DuPont's nylon project. The first nylon plant was located at Seaford, Delaware, beginning commercial production on December 15, 1939. On October 26, 1995, the Seaford plant was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society . An important part of nylon's popularity stems from DuPont's marketing strategy. DuPont promoted the fiber to increase demand before

8568-596: The summer of 2009, ITG reported that it had ceased operations at the newly-opened Nicaragua mill. Many ready-to-wear brands purchase fabrics from Cone Denim, including Levi's , Wrangler and American Eagle Outfitters . The company is also known for its worsted wool fabrics, which are made in North Carolina and in Mexico. The company has developed a source for wool fabrics in India by working with OCM India Limited,

8670-459: The synthetic fiber rayon . DuPont's experience with rayon was an important precursor to its development and marketing of nylon. DuPont's invention of nylon spanned an eleven-year period, ranging from the initial research program in polymers in 1927 to its announcement in 1938, shortly before the opening of the 1939 New York World's Fair . The project grew from a new organizational structure at DuPont, suggested by Charles Stine in 1927, in which

8772-490: The trial is delayed the appeals process may not be done by summer 2019, the printing deadline of the census. Furman blocked the census question proposal on January 15, 2019, saying Ross had violated a "veritable smorgasbord" of federal rules, asserting Ross and his aides made false or misleading statements under oath and that he sought to add the question to the Census based on a pretext. The House of Representatives held Ross in contempt of Congress and accused Ross of lying about

8874-420: The use of garters to hold them up. However, as of February 11, 1942, nylon production was redirected from being a consumer material to one used by the military. DuPont's production of nylon stockings and other lingerie stopped, and most manufactured nylon was used to make parachutes and tents for World War II . Although nylon stockings already made before the war could be purchased, they were generally sold on

8976-562: The world contain ITG's safety fabrics. The fabrics and cushion were manufactured in various locations, including the United States, Germany, Poland, China, and Mexico. Wilbur Ross Wilbur Louis Ross Jr. (born November 28, 1937) is an American businessman who served as the 39th United States Secretary of Commerce from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party , Ross was previously chairman and chief executive officer of WL Ross & Co from 2000 to 2017. Ross ran

9078-578: Was a lawyer who later became a judge, and his mother, Agnes (née O'Neill), of Irish descent, was valedictorian at Sacred Heart Academy in Hoboken and taught third grade in North Bergen for 40 years. Ross attended Xavier High School , a Catholic school , and college-preparatory school in Manhattan. He ran track and was captain of the rifle team. He graduated in 1955. In 1959, he received

9180-562: Was also controlled by Wilbur Ross . In January 2007, ITG announced that it was selling it mattress fabric product line to Culp, Inc., another U.S. textile company that is based in High Point, NC. Also during 2007, the Company has opened a mill in China that will develop apparel and interior fabrics and the Company is developing a Vietnam venture that will supply apparel fabrics and garments. On April 1, 2007, BST Safety Textiles came into

9282-483: Was criticized as being out of touch with average American citizens after expressing bewilderment about why furloughed, unpaid workers and contractors would choose to visit food banks rather than apply for a personal loan. In February 2019, Ross's financial disclosure was rejected by the Office of Government Ethics after he reported that he had sold bank stock when in fact he held on to them. Ross failed to disclose

9384-401: Was even mentioned by President Roosevelt 's cabinet, which addressed its "vast and interesting economic possibilities" five days after the material was formally announced. However, the early excitement over nylon also caused problems. It fueled unreasonable expectations that nylon would be better than silk, a miracle fabric as strong as steel that would last forever and never run. Realizing

9486-536: Was hired to document their use of DuPont fabrics. American Fabrics credited blends with providing "creative possibilities and new ideas for fashions which had been hitherto undreamed of." DuPont went through an extensive process to generate names for its new product. In 1940, John W. Eckelberry of DuPont stated that the letters "nyl" were arbitrary, and the "on" was copied from the suffixes of other fibers such as cotton and rayon . A later publication by DuPont ( Context , vol. 7, no. 2, 1978) explained that

9588-653: Was in a position to affect the value of the holdings. Ross was confirmed by the Senate in February 2017 and he agreed to sell his stocks before the end of May 2017. In July 2018, it was reported that Ross divested from his stock in Invesco , originally worth between $ 10 million and $ 50 million, in December 2017. Between the end of May and the sale date in December, the value of Ross's holdings in Invesco increased by between approximately $ 1.2 million to $ 6 million, depending on

9690-443: Was made from "coal, air and water", and started focusing on the personal and aesthetic aspects of nylon, rather than its intrinsic qualities. Nylon was thus domesticated, and attention shifted to the material and consumer aspect of the fiber with slogans like "If it's nylon, it's prettier, and oh! How fast it dries!". After nylon's nationwide release in 1940, its production ramped up significantly. In that year alone, 1300 tons of

9792-413: Was pending, Ross promised in a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics to cut ties "with more than 80 financial entities in which he has interests". This letter played a key role in securing his confirmation. However, according to the leaked documents, while he did divest some holdings, he did not disclose the full extent of those he retained. Speaking about his financial ties to Navigator, Ross said

9894-567: Was produced on February 28, 1935, at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. It had all the desired properties of elasticity and strength. However, it also required a complex manufacturing process that would become the basis of industrial production in the future. DuPont obtained a patent for the polymer in September 1938, and quickly achieved a monopoly of the fiber. Carothers died 16 months before

9996-545: Was published. Ethics experts said that the shorting was alarming given that federal office-holders are prohibited from profiting on nonpublic information. Ross denied that he had engaged in insider trading . Ross had shorted two additional stocks in June 2018 and two additional stocks in July 2018. As Secretary of Commerce, Ross oversaw the Census Bureau and the 2020 Census . In December 2017, he approved sending, in

10098-429: Was sold at about one-and-a-half times the price of silk stockings ($ 4.27 per pound of nylon versus $ 2.79 per pound of silk). Sales of nylon stockings were strong in part due to changes in women's fashion. As Lauren Olds explains: "by 1939 [hemlines] had inched back up to the knee, closing the decade just as it started off". The shorter skirts were accompanied by a demand for stockings that offered fuller coverage without

10200-488: Was sold to what became Shearson Lehman . In 1976, Ross began his 24-year employment with the New York City office of Rothschild & Co , where he ran the bankruptcy restructuring advisory practice. By 1998, Ross was involved in eight of the 25 biggest bankruptcies to date, including Drexel Burnham Lambert , Texaco , Public Service of New Hampshire (now Eversource Energy ), and Eastern Air Lines . In

10302-474: Was the "biggest investor" in Navigator Gas , a liquefied gas shipping company. In February 2017, Forbes reported that Ross has a net worth of $ 2.5 billion. Financial disclosure forms filed by Ross after his nomination as Commerce Secretary showed less than $ 700 million in assets, and Forbes later revised his net worth to $ 600 million. In August 2018, Forbes reported that Ross's business partners and workers accused Ross of illicitly siphoning or stealing

10404-578: Was very successful, as research he undertook greatly improved the knowledge of polymers and contributed to the science. Nylon was the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer. DuPont began its research project in 1927. The first nylon, nylon 66 , was synthesized on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Hume Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station . In response to Carothers' work, Paul Schlack at IG Farben developed nylon 6 ,

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