AmericasMart Atlanta, Oriental Rug Importers Association Sign Three-year Pact

January 17, 2012

In a continued commitment to the AmericasMart Atlanta’s January Atlanta International Area Rug Market, the Oriental Rug Importers Association recently signed a three-year sponsorship agreement for the event.

In conjunction with the Atlanta Rug Market, ORIA holds the National Oriental Rug Show (NORS), a show for importers and manufacturers of hand-made, machine-made and antique rugs.

“The ORIA - AmericasMart partnership creates an important global platform for the area rug industry,” said Jeffrey DeSantis, ORIA president.

He added, “Our membership represents the vast majority of the U.S. area rug industry, with huge capacity for innovation and growth. AmericasMart and its formidable markets, resources and services continues to play a key role in our pursuit of that growth.”

ORIAis a national trade association formed in 1958 to foster ethical business practices and promote the best interests of the Oriental rug trade in the United States and in countries that produce Oriental rugs. 

ORIA membership has grown to include area rug importers and manufacturers, including more than 70 leading U.S. based importers, wholesalers and manufacturers of area rugs and oriental carpets whose products sell at retail in all of the 50 states. 

ORIA member firms have products from countries such as India, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Tibet, Turkey, Romania and Iran.

“This partnership perfectly captures a call to industry stewardship which we are privileged to answer,” said Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., president and COO of AmericasMart Atlanta.

He added, “If we can help give voice to the U.S. area rug community in the global marketplace in ways that will advance its present and future prospects, then we hope our contributions will be appropriate to the ORIA mission.”

The new three-year pact, an extension of one that’s existing, will begin with next year’s January 2013 Atlanta International Area Rug Market that features the National Oriental Rug Show.

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