Three major U.S. textile industry groups merged into one broad organization, the National Council of Textiles Organizations, headquartered in Washington, DC. The boards of the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association and the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition announced the merger March 28. It became effective April 1. The new group’s president is Cass Johnson. “The merger will give our industry the ability to quickly vet and react to fast moving policy developments in Washington,” said American Manufacturing Co-Chairman Jeff Price in a statement. “More importantly, it will allow the industry to better develop a positive and proactive agenda that properly reflects the enormous contribution our industry makes to our national economy and our national defense.”

Transplace Mexico was approved for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism certification by CBP, said Transplace in a press release. This is the second C-TPAT certification for Transplace, a transportation management services company, it said. A related company, Transplace International, was approved for C-TPAT in 2008, it said.

Ocean shipping and integrated logistics company Horizon Lines is moving its northeast port of call from Elizabeth, N.J., to Philadelphia, said a March 7 press release. Horizon operates five port terminals linking the continental U.S. to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The move to Philadelphia will happen in April, it said.

The International Freight Forwarders and Customs House Brokers Association of Atlanta changed its name to the Atlanta International Forwarders and Brokers Association to better reflect its location, according to a notice on the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America website.

Matson Logistics contracted for 65,000 square feet, with the ability to increase to 125,000 square feet, of distribution center space in Savannah, Ga., the company said in a press release. “Our new operation expands on our ability to move retail goods in through the Port of Savannah,” said Mark Ferzacca, assistant vice president of sales for Matson Logistics Warehousing. “More companies are using East Coast distribution centers to have their product closer to a rapidly growing regional market.”

The Chamber of Commerce is sending a delegation of business leaders to Myanmar from Feb. 24-28, said a press release. The delegation includes 50 representatives of U.S companies from a various industries, including agribusiness, automotive, electronics, energy, retailing, telecommunications, and others. It's the first major U.S. business delegation since President Barack Obama’s visit to the country in November 2012, the release said.

UPS said it will triple the reach of its Worldwide Expedited service, delivering in two-to-five business days to more than 220 countries and territories, according to a company press release. Worldwide Expedited is an air service for international shipments.

International business and advocacy groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, are praising the Department of Justice and the SEC for their enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, but say critical issues with the law remain unresolved. More than 30 organizations signed the letter, sent Feb. 19 to the DOJ and SEC, said a press release.

Haiti joined the Textile and Apparel Alliance for TPP, uniting with 30 other countries asking for “strong and fair” textile rules in the TPP agreement, according to an Alliance press release. Those rules should “include a yarn forward rule of origin, long tariff phase-outs for sensitive products and strong and effective customs rules and resources,” said Gregor Avril, executive director of the Association of Industries of Haiti, in the release.

Albania will accept “merchandise passports” later this month, a move that should boost U.S. trade with the country, according to the U.S. Council for International Business. Countries in the passport system, ATA Carnets, waive customs duties and taxes on various goods brought into a country temporarily. Albania will join the Carnets system on Feb. 25, said a USCIB press release.