Textile supporting free trade: apparel makers like The Argus Group say DR-CAFTA offers their...

At a time when many apparel makers in Central America are closing their doors, Miami-based The Argus Group is investing more than $20 million to expand operations and boost its job count from roughly 6,000 to 9,500 during the next year.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Argus is bulking up to offer US clothing buyers a gamut of services--from new product design in Miami to complete production in Central America, from fabric factories to cutting and sewing and even distribution to US retail stores.

Companies shutting down in Central America tend to offer only