TRP-Swisher cut-rag venture

Tobacco Rag Processors (TRP) and Swisher International are setting up a joint venture to operate, among other businesses, a cut-rag processing facility in the Dominican Republic. The cut-rag processing operation, TRP Dominicana (TPRD), will produce cut rag for cigar, cigarette and RYO customers in the Caribbean region and other nearby markets. TRP will manage TRPD and leverage its processing expertise as well as supply chain and administrative infrastructure.

“We are delighted to announce the formation of our new venture with Swisher International,” says Davis Miller, CEO of Tobacco Rag. “Swisher has been a valued customer and partner of Tobacco Rag Processors since our inception. TRP Dominicana is a meaningful piece of our long-term strategy of geographic and product diversification that further ensures our leadership position in the global cut-rag market.”

“The establishment of TRP Dominicana puts us in excellent position to serve the growing base of cigar manufacturers in the Dominican Republic and surrounding markets,” added Bobby Johnson, president of tobacco rag at TRP. Our local processing operation, combined with our global sourcing capabilities and dry ice expanded tobacco operation, will enable us to provide customers with high-quality tobacco blends that will reduce their finished-product costs.”

TRPD will be based in the industrial free zone of Santiago. Construction recently started and is expected to be completed later this year. Operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2015. In the meantime, TRP will continue to supply customers located in the Dominican Republic from its Wilson, North Carolina, USA, processing plant.