For most U.S. companies, exports are only an added profit sweetener, but for Manhattan's Rayonier, Inc., exports are meat, marrow and potatoes. The world's biggest manufacturer of chemical cellulose pulps which go into products from Cellophane to cigarette filters, rayon, gun powder and ice cream Rayonier engages in one of the world's most hotly competitive businesses. Finding itself with too much U.S. capacity a decade ago, Rayonier decided to sally more boldly abroad.
Since then, it has raised export sales from $16 million to $55 million. "Exports represented 41% of our $135 million in sales last year," reports...