Importing consumer products is nothing new. America has been importing commodities manufactured overseas since the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. The import list, however, has grown many times over to meet our demand.

Many food items we consume every day are grown in some other country. Coffee, bananas, seafood and many spices make up small portion of the huge list of imported foods we consume daily.

Foods certainly aren't the only offshore sourcing commodity. Cargo ships, consumer aircraft, computer, calculators, cars and cookware have been on the list for years. In many respects the imported automobile is superior to the American Counterpart. It is designed to last longer, use less gas and require less maintenance.

Imports have increased more than 30 percent in the last decade and our appetite for imported goods will certainly continue to rise. In keeping with this demand, it will be important to continue to provide outstanding quality and the most efficient production facilities possible.

Quality kitchenware, which has been imported for many years, has been consistently meeting rigid specifications. Many long-standing brands, we have learned to trust and respect, are manufactured abroad. Arguably, the result is the best made kitchenware in the world is being manufactured abroad and shipped to the United States.