Ruddick Corporation has announced that its sewing thread subsidiary, American & Efird, Inc. (A&E), has signed an agreement to purchase assets of the thread and yarn business of Robison-Anton Textile Co. and certain of its affiliated companies (Robison-Anton). The agreement is subject to various customary conditions to closing and is expected to be completed on August 29, 2005. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bruce N. Anton, the current president of Robison-Anton, will continue to be the president of A&E's newly created Robison-Anton Textile Company embroidery thread division.