washington billionaire wilbur ross choose donald trump help implement president-elect trade agenda earn fortune part run businesses offshored thousands u.s. job accord labor department data attain reuters high-stakes investor decade ago ross specialize turn around trouble manufacture company time u.s. economy lose 100,000 job yearly due global trade senate confirmation hear nomination become commerce secretary set wednesday supporters say ross save thousands u.s. job rescue firm failure data attain reuters freedom information act request show rescue effort come price textile finance auto-parts company control private-equity titan eliminate 2,700 u.s. position since 2004 ship production countries accord labor department program assist workers lose job due global trade graphic click tmsnrt.rs/2iyijwa figure previously disclose amount small fraction u.s. economy see employment fluctuate tens thousands job month ross track record clash trump promise protect american workers ravage global trade recently trump claim credit save 800 job carrier corp. factory indiana even tour plant shake hand employees target ford motor co f.n automakers keep hundreds job inside u.s. border disconnect could draw attention hear one many schedule week cabinet nominees ahead trump jan. 20 inauguration man protect american workers ship stuff overseas say coy lose job end 2016 company ross create international automotive components group close factory canton ohio shift production rubber floor mat mexico eliminate final 16 job factory employ 450 workers ross resign iac board directors november 2014 name chairman emeritus ross respond several request comment offshoring activities unusual era globalization low international trade barriers auto-parts maker delphi corp. example offshored 11,700 u.s. job since 2004 textile makers offshored least 17,000 job since labor department say iac shutter canton plant final months 2016 ross argue behalf trump free-trade agreements hurt unite state ford offshores new production facilities mexico boost mexican economy reduce investment country write september washington post opinion piece pen peter navarro another trump economic adviser tap direct white house trade council bid reverse offshoring trump threaten impose big border tax automakers choose build cars mexico rather unite state talk reset free-trade deal north american free trade agreement nafta trump transition spokesperson say personnel decisions ross auto-parts textile company drive need put operations near customers keep u.s. plant competitive echo arguments make auto industry executives face pressure trump people do much defend american job negotiate good deal american workers wilbur ross say spokesperson ask name offshoring figure ross company come labor department trade adjustment assistance taa program provide retrain benefit workers lose job due outsource cheap import program cover everybody hurt global trade service-sector workers eligible 2009 apply program show record 1.6 million factory workers qualify taa benefit 2001 2010 time unite state shed million manufacture job despite trump 's campaign rhetoric countries like mexico china take u.s. job taa figure show globalization claim few job recent years program cover roughly 80,000 workers last year 340,000 2009 graphic click tmsnrt.rs/2iygjgr ross amass fortune estimate forbes magazine 2.5 billion buy company struggle industries return profitability labor leaders unite steelworkers president leo gerard say ross years save thousands manufacture job one case ross buy two struggle north carolina fabric makers bankruptcy create international textile group itg 2004 textile import quotas phase 2005 2011 company lay 1,268 u.s. workers set operations mexico china nicaragua taa record show itg ceo ken kunenberger tell reuters job reductions primarily due competition cheap import itg operate six u.s. plant nine 2007 accord annual report ross sell company october undisclosed sum ross also create international automotive components group 2007 buy auto-parts makers around world industry struggle overcapacity slow sales taa file show iac eliminate 853 u.s. job shift work unite state mexico try every trick book get stay interest say tim scott serve city council carlisle pennsylvania iac decide close plant 2009 shift work mexico tennessee iac spokesperson say company expand mexico near automakers buy part common business strategy sector iac expand workforce mexico canada 42 percent 8,500 since 2008 10 percent unite state 11,000 period spokesman david ladd say another venture ross combine several mortgage lenders homeward residential hold inc. 2007 house market collapse homeward lay 596 employees florida texas shift work india 2012 accord taa file sizeable portion company global workforce peg 2,800 months layoffs announce ross sell homeward october 2012 750 million deliver return top 900 million profit company already generate homeward profitable year existence say press release wilbur ross trump 's commerce pick offshored 2,700 job since 2004