The Georgia Department of Labor announced on Tuesday that Mohawk Industries will close its manufacturing facility in Ft. Oglethorpe, throwing 236 employees out of work.
According to the Labor Department, the Mohawk facility that makes synthetic carpet yarn at 365 Patterson Drive will close at the end of November.
Officials at Mohawk did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.
Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb said city officials have not yet had time to assess the effect of the closing but he said it will be devastating for the town and city government.
“As far as revenue in taxes, we don’t know the extent of the impact yet, but we will have to do adjustments to our budget,” he said. “The job loss will be very hard on the 236 people being laid off. There’s not a lot of jobs around here.”
A statement released by Labor Department Commissioner Michael Thurmond said state officials will be meeting with affected workers in an attempt to help them make a transition to other jobs.
“The layoff at Mohawk Industries in Fort Oglethorpe will create an unfortunate situation for the workers and their families,” Mr. Thurmond said. “Georgia Department of Labor staff will meet with them as soon as possible to explain the services available to help them get back to work as quickly as possible.”
Mayor Cobb said the closing will have a ripple effect that will cause lingering problems for the city.
“What will hit us particularly hard is the home foreclosures,” he said. “People will not be able to pay their mortgages. Then we lose that property tax that we had anticipated.”
Earlier this year Mohawk closed its 158-employee tufting plant in Armuchee, Ga., and its 68-employee finishing plant in Dalton. All totaled, the biggest U.S. floor covering companies — Mohawk, Shaw Industries and Beaulieu Carpets — laid off well over 1,000 employees since last fall in Alabama and Georgia, according to previous reports.
Staff writers Beverly Carroll and Dave Flessner contributed to this report.
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