Tandus Flooring Group in Dalton, Georgia.Tarkett Timeline* 1880 — Sommer founded* 1886 — Tarkett founded* 1913 — Albert founded* 1972 — Sommer and Albert merge* 1997 — Tarkett merges with Sommer Albert* 2003 — Company changes name from Tarkett Sommer to Tarkett* 2012 — Tarkett buys TandusSource: TarkettFast facts:Tarkett:Worldwide sales — $2.7 billionEmployees — 9,200Production sites — 32 worldwideOwners: Deconinck family and KKR private equity fundsTandus:Worldwide sales — $340 millionEmployees — 1,400Production sites — Five in North America, one in ChinaOwners: TarkettSource: TarkettWho’s who:Glen Hussmann — Tandus CEOJeff Buttitta — President of Tarkett North AmericaMichel Giannuzzi — CEO of France-based Tarkett GroupSource: Tarkett
Paris-based Tarkett has purchased the Tandus Flooring Group, based in Dalton, Ga., for an undisclosed amount.
The acquisition brings a large foreign player to the highly-competitive U.S. commercial carpet market, which has traditionally been dominated by flooring titans in the U.S. southeast.
“This is a game changer in the commercial carpet market,” said Kemp Harr, publisher of Floor Focus Magazine.
Tarkett boasts $2.7 billion in sales, 9,200 employees and 32 production sites . The world’s third-largest flooring manufacturer and largest overall hard surface manufacturer is half-owned by the Deconinck family, with the other 50 percent split among private equity funds.