The nation’s biggest floorcovering companies, with plants across the Chattanooga region, are temporarily idling thousands of production workers amid COVID-19 business and health concerns.
Dalton, Georgia-based Shaw Industries, with 23,000 employees, is ramping down manufacturing operations in the United States due to the disruption associated with the coronavirus, the company said Wednesday.
Shaw President Tim Baucom said the manufacturer’s staggered, temporary shut downs will begin on Monday, though some operations will resume as soon as a week later.
“The operations will ramp back up over time based on market demand, with some operations starting back up as soon as April 13,” he said. “Shaw will support its associates during this time by filing for their unemployment benefits.”
Baucom said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, the company has developed comprehensive, emergency response policies and procedures to support its workforce.
“We care about our associates’ safety while they are at work, as well as when they are at home and in the community,” he said. “It will truly take all of us working together to defeat this virus.”
Meanwhile, Engineered Floors, also based in Dalton with roughly 5,000 workers, said it also is immediately stopping manufacturing operations to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“This temporary shut-down is planned for one week,” the company said Tuesday. “Our sales, administration and distribution facilities will remain open.”
Engineered Floors said that company leadership continues to closely monitor the coronavirus situation in order to assess and respond quickly.
“We will continue to apply Centers for Disease Control safety and preventative measures within all facilities including social distancing, work-from-home, facility cleaning and sanitization, and good personal hygiene practices,” the company said.
Earlier this week, Mohawk Industries, based in Calhoun, Georgia, and with 42,000 employees worldwide, announced that the coronavirus pandemic is cutting demand for floorcovering surfaces and has forced the closing or cutback of some plants.
“The spread of COVID-19 is having an increasing impact on the economies where (Mohawk) operates around the world,” the nation’s biggest floorcovering company said in a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.
Baucom said that during Shaw’s temporary shut downs, sales, distribution, administration, and some manufacturing facilities will continue to run to meet the needs of customers, associates, and the communities where it operates.
“Shaw has an expansive soft and hard surface inventory in North America and a diverse supply chain both in the U.S. and internationally,” he added. “We currently do not anticipate any major service disruptions.”
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Baucom said that Shaw has developed comprehensive, emergency response policies and procedures to support its workforce.
While its facilities are shut down, the company will continue to enhance cleaning protocols and social distancing practices, and further train leaders regarding how to best operate the facilities “during these unprecedented times.”
The company said it has put into place policies and procedures including:
* If associates determine they’re unable to work or uncomfortable on the job, they can choose to stay home.
“This allows associates to make the best choices for their family. Associates may use their regular paid or unpaid time off options,” the company said.
* Should a worker have a confirmed case of COVID-19 or be placed into quarantine at the request of local health officials, a medical professional, or Shaw, the associate will receive paid leave for up to 14 days.
* Implemented enhanced, extensive cleaning methods that occur at the beginning and end of every shift.
* Limiting in-person meetings and avoiding plant-to-plant travel.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePare