Bin LiuA Chinese hardwood flooring manufacturer plans to open its first American production facility in Calhoun, Georgia and hire 100 workers.
Complete Flooring Supply Corp. (CFS), announced Monday that it will spend $30 million to acquire and renovate an abandoned 98,000-square-foot carpet mill on Marine Drive in Calhoun to start production by the end of the year of some of the laminate, cork, solid wood, engineered and hand-scraped flooring products it now imports from its factory in Shanghai, China.
The company currently operates a customer operations center in Suwanee, Georgia, and has distribution centers in Georgia and California.
The decision to begin production in the United States comes as the Trump administration is considering proposals to impose 10 percent tariffs on Chinese made hardwood flooring production imported into the United States.
Bin Liu, vice president of CFS and CEO for Simple Floors, Inc. - a retail and internet sales flooring company she created in 2005- said the Georgia Department of Economic Development and its China team helped support the site selection and ultimate project development.
"They helped us coordinate with partners in utility service and local government, and made sure we all worked together cohesively," Liu said. "We firmly believe that Georgia is a great place to do business."
A majority of all carpet and flooring products made in the United States is made in Northwest Georgia, which bills itself as the "Carpet Capital."
"CFS' decision to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Gordon County is a testament to Georgia's preeminent position for global commerce," Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said in an announcement of the new manufacturing facility. "As the gateway to the Southeastern market, Georgia will provide CFS with the skilled workforce and strategic resources needed to expand its customer base and maintain its competitive edge."
Deal made the announcement today in conjunction with a state leadership economic development mission in China.
Bin Liu was recognized five years ago as one of Gwinnett County's Most Powerful Women by the Gwinnett County Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Feng and Bin Liu own CFS, which began as Chi Fong Silk Limited Company in 1993 and has grown into one of the nation's top 10 importers of flooring.
Originally established as a silk importing company, CFS expanded into the flooring industry in 2002, with the introduction of its brand Premium Green Bamboo. Kemp Harr, publisher of Floor Focus magazine, said the company has grown every year since introducing Green Bamboo, gradually adding Enviro Cork, CFS Laminate, CFS solid and engineered prefinished hardwood flooring.
"CFS's growth in Georgia is the result of our strong relationship with the Chinese business community and overall pro-business climate," said Pat Wilson, commissioner of Georgia's Department of Economic and Community Development.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.