Shaw Industries, the world's largest carpet maker, announced Wednesday the completion of a $40 million expansion at its South Pittsburg engineered hardwood flooring manufacturing plant.
The Dalton-based floor maker said in a statement the expansion was necessary to meet increasing demand for its hardwood products. The expansion increased the South Pittsburg plant's capacity by 60 percent and created dozens of jobs thanks to the addition of new equipment and production lines.
Shaw officials say the plant is the largest plant of its kind in the world.
The South Pittsburg plant formerly produced yarn, before Shaw retrofitted it in 2006 with state-of-the-art hardwood production facilities.
Company officials say the plant today features some of the most sophisticated and advanced hardwood production facilities in the company's entire portfolio.
The completion of the engineered hardwood production expansion coincides with a strong market for hard floor covering surfaces. And it comes as carpet sales have slacked off inrecent years.
Shaw, though the world's largest carpet maker, has only been in the engineered hardwood covering business for around a decade.
Even so, company officials said in a release on Wednesday that Shaw has propelled itself through ongoing hard surface investments to become the second-largest, but fastest-growing, hardwood manufacturer in the world.
"We have invested heavily in hardwood in recent years, from styling and service to manufacturing and marketing," said Scott Sandlin, vice president of hard surfaces at Shaw, in a release.
He said the continual investments will result in a more diverse hard surface product portfolio for the company.
"We will continue to invest in the category toward our goal of being the unquestioned leader in wood flooring," Sandlin said.
Shaw CEO Vance Bell also said in Wednesday's release the company will continue building its hardwood offerings.
"The expansion of our South Pittsburg engineered hardwood facility is a prime example of our continued investment in new product development and advanced manufacturing practices," said Bell. "Hardwood is important to Shaw's business growth strategy."
Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.