HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—Oil prices may not be at the levels they were a year ago, but it has not stopped the suppliers of raw materials to the carpet industry, specifically the chemicals used in latex, backing and fiber production, from raising their prices in recent months. As a result, the carpet mills have begun announcing their own increases saying they can no longer absorb these costs.

Earlier this year FCNews forewarned this would be happening as the three major suppliers— BASF, Dow and Omnova—of products such as styrene butadiene, which is used in latex, all were raising their prices, citing hikes to their own raw materials (FCNews May 18/25).

Letters obtained by FCNews from some of the leading mills show prices going up between 5% and 8% and are generally across both residential and commercial products.

Most of the increases are going into effect on orders placed Oct. 5 and shipments of Oct. 19, though some have it taking effect with orders as early as Oct. 3, and one, Kraus, as late as Oct. 11, which also has it for orders on Oct. 25.

Whether it was Randy Merritt, president of Shaw Industries; Tom Lape, president of Mohawk Residential; Jeff Meadows, executive vice president of Beaulieu’s residential division, or Walter Eckhardt, CEO of Kraus, each said they understand there is never a good time to raise prices, especially now during this tough economy.

They stressed their company has worked hard to reduce operating costs while at the same time absorbing recent rounds of price hikes from all the major raw materials suppliers.

But with “significant/escalating” raw materials costs continuing and showing no signs of abating, the mills can no longer integrate the additional hikes into their operations.

For more information on what each specific mill is doing, contact your local sales rep.