TEMPLE, TEX.—As Floor Covering News was going to press it learned Wilsonart will be exiting the flooring industry this fall, Oct. 29 to be exact, citing “the sluggish U.S. economy and continuing declines in sales.”

As such, the company said it will not only discontinue the Wilsonart Flooring product line, it will close the business unit’s manufacturing plant here, which opened shortly after the mill announced it was entering the industry ( FCNews, June 19/26, 1995)—at a time when the laminate category started to take off as a legitimate flooring segment.

Bill DiGaetano, president of Wilsonart in North America, said along with competing for consumers from within the category, the company faced increased pressure from other flooring products. In addition, a long, drawn-out recession has caused many consumers to seek lower-priced options as well as cause strains in the overall construction market. “All of these factors have worked against us and customers,” he said.

(Editor’s note: For complete coverage of this story, go to fcnews.net.)