By Matthew Spieler
Dalton— Shaw Industries announced its intentions to begin manufacturing hardwood floors by summer. The company is in the process of converting a former yarn plant in South Pittsburgh, Tenn. into a manufacturing facility for engineered hardwood.

When the first planks hit the field between June and July it will mark the fourth floor covering category that Shaw manufactures for itself in the U.S. The mill also produces carpet, area rugs and laminate, not to mention many of the other products and components that are part of the industry, including backings, underlayment and various types of fiber.

Jeff Williams, Shaw’s director of hard surface manufacturing, said the move will position the company as “a true manufacturer and distributor of hardwood flooring. A lot of research and planning went into this effort and we believe we’ll become a leader in this product category.”

David Wilkerson, Shaw’s vice president of hard surfaces, pointed to a number of factors as to why this action makes sense: the facility has been idle for about three years; it is located only 35 miles from Ringgold, Ga., the primary distribution center for the company’s hard surface products; the adjacent property is owned by Shaw, allowing for a natural expansion, and “the pre-finished engineered category is the fastest-growing segment of the hardwood market.”

As part of the conversion, he said Shaw has installed “the finest manufacturing equipment available today. We sourced machinery from Europe and the U.S. to ensure we have the latest technology and innovations in hardwood manufacturing.

“This will allow us to feature technological differentiations that will benefit retailers, installers and consumers,” Wilkerson continued. “We are using some technology and materials that are different than what is out there today.”

He added the plant capacity will begin as a supplement to Shaw’s overall offerings. The 275,000sq-ft. facility will start with an annual capacity of 20 million square feet. It has the capability to immediately double that with a few additions and modifications.

The adjacent property is, Wilkerson noted, “like an insurance policy that allows you to grow. It is something Shaw routinely does because it puts us in a good position when the time comes to expand.”

Product Variety

To start off, the plant will produce four types of products—3-1/4- and 5-in. widths, and 3/8- and 3/4-in. thick—in a variety of species and price points. It will do this in three stages: pressing, milling and finishing.

“There’s going to be a great deal of depth to the product line,” he explained, “with a wide array of species represented, including a range of exotics.” The finishes will include what Shaw currently offers, from a urethane/aluminum oxide coating to its premium furniture finish. Prices will range from a better quality entry level offering up to the high-end level
on certain exotics.

Seeing The Benefits

Wilkerson said the state-of-the-art technology incorporated is what allows the company to produce a 3/4-in. engineered product “that is superior to solid hardwood. Everyone will immediately see the benefits, especially builders. It has a great story and gives dealers an alternative product to sell—one that has all the installation capabilities of a traditional 3/8-in. engineered along with unsurpassed stability and thickness of a 3/4-in solid.

“We’ve done a great deal of preliminary work behind the scenes,” he continued. “All the specs have been finalized but we are still going through testing stages—from the product’s look and performance to our service level—to make sure everything is done right from the start. We expect to have samples ready between June and July with more specific details on the collections and individual products in the coming months.”

For more information on Shaw’s hardwood products, see your local sales rep or call 800/441-7429.