Mohawk to close its Lyerly tufting mill

Mohawk Industries will shut down its tufting operations in Lyerly, Georgia, next month and convert the mill to a yard storage facility.

The Calhoun, Georgia-based floor covering company, the biggest in the world, said the move will affect 250 employees in Chattooga County. But Mohawk said some of the individuals at the plant will remain to support warehousing operations, and the company will offer employment alternatives at nearby Mohawk facilities to as many people as possible.

Mohawk said it is now hiring additional workers for its nearby Summerville, Georgia, plant, where it is investing in boosting fiber production.

“The toughest decisions in our business are those that involve people’s jobs, particularly in communities where we have established long and important relationships,” said Michel Vermette, Mohawk’s president of residential carpet. “Like most businesses with a large operational footprint, we continuously assess how to best manufacture our products, which is resulting in this plant consolidation.”

Rod Wedemeier, Mohawk’s vice president of human resources, said the company hopes to retain as many of the displaced workers as possible.

“Our employees in Lyerly have always been among our best, and our priority is to assist them throughout this transition,” said Wedemeier. “For any individuals we cannot place, we’ll partner with the Georgia Department of Labor to find additional opportunities in the area.”

The announcement of the closing comes shortly after Shaw Industries announced it is closing one of its yarn plants this month in Chatsworth, Georgia, as it shifts more of its work to hard surfaces and other carpet styles.

In March, Engineered Floors Inc. announced it was laying off 103 employees at its Gainesville, Georgia, plant.

Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com.