Flooring maker comes to Calhoun

Company to invest $70M in new facility, create 300 jobs in city.

Creative Flooring Solutions, which manufactures laminate, wood and luxury vinyl tile, will create 300 jobs and invest more than $70 million in a new manufacturing facility in Georgia’s flooring and carpet corridor along I-75 north of Atlanta.

The company, founded in China by European owners, employs 3,500 at three factories and in locations around the world. It says it is the largest exporter of flooring in Asia.

“This marks a next step in our plan to become a global company, producing closer to where our goods are being sold,” said Thomas Baert, owner and president.

In addition to the local market, Georgia exported $485 million of floor covering products last year. Though the flooring industry was hit hard by economic effects of the coronavirus, the region has scored two other new China-related facilities in recent months.

In May, Huali Floors announced a $27 million investment in a manufacturing facility and its U.S. headquarters near Chatsworth. The facility will be located near the Appalachian Regional Port, a rail and truck depot designed to improve connections with the Savannah ports and trigger economic development.

In December, GreenView Floors International, which makes vinyl and laminate flooring, announced it would build its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Bartow County, bringing 238 jobs and a $26 million investment.

Creative Flooring Solutions will locate in a newly constructed 252,000-square-foot facility at 3576 U.S. 41 in Calhoun, with plans to build another 250,000 square feet in the near future.

“The impact of this announcement will be felt across the region,” Gov. Brian Kemp said.

New jobs will include positions in management, professional, skilled craftsmen, operators and laborers.