Mohawk Industries, a flooring supplier for residential and commercial buildings, has announced plans to expand production at its Roanoke carpet-backing facility. The expansion at the Roanoke plant will initially add 35 more employees to the approximately 400-member workforce. More positions are anticipated in the future.
“ We are committed to delivering quality products to our customers,” Jamie Welborn, Mohawk's vice president of residential manufacturing, said in the release. “ The people at Roanoke share that commitment. The expansion will also increase manufacturing efficiencies at the location, which will help to contain costs.”
One of the major changes at the facility will be the addition and conversion of extrusion technology, which melts plastic to produce the synthetic material used to manufacture the carpet backing, the release said. These changes allow the facility to generate a higher yield, produce better-quality backing and reduce the physical labor involved in the manufacturing process.
Mohawk has plans to close its Waynesboro, Va., carpet-backing facility by the end of the year. Roanoke was one of many cities affected by the closing of Plantation Patterns in Wadley earlier this year, said Roanoke Mayor Mike Fisher. The expansion is “a shot in the arm for our county,” he said. “I think it says a lot about the quality of people we have working here in Roanoke,” Fisher said.
Those interested in employment can apply online at www.mohawkjobs.com or at the local Alabama Career Center.