Shaw Creates New Posts for Evergreen Facility

Dalton, GA, June 9, 2006--Shaw announced the promotion of Russ DeLozier to the newly created position of PCC (Post Consumer Carpet) collection manager, as part of the company’s MSO (Manufacturing Staff Operations) Group. DeLozier’s responsibilities will include defining, implementing, and managing the collection and preprocessing of Nylon 6 post-consumer carpet waste as feed stock for the Evergreen Nylon Recycling operation in Augusta, Georgia. DeLozier has been with Shaw since 2004 and has held a variety of positions, the most recent being in risk management. Prior to joining Shaw, Russ had experience in the chemical industry with Dow Chemical Company where he was production leader for the company’s styrofoam plant located in Dalton, Georgia. DeLozier has a BS in Chemical Engineering with a minor in polymer science from Georgia Tech, and he is a registered PE. “We’re pleased to have someone of Russ’s ability head up this important function,” says John Conyers, director of manufacturing staff operations for Shaw. “His background and work experience make him an ideal choice - he understands both the technical and logistical issues involved.” The Shaw collection system may collect up to 300 million pounds of carpets of all types annually, not all of which will go to Evergreen. In a related move, David Harless has been named to the position of special project/process engineer within the Shaw Fibers Division. Formerly technical manager at Shaw’s Thomson Fibers Facility in Thomson, Georgia, Harless will become Shaw's technical manager at the Evergreen operation in Augusta, Georgia. Harless is responsible for the significant engineering changes Shaw is making to improve efficiency of the Evergreen process prior to restart of the facility. According to Pete Booth, senior manager of Extrusion Technical Services, Shaw Fibers Division, Harless is well qualified for his position. “David has extensive experience with Shaw, having been production superintendent for BCF polypropylene at our Bainbridge Fibers Facility and extrusion department manager at our plant WM Fibers Facility,” Booth says. “He started his career in the rubber and latex industries and has also served as a production engineer and a process development engineer at Wellman's PET staple plant.” Harless has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and is a Six Sigma Blackbelt. Ray Johnson, group director of Shaw Fibers manufacturing, notes that the company is well positioned to make Evergreen a viable enterprise. “The past operation of Evergreen was economically constrained by low monomer prices and low output compared to design,” Johnson says. “With higher monomer prices resulting from oil price increases, combined with our engineering changes to improve plant efficiency and our nationwide network of Shaw customers and other collection partners, we intend to provide an ongoing post-consumer recycling route back to nylon.” No firm date for plant reopening has been published by Shaw, but the company is making a significant investment in its return to production. Shaw will reopen Evergreen as soon as all modifications are made and all systems are fully functional, from collection through caprolactam shipment.

Related Topics:Shaw Industries Group, Inc.

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