Technology a Challenge for Dalton-based Carpet Ind

Dalton, GA, May 19--This so-called "Carpet Capital of the World" will face challenges as the manufacture of floorcovering continues to improve, an industry executive said Tuesday, according to the Chattanooga Times/Free Press. "Things are becoming more technical," said Jim Bethel, president of Dalton-based J&J Industries, which makes commercial carpet. "We're seeing new machinery, and we need people with appropriate skill sets to run and fix those machines. "Where the community is at risk is with semiskilled labor, where we've had a large influx. How do we employ those individuals in an industry that's becoming more automated and technology driven?" he said. Mr. Bethel made those remarks during a panel discussion that opened the 2005 Floor Tek show at the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center. The American Floorcovering Alliance's biannual show, at which carpet equipment makers put their latest products on display, concludes Thursday. The panel discussion, moderated by Dalton State College professor Marilyn Helms, touched on a number of issues, including Dalton's future in flooring. Dr. Helms said many of the 503 Dalton State students who graduated last week asked her to ask the panel about their job prospects in the industry. Jim Prettyman, a vice president at Calhoun-based Mohawk Industries, said the graduates and those who follow them will do well if they go into fields including math and engineering. "We're maturing in terms of how to make carpet," he said. "You must be more precise. We've got to find better ways to use computers. "Someone coming out of school with those skills will be very valuable to us," he said. The panel also touched on the strain high fuel prices place on the manufacture and transport of carpet. Mr. Prettyman said his company and others have done the best they can to become more efficient, but some of the additional cost incurred by the manufacturer must be passed on. The biggest fuel-related issue, he said, is the availability of raw material, given China's ever-increasing appetite. Panel member John Miller, an American Floorcovering Alliance attorney, said China's growing need for fuel "makes it much more important to find new sources" of energy. Mr. Prettyman said China's consumers are buying more and more carpet. "China has a population of about 1.3 billion," he said. "About 150 million have lifestyles similar to what we have in the United States. Another 200 million are moving from rural settings in and closer to cities, where factories and industrial jobs are. "We've got to find a way to connect and better understand" China's increasingly wealthy people, he said. Throughout the show, representatives of carpet manufacturers study the equipment on display. Mr. Bethel said shows such as Floor Tek are "very valuable." "These are good places for new ideas (and) new sources of supply," he said. "We'll go out there looking for new ideas." Ron Loftin, an engineering technician for Belmont Textile Machinery Co. of Belmont, N.C., said location makes Floor Tek a must for his company. "The majority of our customers are in this area," he said. "It's a good chance for us to see and talk to them." The show was particularly special for the individuals honored by the AFA at a Tuesday-evening awards presentation. The alliance presented its Innovation award to Elvit Vision Systems, which works to improve production processes. The individual leadership honor was shared by Frank O'Neill, publisher of Floor Focus magazine, and the late James Brown, who turned his single-unit Brown Printing business into 10 operating units. The alliance presented its environmental award to Interface Inc., which diverted 8,500 tons of material from landfills in 2004. The contribution to the industry honor went to Shaw Industries Inc., for its waste-to-energy project with Siemens.

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