Wilsonart To Shut Down Flooring Business This Fall

Temple, TX, Aug. 10, 2010--Wilsonart International said it will discontinue its Wilsonart Flooring product line in October and close both the flooring and cast sinks manufacturing operations in Temple, Texas.

The company, a division of publicly traded Illinois Tool Works, said the decision was made due to the sluggish U.S. economy and continuing declines in sales of both high pressure laminate flooring and cast sink products.

Wilsonart Flooring, which specializes in high pressure laminates, competes with not only other laminate flooring products, but also with wood, vinyl, tile, carpet, and more.

Wilsonart said that its high pressure laminate flooring products are the only ones still manufactured in the United States, and are also one of the highest priced laminate flooring offerings in the market today.

Consumers, burdened by the economy and construction woes, have opted for lower prices versus higher value they look for ways to save, Wilsonart said.

Competitive forces and foreign markets also continue to put pressure on prices, the company said.

“All of these factors have worked against us and customers,” said Bill DiGaetano, president of Wilsonart in North America.

“Despite focused resources and programming toward building preference for high pressure laminate flooring and changes in processes, procedures, people, and product, we have not been able to sustain any turn-around in our business. This convinces us that we will be unable to uphold these businesses for future growth or investment.”

Flooring manufacturing will be discontinued on October 29 and the business will cease operations on December 3.