Mohawk Carpet is among the oldest
carpet manufacturers still in
business.
Mohawk carpet is the most recognizable carpet brand name and they are one of the
most respected carpet
manufacturers in the carpet industry. The Mohawk carpet name has
always had a mystique about it and the name reflects quality. Today Mohawk is
the world's leading high quality, value-oriented producer of carpet and rugs. In
addition, Mohawk manufactures
its own line of
Mohawk hardwood flooring.
During the late 1980's and 1990's, when
carpet manufacturers were buying out
other manufacturers, Mohawk took a slightly different
course during the buy-out era. Most manufacturers were buying
carpet
manufacturers to increase their own production capacity. Manufacturers
would examine sales, production efficiency of machinery, and the brick and
mortar worth of a potential manufacturer buy-out. Most carpet manufacturers were
looking for a way to lower their production costs and increase their capacity.
Mohawk placed a heavy emphasis on name recognition of the
carpet
manufacturers brand names. While many of these carpet brand names with good
name recognition had antiquated (slow) equipment and crumbling facilities,
Mohawk evaluated the "worth" of the carpet brand name and ignored the accountants
evaluation of how much a carpet manufacturer was worth in the ledger.
This strategy, while risky, has strengthened Mohawk's hold on brand name
recognition and it continues to be one of the most respected Carpet Brand Names
in the industry. While Mohawk Carpet and
Shaw carpet are (by far) the two largest
carpet
manufacturers, The Carpet Buyers
Handbook receives far more carpet price quote
requests for Mohawk carpet products, such as
Karastan carpet, than any other manufacturer. This can
be attributed to their styling, color lines, and name recognition, but it also
could be related to retail selling price, as well.
While competitive Carpet brands can be found in most
retail carpet showrooms, Mohawk carpet brands have more limited
distribution within a market area. Limited distribution tends to raise
carpet prices, due to reduced competition.
This is not to say that Mohawk carpet products are over priced, but the
inability to compare
carpet prices can elevate retail price levels, slightly. Our
Dalton, Georgia Carpet Wholesaler Site
partners sell far more Mohawk Carpet products through our
carpet price quote
service than any other brand name. These
carpet wholesalers generally save our
website visitors more on Mohawk brand names
because of the limited distribution of Mohawk distributors in a market area.
Of all the carpet manufacturers for whom I have been employed, it was Mohawk
that I always wanted to work for, but never had the opportunity. The
Mohawk carpet name and their leading edge marketing philosophy makes Mohawk one of the most
notable names in the carpet industry.
During the carpet manufacturer buy-out craze of the 1990's, Mohawk placed
more emphasis on name recognition of the manufacturer than other traditional
business worth evaluation factors. In doing so, Mohawk has distinguished
itself as having a careful balance of economy and higher cost Interior Designer
lines which have combined to make them one of the most profitable
carpet
manufacturers in the world.
The Crown Jewel of the Mohawk line. Karastan
Carpet has always been one of the
most respected brand names in the carpet industry. The name itself makes one
think of magic flying carpets
and things cherished. The name itself implies quality and style. Karastan
is the Cadillac® of carpet. While many people dream of someday owning a
Cadillac®, others dream of owning a Karastan carpet style. Mohawk
purchased Karastan in 1993. Karastan manufactures a complete line of
"out-of-the-ordinary" carpet styles including true
Frieze Carpet styles, Berber Carpet,
beautiful velvet carpet styles, and other
one-of-a-kind carpet styles. For most carpet styles, you must turn the
carpet sample over to look at the labels on the back to see who manufactured the
sample. With Karastan Carpet, you simply
know by looking at the carpet pile.
Bigelow Carpet -
Bigelow is one of the most storied names in carpet history.
In 1839, Erastus Bigelow permanently retooled the carpet industry
with
the invention of the first power loom for weaving carpets. Bigelow's loom
doubled carpet production the first year after it was placed into manufacturing
production and tripled carpet production by 1850 Bigelow's loom is now a part of
the Smithsonian Institution's collections. Bigelow was an innovator and
inventor. He amassed 35 separate patents between 1839 and 1876. Bigelow
introduced the first broadloom carpet in 1877.
While Bigelow still uses a number of weaving machines in its production, they
manufacture far more commercial carpet styles than residential styles.
Woven carpets remain some of the highest quality carpets in the world. Their cost and long life contribute more to the commercial carpet market than
the residential carpet market, due to their longevity and performance.
Lee's Carpet is another one of those carpet "names" that has always generated
excitement among carpet buyers. Mohawk purchased the Lee's Carpet brand name in
2003. Lee's was one of the last remaining large carpet producers to remain
independent. Lee's held out 10 years longer than most thought they would.
Lee's carpet has always manufactured high-end carpet products with exquisite
styling, but their financial troubles began shortly after the introduction of
Stainmaster® in 1986. Their aging production equipment made it difficult
to keep pace with faster more efficient competitors.
Over the past few years, it was the Lee's Carpet name that enabled it to
compete in the market place. The Mohawk purchase of Lee's has invigorated
the Lee's Carpet line and Mohawk's modern manufacturing equipment has helped
resuscitate the respect that Lee's carpet brand name has earned over the years.
Alexander Smith -
While Shaw Carpet traditionally receives credit for creating the
manufacturer buy-out craze, (with its purchase of
Cabin Crafts carpet) it was
actually Mohawk that began this strategy in 1956. Mohawk and Alexander
Smith merged to form Mohasco, Inc and became the largest carpet manufacturer in
the world. Alexander Smith continues to be one of the cornerstones of the
Mohawk carpet line.
The Horizon Carpet purchase of 1992 enabled Mohawk to develop a
value-oriented, competitively priced carpet line that could compete with any
carpet manufacturer.
Horizon manufactured a wide variety of carpet styles beginning with FHA base
builder grader grade carpet to high end designer styles. Horizon carpet was a high capacity
production manufacturer that enabled Mohawk to lower their production costs and
helped them reach an economy of scale with regard to purchasing power.
Horizon Carpet fit perfectly into the Mohawk Collection, because they had always
offered some of the most beautiful color choices of any
manufacturer. Even the Horizon logo reflected the colors of the rainbow
and a logo has never been more accurate for a company depiction.
Horizon
Carpets today, under the Mohawk umbrella, have continued to inspire interior
designers to build dramatic color pallets.
When Aladdin Carpet was purchased by Mohawk in 1994, many
carpet
industry professionals pondered who bought who. Aladdin was one of the
most progressive and fastest growing carpet manufacturers in the carpet industry.
They were among the toughest competitors in the carpet industry. Their
carpet styling, color choices, and competitive price made them a worthy
competitor for any carpet manufacturer. They were especially tough in the olefin
Berber Carpet market and in the bath carpet market. The Mohawk acquisition of
Aladdin carpet rounded out the Mohawk stable of brands and allowed them to expand their
product offerings into areas where they held very little market share.
Aladdin carpet was a low cost producer, so they allowed Mohawk to lower their
production costs even further and expand production capacity. Low cost does not
necessarily mean "cheap carpet". It simply means their production
facilities were state-of-the-art and their cost to produce carpet was lower than
other carpet manufacturers. The Aladdin carpet
purchase was just another piece in the carefully scripted Mohawk puzzle.
In buying an Aladdin carpet style, the consumer knows they are buying a
well-constructed carpet at a very price competitive price point.
Galaxy Carpet Mills
Galaxy Carpet Mills was another Mohawk purchase in 1995. Galaxy was
known for mid grade to upper end carpet styles and they were another low cost
producer. Galaxy manufactured a line of
Kanga back® carpet styles which utilized a urethane
foam backing and utilized a do-it-yourself
carpet installation procedure. In 1989, Galaxy was purchased by
Peerless, a Canadian carpet manufacturer, which enabled Galaxy to develop its
export operations, and upgrade its manufacturing equipment. Mohawk's
purchase of Galaxy (from Peerless) in 1995 enabled Mohawk to capture a larger
share of the carpet export market.
Diamond Carpet Mills
Mohawk purchased Diamond Carpet Mills in 1997. Diamond was noted for
using recycled 2-liter soda bottles and olefin (polypropylene)
in its carpet fiber. (P.E.T.) This polyester-type (P.E.T.) fiber was extremely
stain-resistant, fade resistant, and provided a bulky "hand" with extremely
thick pile height. P.E.T. offered a significant enhancement over other polyester
fibers. The Diamond purchase was simply another addition to the Mohawk brand of
products that enabled them to diversify their product offering.
World Carpets
World carpet was purchased by Mohawk in 1998. At one time World Carpets
was the largest producer of FHA base grade carpet styles. World Carpets
set the market price for this commodity carpet style and they dominated the new
home construction and property management industry.
WundaWeve Carpet Mills
WundaWeve was obtained by Mohawk with the World Carpet acquisition in 1998.
The WundaWeve line was a high-end Interior Designer line which balanced World
Carpet's image as a low-end manufacturer. Today,
the WundaWeve carpet & rug collection represents the premium in styling and
product innovation. Known for its distinctive styling, WundaWeve provides an
important niche in the upper end of the residential market for Mohawk.
WundaWeve combines color and texture in truly different ways. The collection of
products includes many luxurious constructions, from tip-shears and plush
cut-piles to dense Velva-loops and textured sisal looks.
Durkin Carpets
Durkin Carpets, purchased by Mohawk in 1999 was famous for its printed
pattern goods. Many high-end hotels and Casinos used Durkin styles to
enhance the atmosphere within their properties. Durkin was an innovator in
the printed carpet arena, using a proprietary screen printing process. If
Durkin carpets are on the label, you know you have purchased a high-end quality
piece of goods. Durkin also revolutionized custom printed carpet
production. Durkin can print any pattern, logo, or artwork on broadloom
carpet. They specialize in custom lots and ongoing patterned styles.
Image Carpet Mills
Image Carpet Mills was purchased by Mohawk in 1999. Image was another
P.E.T. (polyester) manufacturer. With the Image purchase, Mohawk obtained
a significant portion of the recycled plastic bottle carpet market. During
this period in the carpet industry, the focus was on sustainability of
environmental resources. The Image Carpet Mills purchase demonstrated
corporate responsibility in recycling post-consumer waste into a usable consumer
product.
Other Flooring Operations
Other Mohawk brands include American Rug Craftsmen, American Weavers,
Harbinger, Custom Weave, and Helios. In addition to carpet, Mohawk has entered
the entire flooring market by building or purchasing hardwood manufacturing
facilities, laminate flooring, carpet padding (Alliance Pad), vinyl flooring
(American Olean) and ceramic tile (Dal-tile) manufacturing operations.
Mohawk employs almost 35,000 people throughout North America. Mohawk
has come a long way since 1878, when four brothers from the Shuttleworth family
brought 14 second hand looms from England to Amsterdam, New York to begin
Weaving an American-made carpet product.
- Carpets of Dalton- Shop the
finest selection of
carpet,
wood,
rugs, and
tile at
Carpets of Dalton, the nations #1 place for floorcovering.
Unbeatable selection and prices on name brand, top quality floorcovering.
Call or e-mail for samples, prices, and unbeatable deals. Visit our
Carpets
of Dalton page on the Carpet
Buyers Handbook
course during the buy-out era. Most manufacturers were buying
most respected brand names in the carpet industry. The name itself makes one
think of magic flying carpets
and things cherished. The name itself implies quality and style. Karastan
is the Cadillac® of carpet. While many people dream of someday owning a
Cadillac®, others dream of owning a 
with
the invention of the first power loom for weaving carpets. Bigelow's loom
doubled carpet production the first year after it was placed into manufacturing
production and tripled carpet production by 1850 Bigelow's loom is now a part of
the Smithsonian Institution's collections. Bigelow was an innovator and
inventor. He amassed 35 separate patents between 1839 and 1876. Bigelow
introduced the first broadloom carpet in 1877.
carpet
industry professionals pondered who bought who. Aladdin was one of the
most progressive and fastest growing carpet manufacturers in the carpet industry.
They were among the toughest competitors in the carpet industry. Their
carpet styling, color choices, and competitive price made them a worthy
competitor for any carpet manufacturer. They were especially tough in the olefin
Kanga back® carpet styles which utilized a 
