Rug Companies Back on Schedule After Storms

Cecile Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 5/10/2011 6:28:14 AM

DALTON, GA. - It was back to business as usual for some of the major area, accent and bath rug companies in the Southeast by last Wednesday, one week since tornadoes and heavy storms struck the region.
     Since early morning on May 2, when power was restored at its Scottsboro, Ala. facilities, Maples Rugs "went back on our regular schedule," said co-owner John Maples, ramping up production at 6 a.m.
     As of that day, the domestic rug manufacturer had about 85% of its staff in attendance, "and we expect that to increase as time goes by," he continued.
     Among Maples Rugs' staff, there were several workers who suffered partial or total loss of their homes, a few who suffered injuries, some who lost family members, and then some employees who have not yet been located.
     The company was in the process of trying to locate its missing staffers as well as compiling a list of employees who were affected by the storms.
     "We're putting together a monetary assistance plan to help those people," Maples told HTT. The company was additionally providing support and donations to several local organizations aiding affected storm victims.
     At Oriental Weavers USA, based here, said last Wednesday that "everything is well," according to Aaron Gray, director of marketing. "Our business was uninterrupted in Dalton. Some of our employees that live north of Dalton experienced some power outages, but everything is well here. [There is] still a lot of work to be done in other areas."
     Balta U.S., also here, was "back to normal. All power has been restored, and we are running our normal schedule."
     Sugar Valley, Ga.-based Mohawk Home, too, was "back to 100% with no issues. The area is still pretty devastated north of here, primarily in Ringgold and Tennessee, so some of the people are still affected. But I'm not aware of any of our associates that were injured, or had major damage to their residences," said Bart Hill, general manager of area and bath rugs.