Made in South Pittsburg: Shaw Hardwood Flooring

By: Latricia Thomas

A local company that's known for its carpet is taking the hardwood flooring world by storm with their engineered product called Epic. When you see Shaw trucks on the Interstate, you might assume they're carrying carpet.

Shaw's Vice President of Hard Surface Business Development Scott Sandlin says, "We're becoming more than just a carpet company and it gives people a lot of opportunity."

But if those trucks came from the South Pittsburg plant, the freight actually comes from a forest.

After adjusting to the temperature in the factory for a few days, stacks of wood veneers made from hickory, walnut, oak and cherry, move on to the assembly line. "You have a back veneer and a face veneer and they will go into the press and they will be adhered to an HDF board, like a sandwich," Sandlin says."When the humitidy changes in your home, or the temperature changes, it doesn't shrink or grow."

After the press, it's time for a quick touch up before the wood is sliced into strips. The 145 employees that work in the South Pittsburg plant check the planks during several steps of the manufacturing process, thankful these jobs returned after Shaw shut down the outdated yarn facility that once stood here.

"It was devastating when we shut it down so we were glad we could bring wood into this community to make it into what it is today," says Sandlin. "So that made a big difference for South Pittsburg and Marion County.

Back on the line, it's time for cosmetics. "It goes down this line, with 8 or 9 stages of the finish being put on. It's just impractical to do it outside of the factory. It's almost like paining your car out of the factory," according to Sandlin.

Add the "Made in America" box, and it's time to ship to distributors and then to a home near you. "We are very proud that this product is made in Marion County and ships out of our distribution facilities in Northwest Georgia," Sandlin says. "That's very important to us."

To find out more about Shaw, click here to visit their website.
 Made in South Pittsburg: Shaw Hardwood Flooring