The History Of Mohawk Carpets

It would be quite surprising if you had never heard of Mohawk Industries as they have been a leader in the flooring industry for over 125 years now producing carpets. There head office is located in Georgia where they design and manufacture woven and tufted broadloom carpets, as well as area rugs, accent rugs, and even mats.

They have a price range to meet every budget and market their products under the following well recognized lines: Aladdin, American Olean, American Weavers, Bigelow, Galaxy, Helios, Horizon, Karastan, Lees Carpet, Wundaweve, Custom Weave, and of course Mohawk.

Mohawk has been a leader in the industry from its inception and thanks to a dedicated hard working team it continues to be a leader in the industry today making carpets that are recognized world wide.

Their story began way back in 1878 when four Shuttleworth brothers brought 14 second hand looms from England to New York. By 1908 the were introducing a new carpet line called Karnak. It was instantly successful in fact it was more than successful it became a phenomena. For 5 years the orders were so many that the weavers never even changed the color or the pattern.

In the 1920s the Shuttleworth Brothers Company merged with the McCleary Walling and Crouse Company. After the merger they became Mohawk Carpet Mills Inc named after the Mohawk River Valley in New York where their head office was located.

Of course like all mergers this merger was a strategic merger that left Mohawk as the only mill in the USA that produced all domestic weaves of carpet.

Nearing the

end of the dirty thirties Mohawk decided this was an excellent time to introduce a new carpet and thus Shuttlepoint was born. It was the first high and low loop textured design to be marketed. It was so successful that by 1950 it has bypassed the demand of Karnak becoming their best seller ever.

During the 1950 Mohawk once again was on the move expanding it's manufacturing facilities in Mississippi and South Carolina. This was also the period that Walt Disney Studies designed the Tommy Mohawk character which Mohawk still uses to this day.

By 1955 Mohawk and once again merged with another company. This time Alexander Smith. This merger made Mohawk the largest carpet supplier world wide.

During the next 15 years Mohawk continued to innovative designing new products. Their biggest success ever was the Canyon Paradise line introduced in 1973 which became their most successful carpet line ever. In 1974 they established the Mohawk Color Center Dealer program which was a blueprint to success for dealers. It is still in use today.

Mohawk continued to merge with other companies right through the 1990s buying up all the names you recognize in carpets and making them part of their line. Companies such a American Rug Craftsman, Karastan, Bigelow, Aladdin Mills, Galaxy Carpets, WundaWeeve, and Durkan to name just a handful. Each of these companies strengthened Mohawks market share. Their aggressive acquisitions certainly paid off creating a diverse and dynamic company as well as the world's largest floor covering supply. No longer just the world's largest carpet supplier.

Today still Mohawk executives still maintain that the reason for their success is their 34,000 dedicated, hard working employees. These men and women are the core of this successful company using cutting edge technology and state of the art equipment. Employees also have good thinks to say about Mohawk noting their positive work environment, excellent wage structure, and opportunities for advancement.

Today it doesn't really matter where you shop or what make of carpet you buy, there are few quality carpets left on the market that are not part of the Mohawk lines. And that's not all Mohawk also has a full line of furniture and home decor. So whether you are shopping at Home Depot or Wal-mart you are certain to find the Mohawk line.

From its origins back in 1878 to its modern day operation the philosophy has always been to make the home beautiful and it's quite obvious how successful they've been. So next time you are in the market for carpet, furniture, or home decor buy Mohawk a company you can trust!



-----------------------

John Murray makes it easy to go through the carpet buying process and provides tips to keep your carpet lasting long. To learn more and receive your free mini-course visit the carpet rugs website



About the author:

John Murray is an award winning interior designer, self taught know-it-all and author. He makes the carpet buying process simple and provides all the tricks and tips to keep your carpets lasting longer, quickly & easily.

The Benefits of Pre-finished Hardwood Floors -
Pre-finished floors come with an extended factory finish warranty...

Berber Carpet.
Berber Carpet has an interesting history, and enjoys a popular...

Designing With Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are suited to both casual and formal environments;...

Bamboo Flooring-A New Trend
Bamboo flooring is a type of wood flooring that has...