Residential

The Residential Division Opened in 1992 as one of the most modern residential carpet plants in the world. The tufting department installed brand new machines from Cobble Blackburn of England. The frames of all the machines were identical, except for the various gauges and pattern attachments. Several of the machines were set up to run level loop texture for the level loop print product lines. Several were set up for pattern cut and loop construction, with others equipped to make scroll patterned high-low loop carpet and loop graphics. The cut pile machines were specified in various gauge sizes to best meet the demands of the market and give the company flexibility.

The printing and continuous dyeing machine that was installed is a combination of technologies from the Kusters and Mitter companies of Germany. It uses rotary screens to apply the printed designs as well as applicators to apply solid colors depending on the requirement. The carpet is pre-steamed to remove any wrinkles and to bulk the yarns. It can apply a base color to all of the carpet prior to screen-printing. The screens are technologically advanced with the patterns being created by a computer controlled high intensity laser application. This allows for pattern detail and accuracy not possible with other spray on pattern technologies. A special applicator can also create unique surface effects while another applicator applies the final color. Steaming is used to fix the color and is achieved by a combination of vertical and horizontal steamers. The carpet is washed and extracted after steaming and then goes into a large flow through dryer where it is dried and then inspected and rolled for transport to the backing operation.

The beck dyeing operation was added in 1995 to process polyester saxonies, which have become an important part of this division's sales. The beck dyeing department has computer controlled temperature programs and the color is checked by a "Color Eye" system which is a part of the computer system that tells the dyers what dyestuffs to use and how much to add to bring the colors to perfection.

The application of the secondary backing is accomplished in a new plant addition that has the largest finishing range in the world. On the level loop printed carpet, this machine will finish more than 3 rolls of carpet every 2 minutes. For cut pile qualities that require shearing the machine is still capable of finishing these products faster than any other machine in the world. An automatic rolling and wrapping machine packages the rolls as fast as the range will process them.

The distribution area in this plant can store over 200 trailers of carpet and any single roll can be located within minutes.