More Jobs Possibly Headed To Atmore Plant

February 27, 2009

Dixie Group, the parent company of Masland Carpets in Atmore, says that it may close a West Coast facility and move that work to Atmore.

It would be the second consolidation in just six months at the Atmore plant.

Dixie Group said it is considering moving the Fabrica division of the company from California to Atmore sometime in the last half of 2009. That would cost the company $3 to $5 million, a number that company says could easily be saved in just year.

The Fabrica move to Atmore would mean more jobs, some available very soon after the move is official. But the total jobs added to the 360 already in Atmore might be small.

“In this environment, we would try not to add any more than we absolutely had to,” Dixie Group Chief Financial Officer Gary Harmon said.

But the division might not be headed for Atmore. They company says it is considering selling off the division to help reduce $93.8 million in debt.

About six months ago, Dixie Group moved a carpet tufting division from Eton, Ga., to Atmore.

“The consolidation of our Eton, Georgia, carpet tufting operation into our tufting, dyeing and finishing facility in Atmore, Alabama, is substantially complete. Most of the costs to complete this action are now behind us, and the benefits of this consolidation should begin to have a positive impact on our results in March of this year. We are assessing our alternatives for the Fabrica business and are considering the possible sale of the business or, more likely, consolidation into our East Coast facilities,”

Daniel K. Frierson, Dixie Group chairman and CEO said.

Comments

2 Responses to “More Jobs Possibly Headed To Atmore Plant”

  1. aw on February 28th, 2009 11:54 am

    My spouse works for the Atmore plant and what I do not understand is, why is Masland building a new warehouse, consolidating plants, ( transferring the west coast plant to atmore) yet at the same time is still laying off employees at the Atmore plant to cut costs. More were even layed off this past week? Go Figured?

  2. lee on February 27th, 2009 10:55 pm

    I know I speak for a lot of people when I say that I hope that Atmore plant will
    continue to provide jobs for a lot of local people. Making the best carpet ever,

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News