Beaulieu to close second Dalton plant

photo Beaulieu of America building in Dalton, Ga.

Beaulieu of America announced today it will close its Dalton Model Plant, effective Jan. 2, and lay off 150 more mill workers.

The Dalton carpet company, which announced two weeks ago it was closing the adjacent Riverbend plant in Dalton by the end of the year, blamed the latest plant closing on "a continued sluggish economy and reduced carpet demand."

Combined, the two plant closings will cost Dalton 320 jobs.

"These two closures (Riverbend and Model) will allow our remaining tufting mills to operate on a more efficient basis," Beaulieu CEO Ralph Boe said.

Boe said the tufting and dying operations at the Model Plant will be phased-out over the next two months and be absorbed by other Beaulieu facilities. Beaulieu said it "will make every effort to offer Model Plant associates other opportunities" elsewhere in the company.

"This is regrettable but necessary," Boe said in a statement today.

Beaulieu is the nation's third biggest carpet maker and recently secured $230 million in loan refinancing to help sustain the company.

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