230 jobs lost as Mohawk closes Georgia plant

Mohawk Industries will shutter a northwest Georgia manufacturing plant by the end of November, leaving 230 jobless, the Georgia Department of Labor said this week.

The pending closure of the synthetic carpet yarn producing plant in Fort Oglethorpe in Catoosa County is the fourth such announced shutdown this year by Calhoun-based Mohawk, which has been hit by the housing downturn.

The flooring and carpet giant in April announced it would close a Dahlonega plant and eliminate 366 jobs. And in February, the company said it would close a 158-person plant in Rome and a 66-person factory in Dalton.

Mohawk spokesman Robert Webb did not return telephone calls Thursday seeking comment, but the company notified state labor officials of the move in compliance with federal rules.

The latest closure comes just as Georgia is experiencing its highest unemployment rate in 15 years (6.3 percent in August) and the nation’s banking industry is in crisis largely because of the housing meltdown that has spread to a number of homebuilding-dependent industries such as Mohawk.

Catoosa County, which borders Tennessee, had a preliminary unemployment rate of 4.9 percent in August, lower than the state’s rate. But the Labor Department figures show that was up from 4.8 percent in July and 3.2 percent in August of last year.