As Flooring is a key growth industry for Freeman Schwabe die cutting presses & cutting systems we regularly monitor the market trends and opportunities. In this post I share comments and data quoted in Floor Daily – Floor Focus article Carpet Tile Update published earlier this year.

Freeman Schwabe will be exhibiting at FloorTek in Dalton in October

The Statistics

2015 the top five largest manufacturers of carpet tiles by volume were:
Interface, 20%;
Shaw, 13%;
Milliken, 6%;
Mohawk, 5%;
and Tandus, 4%.

In 2016, Market Insights estimates that it will account for 24.4% of the total soft surface market – broadloom and carpet tile combined

LVT – The New Competitor 


LVT has many competitive strengths
-widespread appeal,
-durability in the face of traffic and abuse,
-ease of maintenance
-significant capacity. 



LVT’s advancements in style play an important role as well. Wood, stone and tile lookalikes are becoming more realistic. What’s more, the category is evolving beyond simply copying other materials to create visuals that are style-forward, offering colors and looks that celebrate the material itself. 


Market Activity in USA

– Engineered Floors’ merger with J+J Flooring Group, the seventh largest U.S.-based contract floor covering business and a manufacturer of both carpet tile and broadloom.


– Shaw has nearly completed its massive new carpet tile plant in Adairsville, Georgia, which is expected to start production in the third quarter.


– Interface is testing a residential carpet tile program with Home Depot.

Freeman Schwabe – Floor Covering Capabilities

For details on Freeman SCHWABE floor covering skills and expertise visit our website page dedicated to our capabilities in adding value in the manufacture of floor tiles including innovative material handling solutions.