NEW MARKETING AND PRODUCT STRATEGIES TRANSFORM SHAW LIVING

Ikat design is part of Shaw's World Market/Indonesia
collection of imported rugs. Hand tufted in India. Wool.
$699 in 5x8.

By Lissa Wyman

DALTON, GA. -- Most companies evolve in small steps, but Shaw Living is opting for giant leaps. In January,  the company announced a total revamp of both sales and product strategies, transforming  the company into an aggressive selling machine, marketing both domestically produced and imported area rugs.

• Sales Strategy
  Shaw Industries' Tuftex division will be responsible for Shaw Living's residential area rug sales to the core rug specialty, flooring specialty and furniture channels.

• Product Strategy
  Shaw announced a  major move into handmade imported rugs as well as  introducing a broad-range of imported indoor-outdoor collections.

"We are now a full service company in every sense,"Jim Curtin, vice president of sales, told Rug News.com.

"The Tuftex sales force gives us many more feet on the ground. There are now 120 people selling Shaw Living rugs in the U.S. and Canada," he said..

Tuftex, which is based in California, is Shaw Industries' high end broadloom and custom division. The sales force has seven area rug managers who will oversee rug sales, according to Curtin.

"We've already had several meetings with the new sales staff and everyone is excited about the opportunities," said Curtin. "Several Tuftex people were at the Atlanta market and everyone is doing a great job getting familiar with the rug business."

There are also good synergies between Tuftex and Shaw Living, Curtin noted.

The new alignment will  allow Tuftex and Shaw Living to expand the Tuftex custom rug offering that is available today in all Tuftex broadloom styles including custom sizes, fabricated border rugs or complete custom designs.

"Tuftex has a major custom department, and it allows us to become more deeply involved in this important category. Tuftex already has a big presence in the luxury designer market, so this is a natural adjunct to that business"

Before the Tuftex changeover, Shaw Living residential sales were covered by 16 rug specialists. "All of the current sales staff are under contract until March," said Curtin. "Several will be placed in other positions within Shaw Industries."

There will be no change to the Shaw Living sales team representing the mass market and home center channels.. This segment will continue to be represented by the same sales team lead by Jeff Brown, division vice president. 

Product Diversity

Ikat design is part of Shaw's World Market/Indonesia collection. Hand tufted in India. Wool. $699 in 5x8.

With the January introduction of its World Market collection of imported handmade rugs and a major push into imported indoor-outdoor rugs, Shaw has made a 180-degree shift in product strategy

Shaw Living has been best known as a vertical manufacturer of domestically-produced machine made rugs using man-made fibers. In recent years, nylon has become the company's fiber of choice.

"With our World Market collection,  we are pulling out all the stops, in order to compete more effectively on a broader basis," said Curtin.

The first World Market  collections feature hand tufted constructions in a variety of textures in both traditional and contemporary patterns. The rugs are produced in both India and China. Prices range from $599 to $969.

 "All of the rugs are colored and designed for the American market," said Curtin.

Indoor-Outdoor

Shaw's Alfresco collection of indoor outdoors rugs is machine
made in Egypt of polypropylene. Retail is $99 in 5'3" x 7'10"

Three imported indoor-outdoor polypropylene collections have also been  introduced, including machine made  rugs from Turkey and Egypt and a hand hooked World Market rug from China. Prices range from $99 to $499.

01.28.13