Company officials informed employees of the decision during meetings Tuesday.

Operations at the plant on U.S. 41 South will be gradually phased out beginning later this week and will be completed by February 27, 2009.

At the time of the announcement, 160 individuals worked at the Calhoun spun yarn facility.

During the coming weeks, Mohawk’s Human Resources Department will assist the employees, offering available job opportunities at other company facilities as well as working with state officials to facilitate job fairs with local employers and employment agencies.

"Our utmost concern at this point is assisting the men and women at the Calhoun spinning facility, " said Jerry Hendrix, Senior Human Resources Director for Mohawk’s Flooring Division, in a release.

"The people at this location worked diligently to manufacture quality yarn," said Hendrix. "Through the years, they have performed consistently well, but economic challenges we’re facing forces companies to make difficult but necessary business decisions."

Calhoun Times