John Turner, head of Dal-Tile, speaks Thursday at Gov. Bill Haslam looks on alongside Jeff Lorberbaum, CEO of Dal-Tile’s parent company, Mohawk Industries. (Photo: Daniel Potter/WPLN)
A company that makes ceramic floor tiles will build a new plant in Dickson expected to create more than 300 jobs over the next few years. The new facility will be within a short drive of where Mohawk Industries gets some of its raw materials.
Mohawk is based in Georgia, not far from Chattanooga, with operations on five continents. John Turner, president of its North American ceramic business, Dal-Tile, says part of the reason they chose Dickson is west Tennessee is a major source of clay.
“We basically take that clay, combine it with other raw materials—basically all natural, organic raw materials out of the ground—and we basically create a slurry, we spray dry it into powder, we turn it into tile. And it happens in a two-hour period of time.”
State officials said they’re still working out what economic incentives they’re giving Mohawk, which will invest some $180 million in the facility, set to open late next year.
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