A
t nearly 130 years old, the Mohawk brand is older than household names such as Hershey,
Coca-Cola or Disney. For the last decade, branding has been a major area of investment for Mohawk
Industries. After its major acquisitions in the early 1990s, Mohawk set about consolidating many of
the floor covering brands it had purchased and bringing them under the Mohawk flagship. While many
of these brands still have some presence among dealers, the emphasis with consumers has been to
take advantage of the power of the Mohawk name.

Mohawk’s 2006 consumer advertising campaign, named “What If?,” features fairy-tale
characters.

Consumer Advertising

For the last several years, Mohawk has conducted strong consumer advertising programs, using key
consumer shelter publications and national television. In the last four years, the consumer ad
campaign has also been tied to national sales events to give Mohawk’s aligned dealers — Mohawk
Floorscapes, Mohawk ColorCenter, Mohawk Floorz — extra selling opportunities. Studies show that
Mohawk is one of the most-recognized brands in the floor covering business, and the company
continues to reinforce this through a very active consumer advertising and public relations
program.

Mohawk’s 2006 consumer advertising campaign is using print and television to make more than
1.2 billion impressions targeted to floor covering shoppers across the nation. The campaign
includes ads in more than 30 magazines and on 11 national television channels. 

 

The television campaign continues the use of Mohawk’s “Shall We Dance?” commercial, which
features a dancing vacuum cleaner, while the print campaign entitled “What If?” features all-new
creative based on classic fairy-tale characters, including Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Evil
Queen. Ads feature different types of floor covering — carpet, hardwood and ceramic — and ask: What
if the ending of a classic fairy tale or fable is changed by the beauty of a Mohawk floor?

The “Cinderella” ad features the would-be princess in her kitchen, while her pumpkin carriage
awaits, visible in the background. But she’s not in a hurry to get to the ball — the copy explains,
as she gazes at the floor, Mohawk Ceramic’s new Sardara. She’s already found her “true love.”

A second ad, “Goldilocks,” showcases the beauty and comfort of Mohawk Carpet. Cottage
Hideway, featuring Wear-Dated® fiber and Scotchgard™ Protector Advanced Repel Technology, is the
product highlighted in the ad. It shows Goldilocks asleep in the three bears’ bedroom, but not on
any of the beds. She’s dozing on the floor, which is the place that’s really “just right.”&
#160;

 

A third ad takes a slightly different approach for Mohawk Hardwood. The Evil Queen of
fairy-tale fame is looking in a mirror at Mohawk Hardwood’s Santa Barbara Plank. Her countenance is
more grim than usual as she realizes she has unbeatable competition for the “fairest of all.”

“The humorous approach we’ve used in previous campaigns is still a strong way to build
recognition of the Mohawk brand and our products,” said Ed Williams, senior vice president of
marketing for Mohawk. “This year’s campaign uses the humor of universally known stories to call
attention to the beauty and comfort of Mohawk floors. We were particularly pleased with how
strongly this campaign scored in consumer testing, especially with women. It really strikes a chord
with the people who are most likely to be floor covering shoppers.”

The print campaign started in April and will continue through November in magazines including
Better Homes and Gardens; Good Housekeeping; Architectural Digest; House & Garden; House
Beautiful; Country Living; O, The Oprah Magazine; Martha Stewart Living; Real Simple; Food and
Wine; Parents; Sunset; and Southern Living. Among the channels included in the television campaign
are HGTV; DIY Network; Discovery Home; The Learning Channel; We, Women’s Entertainment; and the
Travel Channel.

The fairy-tale graphics are an integral part of the Mohawk consumer website,
www.mohawk-flooring.com, which was updated recently to
make it easier for consumers to get information and find local dealers. Information is now
categorized into three stages: “Decorating and Planning”; “Shopping and Buying”; and “Caring and
Maintaining.”

“By organizing information in this manner, consumers can have easy access to the details they
need at every step of floor covering selection and ownership,” Williams said. “This means they come
into dealerships better informed and better prepared to buy.”

An easy-to-use and informative website is critical as shoppers do more research online before
going out to visit actual stores.

July/August 2006

A
t a time when shipping and logistics present an ever more critical opportunity in
leveraging supply chains, the city of Charleston, S.C., recently hosted the 33rd annual South
Carolina International Trade Conference (SCITC). The conference, which offered educational business
sessions and tabletop displays by companies active in the industry, began with a welcome speech to
the more than 500 attendees by 2006 Conference General Chairman Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, director
of sales and marketing, South Atlantic region, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) (USA) Inc.,
San Ramon, Calif.

Bernard S. Grosclose Jr., chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities, and
president and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority, presented the keynote speech.
Grosclose spoke of the challenges encountered as well as the successes achieved by the South
Carolina ports. He spoke of the cooperation necessary between the community and the port, the
growth and success achieved through an active and responsive diologue, and the resulting measurable
performance gains in movement of cargo through the port.

Education took the form of panel
discussions focused on bringing together the many aspects of shipping and logistics. Subjects
ranged from “International Logistics From the Shippers Perspective” — which paired two retailers, a
domestic manufacturer and a cotton logistics manager — to “India — Trading Partner, Employer, New
World Power” — in which professionals experienced in trade with India spoke of the opportunities in
developing improved trade flows.

Textile World
moderated the panel titled “Transportation Challenges in the Decade Ahead,” which paired
Robin Lanier, executive director of the Waterfront Coalition, with Kenny Riley, president of the
International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422. It was apparent that with logistics
complexity, volume and security demands increasing in the face of challenges such as shortages in
trucking and fuel price increases, moving product in and out of the port will need increased
cooperation and collaboration among the port, security, shippers, truckers, labor and the
community. Such activity demands investment and cooperation to maximize the performance and
productivity of the port while meeting the growing demands of all links in the supply chain.

In addition, as part of its educational outreach, the board presented eight scholarships to
an impressive group of college students.

On a lighter note, Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert, a James Island, S.C., native, used his
local knowledge and sharply skewed analysis to delight conference attendees. On the topic of
globalization, Colbert observed the Chinese economy is booming. “We need to learn something about
capitalism from the communists,” he quipped.

With Charleston in a tight race with the Port of Savannah, Ga., to be the fourth-most-active
container port in the United States, it is apparent the demands on international shipping and
logistics are a double-edged sword for the domestic textile industry. Those adversely impacted by
imports see the challenges faced by the port and its resources as a barrier to import growth at a
time when speed to market is increasingly important. At the same time, in an era of globalization
when members of the US industry attempt to grow in international exposure, those same challenges
present obstacles to global growth. The conference left little doubt that the future of the Port of
Charleston is focused squarely on performance quality, security and growth.

July/August 2006

C
ary, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated unveiled its MILLNet software for Windows® at its
recent Engineered Fiber Selection® (EFS®) System Conference, which also included presentations on
cottons sustainability, global cotton yield and consumption, and the home and apparel textile
markets. The eight panel presentations at the 19th edition of the conference, which was held over
two days in Greenville, emphasized technology’s role in the sustainability and worldwide
competitiveness of cotton fiber.

Cotton Incorporated Board Chairman S.
Louie Perry explained in his opening remarks that technology is key in “giving us a leg up in the
field and the factory,” adding that “[k]eeping up with technology advances keeps your business on
the cutting edge.”

The latest addition to the company’s EFS System, a suite of cotton management software
programs, is MILLNet software for Windows, which tracks the purchase, receipt and use of cotton
using high-volume instruments (HVI) classification data. Features of the new program include
enhanced graphics and customization of reports, graphs, and other data. Users also may export data
to Microsoft® Office applications such as Word or Excel.

The EFS System, which includes other programs such as EFS-USCROP™, QRNet32, MILLNet and
MILLNet32™, allows for the evaluation, inventory and handling of different types of cotton fiber
for the production of high-quality yarn. According to the company, program users apply each cotton
fiber’s unique properties to their growing, ginning, spinning and processing methods, allowing them
to produce statistically uniform cotton mixes for specific end-uses.

“Over the past 20 years, the increased use of the EFS System software and the feedback from
users at these conferences have helped us keep the software in step with our clients needs,” said
Charles Chewning Jr., vice president, Fiber Management Research Group, Cotton Incorporated.

Another conference feature was a special presentation on cottons sustainability and how it
compares to that of man-made fibers. Because of certain agricultural advancements such as
genetically modified seeds and integrated pest management, cotton growers have reduced the amount
of land, water and pesticides needed, according to research presented at the conference. Conference
attendees also reviewed an attitudinal survey that showed consumers perceive cotton to be
environmentally friendly.

Additionally, Cotton Incorporated honored Vern C. Tyson, vice president of cotton purchasing
for Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Sara Lee Branded Apparel, as the 2006 Cotton Achievement Award
recipient. Tyson manages the purchasing, warehousing and distribution of cotton for Sara Lees seven
manufacturing operations, which account for approximately 13 percent of the total US cotton
consumption, said J. Berrye Worsham, president and CEO, Cotton Incorporated, during his
presentation of the award.

Since 1991, Cotton Incorporated has given the award to individuals who have increased cottons
profitability by advancing the marketing of the EFS System and US Department of Agriculture HVI
testing.



July/August 2006

F
ashion trends are production challenges faced every day by a textile finisher. The goal
is to produce first-quality goods only. This is especially difficult when weft distortion has been
introduced to the fabric during various process stages.

Uneven tension distribution across the weft is the main cause for distortion. There are many
causes for this defect, including tension variations, equipment lineup, improper roller adjustments
and direct contact of machinery with the material.

Mechanical forces are commonly employed to correct the geometry of a weft that has been
distorted during the finishing phase. Both mechanical weft straighteners and differential drive
tenters are commonly applied technologies.

By adjusting the speeds of differential tenter chains, or by applying linear tension and
passing material across rollers that can be pivoted around the center point of the fabric width,
the weft lines can be moved and realigned.

Mechanical weft correction devices have always been used to correct weft distortion,
primarily on materials where distortion is more visible and becomes an issue for the end-user.
However, as tolerances grow tighter, production speeds increase, and the fabrics become more
complex, automatic weft straightening is a must in today’s modern textile finishing operations.

The history of automatic weft straightening goes back more than 40 years. Generally, there
are two common automatic weft-straightening principles used today: automatic straightening by means
of mechanics; and automatic straightening by means of electromechanics.

Automatic straightening by means of mechanical force is based on the parallelogram effect.
When the distortion of the fabric is along a diagonal axis, the warp and weft geometry, initially
orthogonal, assumes a parallelogram configuration. When the two selvages are pulled out to stretch
the cloth to its full width, the weft is tightened, generating complex forces in a parallelogram
configuration to establish a square structure. This straightening force can be exploited for
restoring proper weave geometry if the selvages, in spite of their lateral tensions, are
sufficiently free to move in the direction of the warp.

Automatic straightening by means of electromechanics is the most common method employed
today. Weft geometry is automatically detected using a mechanical or electrical sensor. That
information is then transformed into a signal that displaces rollers, making the correction as
necessary. The weft-straightening effect here is the result of the difference in distance traveled
by one selvage in relation to the other over the rollers in the weft-straightening system.

In the early 1960s, two major detection systems on the market were used for detecting weft
distortion in fabric. One system involved the use of mechanical principles, and the other utilized
photoelectronic sensors.

The mechanical principle is based on the use of two wheels mounted on a freely moving
mounting pin. Under normal conditions, both wheels are turned by the passing fabric, resulting in a
homogenous signal. When a distortion is sensed, the tension created by the skewed weft causes the
freely mounted wheels to turn left or right depending on the distortion. A non-proportional signal
is generated by a differential amplifier, sending correction signals to a correction device. As
long as the wheels in continuous contact with the material remain in the same good working
condition, the measurement results remain satisfactory. Any uneven fabric surface challenges the
mechanical principle and generates asymmetrical distortion. This system has not been further
developed in its design and has been discontinued because of limited detection abilities and
hardware reliability.

The photoelectronic sensor is based on a signal modulation created by the passing web
structure. One of the first photoelectronic sensors was based on several photo elements located on
one side of the web and a light source on the opposite side of the web. When the weft line was
parallel and straight in front of the sensor, a somewhat equally strong signal was generated in
both channels.

If the weft line was not parallel to the sensor, one pair of photo elements generated more
signal than the other, and this determined the distortion. That type of sensor could only
differentiate between left or right distortion and was not able to quantify the amount or angle of
distortion. Therefore, a proportional correction based on the physical distortion was not possible.

The next generations of optical sensors utilized only one photo element by letting it freely
oscillate between known limits. That improved the linearity, resolution and accuracy of each
sensor, enabling it to detect more complex fabric structures.

With microcomputers entering the industrial arena, it was not long until the first
microcontroller-based detection system was introduced. Stepper motor technology for linear movement
replaced the free-oscillation detection lens and improved lighting principles such as infrared
light-emitting diodes and reflex light sources, bringing the system more up-to-date.

The photoelectronic detection technology is utilized in various executions such as
oscillation, rotation or shifted dual-rotating mode. By rotating the lens 360º instead of always
oscillating on the same position, one could avoid possible mechanical difficulties. However, there
is some valuable time lost by scanning areas of the fabric that are unrelated to the weft line. The
shifted dual-rotating mode reduces such time delays in collecting valuable weft distortion
information with a two-lens system.

The rapid reductions in the prices of computer systems and digital cameras combined with
advanced image-processing techniques have led to the introduction of several vision systems to the
textile manufacturer. There are two types of camera systems that can be used to create an image:
line scan camera technology; or charged-couple device (CCD) matrix camera technology.

The line scan camera in combination with an encoder creates an image while the web passes
by. After capturing the image, the evaluation software uses special algorithms to process the
digital information.

The line scan camera technology typically is used to detect the full width of the web,
detecting and evaluating patterns rather than the weft line. That can be realized with either one
or two cameras, depending on the area of interest. However, if there is no pattern in the web, the
line scan technology is not able to detect any distortion in a web.

A matrix camera takes images similar to any conventional digital camera on the market. The
web is imaged several times per second, whether running or not, on a 2-D area. The camera looks at
multiple weft lines simultaneously, providing a high data rate of the passing weft structure. With
sophisticated software tools and mathematic calculation, a 3-D image is processed, detecting not
only the weft, but also the warp of a web.

The matrix camera technology is used for a closer look at the individual weft and utilizes
the weft structure in its calculation of the residual web distortion. Whether with several cameras
evenly distributed over the full width of the web, or just one scanning camera taking images
across, a large cross-direction and machine-direction profile of the passing web is captured. A
reflecting circumference infrared illumination guarantees the best uniform imaging results.

The latest camera introduced from Germany-based Erhardt + Leimer GmbH employs
high-resolution auto-focus and auto-zoom technologies that allow the camera to view an optimum
evaluation area and the largest 2-D area possible. The camera is mounted 250 millimeters away from
the web, moving it away from sometimes harsh existing environmental conditions. The image is then
processed within a 3-D space and filtered through a fast Fourier transformation (FFT), resulting in
spectral data. Separating the noise from the actual high-level spectral data leaves the positioning
information of the weft and the warp.

A major breakthrough of the 2-D image detection system using CCD matrix camera technology
makes detection on many difficult webs such as carpet, jacquard and thicker wefts a problem of the
past. Whereas conventional photoelectronic systems detect one weft at a time, the CCD matrix camera
has the ability to evaluate a large number of weft lines simultaneously, even if the web is not
moving. And whereas conventional photoelectronic sensors are required to have a minimum speed for
detection, the speed of the process has no influence on the final result or the quality of the
evaluated detection area when using the CCD matrix camera.

In addition to increasing the number of weft lines being detected, the system with its wide
field of view also has increased drastically the evaluation area in the cross direction of the
weft. That makes it more accurate and reliable because it sees far more than conventional detection
systems see.

Many disadvantages associated with conventional detection systems can be overcome by using
image-processing techniques to monitor webs of all kinds. New camera measurement systems have
improved the range of use from unstructured, homogenous webs to complex, patterned fabrics.

Higher-quality products and more satisfied customers result from more accurate and reliable
technologies.

---

Editor’s Note: Udo Skarke is manager of Germany-based Erhardt + Leimer GmbH’s Textile Division
in Duncan, S.C.

---

A
shopper at a retail flooring store selects a Mohawk carpet thats a cut order from a
regional warehouse. The salesperson takes the order, and it is entered electronically into Mohaw’s
communications system, almost ensuring that it will be delivered within 72 hours. The next day, the
customer decides she wants to increase her order to include another room. Is it too late for a
change? It isn’t with Mohawk’s state-of-the-art communications network. In this case, the system
could signal the warehouse almost up until the time the order is actually cut and make the change,
keeping the customer happy and the order profitable.

Mohawk Industries is an avid user of technology, particularly as it provides new abilities to
enhance efficiency, improve customer service and adapt to changing customer demands. And one of the
shining stars is the intricate, redundant voice and data network that keeps Mohawk factories,
distribution and dealers in constant communication. This year, prompted by business growth, a
growing bandwidth demand of systems functionality and the need to create a cost-effective platform
to grow on, Mohawk has made a major upgrade to its data network. The upgrade has created a
multi-protocol label switching network that is recognized for its efficiency and effectiveness.
Taking advantage of lower cost/higher-bandwidth technology, Mohawk has worked with AT&T to
build a highly available data storage, retrieval and management system that updates almost
constantly, giving Mohawk employees critical information that lets them do their jobs as
effectively as possible.

That may mean on-time delivery of an order despite a last-minute change. Or it may mean making
an adjustment in production that saves thousands of dollars.

Mohawk’s website,
www.mohawk-flooring.com, provides consumers with
information about its products.

B2B Strategy

The system is not necessarily a pure business-to-business (B2B) network, but it flows from the
dealer all the way back to production and raw material supply. Tied in with custom applications and
systems developed around distribution including local fleet management, over-the-road fleet
management, warehouse management, plant automation, planning, scheduling and Web-based support
tools, Mohawk’s network is designed to provide accurate representation of delivery dates while
providing manufacturing with the information needed to optimize plant operation, allocation of
orders and production efficiency.

Leveraging The Internet

Through a dedicated website,
www.mohawknet.com, dealers can place orders electronically.
With Mohawk’s Real Time Visibility software, the dealer can know within minutes when an order will
reach his store, plus get e-mail and fax notifications of deliveries. The customer can view the
steps in the order process up to the point the truck makes the delivery.

New Technology Adoption

The key to improved customer service is responsiveness. Mohawk has been very aggressive in the
use of radio frequency technologies in its facilities, along with bar coding to optimize inventory.
As dealers get more access to the Internet and become more accustomed to using it, the system gains
efficiency. Internet tools provide dealers with easier and more personalized access to order and
account information, making it easier for them to manage their day-to-day needs.

For larger
customers, Mohawk also has implemented radio frequency identification (RFID) systems that mesh with
how major retailers manage their flow of goods. And while Mohawk constantly explores making plant
innovations to improve production efficiency and processes, many of which are proprietary the test
of new ideas is how they integrate into the overall system to enhance its effectiveness. Shop floor
systems, sales and operation planning processes, distribution and delivery are all interconnected,
saving Mohawk millions of dollars each year and making it possible for dealers to work small
miracles like a last-minute change in a customer order.