Shaw Industries Inc., is a global flooring company with headquarters in Dalton, Georgia. Owned by Berkshire Hathaway (which in turn is owned by long-term investor Warren E. Buffett), the privately-held company reports $4 billion in annual sales and approximately 25,000 employees. They serve both residential and commercial flooring markets with a full line of flooring products.
Shaw's mission states that their success and growth over 60+ years in business is based on "core values of honesty, integrity, and hard work." They seek to exceed their customers' "expectations in quality, service, and value."
Shaw Industries has built a solid reputation in carpets and area rugs since its beginnings in 1946 as a maker of textile dyes. Well-known brands such as Cabin Craft, Sutton, and American Home are part of Shaw's line.
Shaw's hardwood flooring products are available in solid and engineered styles. Distinguished by their DuraShield and ScufResist™ finishes, Shaw branded hardwoods are reputed to be durable and long-lasting. Shaw also offers a broad line of laminate wood products in traditional and exotic wood species and stone-like styles. Indoor and outdoor tile flooring is a relative newcomer to the Shaw Industries line of products. Today, ceramic, porcelain, and stone tiles offer a wide variety of textures, colors, and sizes.
Shaw Industries was started as the Star Dye Company immediately after World War II just as America was entering into an enormous building boom. The company went public in 1971 and grew quickly from a small operation to a company that was its own yarn supplier and trucking vendor. Shaw made the Fortune 500 list in 1985, and in 1992, launched a carpet program specifically for builders. In 1998, Shaw opened their hard surfaces division and became a full-service flooring supplier. Shaw was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2001 and again became a private company.
The Shaw website offers consumers several different tools that making choosing a floor easier. First, with the Room Visualizer, a web user can change the floors in sample rooms to test out colors and see how they look in different decors. If that is not enough, users can also register for a My Shaw Floor account and upload photos of actual rooms which can then be manipulated similarly to view different floors.
Other resources for homeowners include ordering sample swatches, connecting to a Live Chat operator, consulting the FAQ section, downloading installation instructions, and using several design guides throughout the website.