Carpet Industry Impact on Georgia Economy: 11th Annual Georgia Legislative Reception

Peach State Powerhouse - Legislators Detailed on Carpet Industry’s Impact on the Georgia Economy during 11th Annual Georgia Legislative Reception

My colleague, CRI Government Relations Director Jennifer Mendez, spends her days presenting the carpet industry’s perspective on a number of issues to state and federal lawmakers, political appointees, and government staff people. In practical terms, that means she is often forced to present information in a very limited period of time. On any given issue, Jennifer has what she calls “her elevator speech,” – pertinent talking points that she can cover in 30 seconds or less – the time it takes to complete most trips in an elevator.

Representatives of the carpet industry and the North Georgia business community recently presented their own version of an elevator speech to state legislators, when The Carpet and Rug Institute and Dalton Whitfield Chamber of Commerce hosted the 11th annual Dalton/Whitfield Legislative Appreciation Reception on Monday, February 7, 2011 at the historic Georgia Railroad Freight Room in downtown Atlanta.

The event, which is traditionally held on the first day of the Georgia legislative session, was delayed this year because of the ice storm that brought Atlanta to a standstill in early January. Still, a total of 293 people attended, including Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Mrs. Deal, Speaker of the House David Ralston, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, 90 state representatives and 31 senators, as well as various house and senate staff and state and local dignitaries.

Frank Hurd & Governor Deal

Upon arriving, each attendee was presented with a card listing some important facts about the carpet industry in Georgia. Titled “It’s All in the Numbers”, the card displayed the following “facts at a glance”:

• The carpet and flooring industry employs more than 30,000 workers in Georgia with a payroll topping $4 billion - the largest of any manufacturing sector in the state.

• The world's 4 largest carpet manufacturers are located in Georgia. There are 9 of the top 2O carpet manufacturers in the U.S. Iocated in Georgia. Of the top 50 manufacturers of ALL U.S. FLOOR COVERING, there are 14 carpet manufacturers located in Georgia.

• More than 80 percent of the U.S. carpet and rug market is produced by mills Iocated within a 65-mile radius of Dalton which equals to an estimated 58 billon in business activity.

Werner Braun & Senator Charlie Bethel

• Georgia supplies more than 45% of the world's carpet and rugs

That’s a pretty impressive elevator speech, and a testimony to the industry’s value to this state and others. By the way, the information was compiled by Linda Harrington, CRI statistician, using information from Carpet and Rug Institute members and non-members, along with information from the U.S. Commerce Department.

CRI President Werner Braun took the opportunity during the reception to voice his support for House Bill 86 that would exempt manufacturers from sales tax on the energy they use in their manufacturing processes. HB 86 is sponsored by several North Georgia legislators.

~Bethany