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Analysis Of Ray C. Anderson 's Modular Carpet Tile Company

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Ray C. Anderson founded his modular carpet tile company in 1973 aimed at providing commercial customers a durable, flexible soft floor covering option. It was a joint venture between British company Carpets International, Plc and a group of American inventors. The company grew from a company of 15 employees to one whose sales reached $11 million in only 5 years. The company went public only a decade after it had begun. In 2003, the company entered the residential market by starting the subsidiary FLOR. Interface continued to grow into a billion-dollar, diversified, global company through a multitude of acquisitions with locations in 110 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and …show more content…

Founder Anderson was the driving force behind this radical “mid-course correction”, to use the name of his book. In the 1990’s, Anderson recognized “that the Earth is damaged and hurting – badly” (Anderson, 1998) and changed the direction of the company significantly. This sustainable mindset touches every aspect of the company’s operations from its supply chain to its production line and even after the customer has purchased and installed it. It’s an inspiring story and it shows that working towards a sustainable operation is possible and can be profitable. Interface recently introduced a new line of products called World Woven. The collection features textile looks from around the world which feature “uncomplicated, hand crafted and imperfect” (Interface, Inc., 2016) attributes which brings customers the feeling of being closer to nature, a welcome departure from the modern and overly perfect styles of most carpet tiles. (Interface, Inc., 2016). The collection includes both skinny plank tiles as well as square tiles in eight colors and varying texture levels to appeal to a wide range of customers. The company provides flexibility to mix-and-match to create the right space for any taste. This product fits in perfectly with Interface’s environmentally friendly goals, not only in style but also at its core. The nylon used is 100% recycled fiber and, even when the backing is included, the products still boast 81% recycled material. All products are

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