INDUSTRY NEWS LATICRETE celebrates 70,000-sq.- ft. Grand Prairie plant expansion LATICRETE has completed a 70,000-sq.-ft. (6,503-square-meter) plant expansion in Grand Prairie, Texas – nearly doubling the exist- ing 100,000-sq.-ft. (9,290-square- meter) facility, making it the company’s largest manufacturing and distribution center outside of the LATICRETE headquarters in Bethany. It will serve as a national distribution hub for the compa- ny and will deliver Texas-region LATICRETE customers with high- volume items and other specialty products. With operations in more than 100 countries, the Grand Prairie manufacturing plant is one of eight in the United States and 21 worldwide. Pistola Construction oversaw the expansion. An expansion of the company’s training facilities is planned for early 2018, according to Ed Metcalf, LATICRETE presi- dent and COO, North America. At an all-day celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony, District 1 City Council Member Jorja Clemson, representing Mayor Ron Jensen and the City Council, spoke at the ceremony in support of the company’s contributions to the region’s pro-business environ- ment. Additionally, Greg Cashman of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce presented LATICRETE with a membership plaque on behalf of the Board of Directors and committee members in attendance. District Director Murphy Simpson presented a certificate on behalf of State Representative Jonathan Stickland. For more information, visit www. tileletter.com/2017/06/laticrete- celebrates-70000-square-foot- grand-prairie-plant-expansion/ Mohawk to expand Dal-Tile operations in Tennessee After opening a new custom- er experience center within its ceramic tile manufacturing plant in Dickson, Tenn., Mohawk Industries announced it will expand manu- facturing operations in Tennessee by adding a second plant near its Dickson tile factory. The sec- ond plant in Dickson will add 245 jobs at full capacity and is scheduled to begin operations in late 2018. Construction on the new facility will start in summer 2017. The plant will be operated by Mohawk’s Dal-Tile division. Since beginning operations in March 2016, the first Dickson tile plant has produced approximately LATICRETE co-owner and Senior Vice President of Training Henry B. Rothberg cuts the ribbon at the Grand Prairie, Texas expansion surrounded by company per- sonnel and dignitaries. 94 TileLetter | August 2017