ATLANTA - Burtco Industries and Sabry Rug & Textiles have made new forays into the rug industry.
Burtco is best known as a high-quality broadloom producer for the hospitality business. The company's new KoKo rug division features Tapistron patterning, making it one of the few rug lines using this Computerized Yarn Placement (CYP) technology.
Burtco's initial collection is called South Beach. The group of high-fashion contemporary and transitional designs includes 10 patterns in six sizes as large as 10-by-14 feet. They are made of BASF solution-dyed nylon in textures that combine cut pile, and loop pile and random sheared loops.
Sabry Rug & Textiles is a start-up business founded by Mohamed Sabry, a well-known figure in the rug industry. He was formerly general manager of Oriental Weavers USA and most recently headed product development for Mohawk Home.
Both companies made their official debut at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market in July. Bob Kokoska, president of Burtco, says initial results were encouraging.
"Buyers recognized the line as a good piece of floor covering, styled differently than anything else," he explains. "I think we'll carve a little niche in this market. So, it's off we go into the wild blue yonder of the rug business."
Sabry has introduced two wool Wilton-woven collections with a retail price of approximately $500 for 6-by-9-foot size. "Colorwise and pricewise, the new line is geared to middle America," Sabry says. "However, the designs are very upscale. Altogether, I wanted to create a look that is easy and simple to use with today's furniture trends."
