INVISTA Completes Sale of Commercial Carpet Installation and Maintenance Business

June 29, 2005
ATLANTA – INVISTA, maker of Antron® nylon, announced that it has completed the final sale of The Invironmentalists™, its commercial carpet installation and maintenance business. The Invironmentalists™ operated from almost 100 locations, approximately half of which were owned by INVISTA, and the other half operating as franchises. Many of the former operations owned by The Invironmentalists™ were sold to local management who will continue to provide the services to their local markets.

The Invironmentalists™ previously announced a restructuring resulting from a shift in business strategy that called for a return to local ownership in the sales, service, installation and maintenance of flooring products.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to successfully transition ownership of our commercial flooring business to a combination of former branch managers and local entrepreneurs, stated Tim Durkin, CEO of the Invironmentalists™. "We believe that these transactions will allow INVISTA to be more focused on its core businesses of providing innovative product and services through the Antron® family of brands."

“Although we’ve exited our commercial carpet installation and maintenance business, we still think that it’s important to maintain close relationships with service providers who want to work with the Antron® brand,” said Rob Clayton, National Marketing Manager for INVISTA’s Commercial Nylon business. “As an example, our Carpet Reclamation Program is open to all dealers across North America, and anyone interested in getting access to carpet reclamation should contact their local Fiber Consultant, check our website at www.antron.invista.com, or call INVISTA at 1-877-5ANTRON.”

The Invironmentalists™ originally began in 1996. The branches offered product sales, service, installation, maintenance, and reclamation services to mills, dealers, general contractors, and end users.

Antron® is the most recognized brand of commercial carpet fiber. In addition to its advanced soil resistance, stain resistance, and exclusive fiber technology, Antron® carpet face fiber is third-party certified as an Environmentally Preferable Product based on guidelines from Executive Order 13101. For more information on Antron®, please call 1-877-5ANTRON or visit www.antron.invista.com.

The Invironmentalists™ was the interior services company of INVISTA. This restructuring has resulted in local ownership. Locations of The Invironmentalists™ provide commercial interior solutions to clients in North America. The network of owned and franchised/licensed locations offered commercial flooring products and related services which included installation, maintenance, and reclamation. With its strong local roots, rich industry knowledge, and solid customer relationships, The Invironmentalists™ and the entrepreneurial organizations which have purchased The Invironmentalists’ assets and technology have broad-based commercial flooring capabilities and deliver high value interior solutions for building owners, commercial end-users, and property managers.

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