Grand Rapids luxury carpet maker adds 20 jobs, plans national expansion

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Grand Rapids-based Scott Group Custom Carpets recently announced the addition of a sales manager to expand the company’s national market for its carpet. Although the company added 20 employees over the past 24 months, Scott officials anticipate the need to add more as the United States market grows.

Scott Group designs and manufactures luxury, natural fiber carpet for high-end homes, motor yachts, private jets, high-end retail stores and offices, and distributes the product through interior designers and architecture firms.

The company goal is to open showrooms and offices in California, Florida, Washington, DC and Europe over the next three to five years, and add sales staff in each area. As sales grow, the headquarters in Grand Rapids will need to add staff to keep up with customer needs and product demand.

“We’ll need to add designers, administration, managers and production staff,” says President Mike Ruggieri. “If we continue to grow at our current rate of 10 to 15 percent a year, we could add 10 employees per year here in Grand Rapids.”

When Ruggieri, his brother Richard and business partner Timothy Hill bought the company in 1997 there were 46 employees. Today the company has a workforce of 180.

“The luxury sector is booming worldwide,” Ruggieri says. “Many markets have emerged, and demand for luxury goods in parts of the world not previously associated with luxury goods has come online.”

“Buying American is attractive to some, and a small number would rather move away from petroleum-based products and buy wool carpet that will last for 10 to 20 years.”

Source: Mike Ruggieri, Scott Group Custom Carpets; Clare Wade, Clare Wade Communications

Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.