DALTON, Ga. — A major north Georgia floorcovering business plans to cut about 6 to 8 percent of its workforce of more than 4,000 during the next four months through a restructuring designed to “improve efficiencies” and enhance the company’s competitiveness.

Peter Farley, a lawyer for Dalton-based Beaulieu America, said in a phone interview he did not know a specific number of employees who will lose their positions. The company is among the largest employers in Whitfield County.

Farley said the company’s goal is to “bring its operations in line with what the market’s doing, to take advantage of the growth that the market’s presenting in the flooring industry, similar to what other companies in the industry are doing, reviewing its operations and trying to make sure that Beaulieu is optimizing the opportunities that it has.”

Asked which Beaulieu facilities or locations might be affected by the restructuring, Farley said, “The company is really looking at all of its operations so that it can achieve the goals … so it’s not really as much about one location or another. It’s really about how can the company position itself to achieve what it wants to accomplish and be an excellent flooring supplier, as it has been throughout its history.

“Really, the overall view is to look at the company as a whole and then see where changes, improvements and opportunities can be maximized.”

Beaulieu said in a press release that it will offer help to affected employees “to thank them for their contributions to Beaulieu America and to help with their transition.”

Asked what form that might take, Farley said, “The company is looking at working with affected employees to provide them with support in the form of job placement, resume skills and assistance, help with identifying new opportunities in the various areas where affected employees might be impacted.”

Farley noted that Beaulieu has operations in Georgia, Alabama and several other states.

“So we’re working with folks wherever they are that have been impacted to give them the assistance they need to try to find new jobs and new opportunities, so it’s really kind of a broad-based form of assistance that is going to be tailored to the individual needs of the folks that seek that help from us,” he said.

Farley acknowledged the difficulty of the situation for the employees.

“No company likes to go through this process where people are going to have to leave the employment, so the company is very sensitive to that and very thankful for the service of the folks that have worked there for all of this time,” he said.

Beaulieu, which was started in 1978, is a family-owned business, the press release noted, and is an international manufacturer and supplier of flooring products, including carpet, vinyl, laminates and engineered hardwood.

“While its operations and product lines have continued to expand, changing fashion trends and consumer choice in the industry have presented Beaulieu America with the need to make adjustments in how it operates,” the press release said. “Beaulieu America’s board of directors and management team have determined that this is a critical time to make certain changes to the company’s operations and corporate functions to strengthen its footprint in the flooring industry.”

Beaulieu America’s board of directors and management team “emphasize,” according to the press release, that “Our dedication to our customers and employees has not, and will not, waver as we continue to move forward in positioning Beaulieu as one of the preeminent leaders in the flooring industry.”

Beaulieu officials are “looking forward to trying to get the company positioned to be able to grow and be a continued strong provider and competitor in the industry that’s so important to Dalton,” Farley said.