November 9/16; Volume 30/Number 11
Wielsbeke, Belgium—Roger De Clerck, who founded Beaulieu of America in 1959, passed away on Oct. 23 in his hometown here. He was 91.
De Clerck entered the flooring business in 1959 when he started what was then Beaulieu Fabrics. The company grew to become the Beaulieu Group with operations on every continent. Beaulieu America, based in Dalton, was founded in 1978 and produces residential and commercial carpets as well as luxury vinyl tile.
De Clerck was the father of six children, all of whom have continued their father’s legacy in the flooring business, running companies like Beaulieu International, Berry Group, Domo and Ideal Group. De Clerck’s daughter, Mieke, and her previous husband, Carl Bouckaert, started Beaulieu of America, which at one time generated over $1 billion in annual sales. In 2005, Beaulieu International group was formed when several of De Clerck’s children pooled their resources.
In 1999, the well-known De Clerck celebrated his 75th birthday, an event that attracted much press attention with a guest list that included the likes of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and former U.S. president George H.W. Bush.