A French flooring company has decided to move its U.S. operations from Atlanta to Chicago after acquiring a competitor there.

Gerflor, an international supplier of vinyl floor coverings based near Lyon, France, bought Architectural Flooring Systems in June, increasing staff in anticipation of further growth.

"Gerflor's recent acquisition of AFS immediately increases our internal sales support operations, which is a vital component in our organizational expansion plans," Alan Fennell, Gerflor’s U.S. president, said in a statement.

The move includes Gerflor's sports and commercial flooring divisions.

AFS's larger facilities better suit Gerflor’s U.S. expansion needs than its current offices in Atlanta, said Brian Cockman, a Gerflor spokesman with public relations firm Broach & Co.

“It was a better fit up in Chicago. Distribution-wise and AFS having a bigger facility, they felt that was a logical place to relocate,” Mr. Cockman told GlobalAtlanta.

Mr. Cockman said the move had little to do with the company's ability to import its flooring materials through Georgia.  All its products are manufactured in France.

The company’s Atlanta offices will close at the end of September, and the Chicago office is already up and running, Mr. Fennell said.

Almost all of Gerflor’s 10-person Atlanta staff will move to new positions in Chicago.  Mr. Fennell will stay in Atlanta, working from home and often commuting to the Midwest city, Mr. Cockman said.

Gerflor has a presence in 100 countries and employs 1,700 people worldwide.