Timeline
The Early Years
The incorporation of James Halstead Limited
The company was founded as a weaving operation by James Halstead, who had previously been a Weaving Shed Manager for another Manchester company. The original product line was woven cotton textiles, which were both dyed and waterproofed. Later, this was to turn to the production of rubberised fabric used in the manufacture of mackintoshes.
James Halstead Ltd makes first flooring product
James Halstead brought in a machine to friction calender (or roll) rubber onto a teased fabric. It was very durable and did not require salvaging and was thus ideal for hard-wearing applications. It was sold to Briggs Motor Bodies (later Ford) as carpeting.
The passing of James Halstead
At the comparatively young age of 66, James Halstead passed away, leaving the company in the hands of his two sons, John and Herbert.
Belstaff joins the James Halstead group of companies and they become a public company
The company was floated on the Stock Exchange on 30th April 1948, issuing 10,000 ordinary shares of ten shillings each.
Post-production vinyl recycling
Identifying the value of post-production vinyl waste, Polyflor develops processes to recycle the material back into new flooring products.
Domestic & International Expansion
The group expands its flooring business
A major push behind this fledgling area resulted in fast growth. At about this time, the first installation of Polyflor was carried out by Robert Kerr, a leading Manchester flooring contractor. The group continued to invest heavily in flooring.
The group starts manufacturing in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand
The group created overseas manufacturing and sales operations that reached right round the world. However by the end of the ’60s the international market had changed, and the benefits of single-site product development and manufacture were to result in refocusing on the UK operation, Consequently, the manufacturing operations in Australia and South Africa were closed in 1968 and 1969 respectively, and the manufacturing operation in New Zealand was sold to Skellerup Industries in 1971.
Launch of Polyflor XL
Polyflor XL was the first single layer homogeneous flooring product to be made available in 2-metre width. This, at the time, was a very significant move, and the product has become one of the most successful ranges in our portfolio.
Also in 1971, Polyflex Plus was launched, and gained substantial business in the housing market.
Launch of Polytred dB
Polytred dB was a forerunner to today’s Polyflor Acoustic collections. Also in 1972, the start was made to metrication of all product sizes.
A new period of growth
Following the death of Herbert Halstead, John’s son Geoffrey Halstead took control of the business. Geoffrey had been with the company since 1947.
This heralded a new period of significant growth for Halsteads with Geoffrey at the head of a dynamic team of professional managers.
Polyflor Style A launched
The launch of Polyflor Style A was the culmination of a link with Bernat Klein. The shades were developed and linked to the Property Services Agency’s interior furnishings scheme.
Innovative New Product Development
James Halstead Limited introduced Polysafe slip-resistant flooring
This year Polyflor launched their first safety flooring, containing aggregate particles to reduce the risk of slipping in ‘wet’ areas. Polyflor has since seen extensive growth within this sector, both in the UK and international markets.
James Halstead Limited launched the Polysafe Stud Tile
To provide increased choice for customers, 1986 saw our expansion into studded rubber tiles, a complimentary range to our main vinyl offering.
James Halstead launched innovative new non-directional flooring ranges
Two new ranges of non-directional flooring - Finesse and Panache - were introduced by Polyflor, reflecting increasing demand for the ‘chip’ aesthetic.
Hong Kong sales office established
The sales office was set up in Hong Kong to help support and build upon our successful business: not just in Hong Kong, but also in the emerging China market and other Asian markets.
Purchase of Polyflor Australia
In 1992, the company became directly involved in the Australian flooring market with the purchase and strengthening of the company responsible for the distribution of Polyflor in Australia. Since then, the business has been further strengthened, and now includes a sales presence in all states, and warehousing in Queensland, N.S.W., W.A., S.A., and Victoria.
Sales office established in Eire
A sales office and warehouse were established in Eire to improve service to this market place.
Launch of XL 2000
Polyflor XL 2000 (now known as 2000 PUR) was launched in this year. It was the first calendered and pressed product in the Polyflor range, bringing the benefits of a dense, closed surface to the successful marbleised products in the Polyflor range.
German distributor Objectflor is purchased
The Objectflor business was purchased in order to facilitate further investment in - and therefore development of - the German market. This has now advanced such that the sales and warehousing facility in Cologne is responsible for all the Central European markets.
PUR reinforcement added to non-directional ranges
Building on the success of the non-directional products launched in 1989, a polyurethane reinforcement was added to the products, providing excellent protection and facilitating a polish-free maintenance regime.
Group strengthens position in the German market
One acquisition made this year was Karndean International GmbH in Germany (license for Central Europe only).
Establishment of Polyflor New Zealand
A second milestone made this year was the acquisition of Skellerup Flooring in New Zealand (Now Polyflor New Zealand).
Continued Strengthening of Polyflor Portfolio
Continuing expansion of Luxury Vinyl Tiles
This year saw the launch of the updated Expona Art & Design collection, made up of 12 design themes and an extensive choice of colour and texture. With our JHT subsidiary fully integrated into Polyflor Ltd, a dedicated sales team was formed, reflecting the continuing expansion of the luxury tile market and its importance to Polyflor.
Voyager sets sail
Polyflor Voyager, a new collection of hardwearing sheet vinyl floorcoverings specifically developed for the transport industry, was launched in this year. Available in a choice of smooth and slip resistant finishes, Polyflor Voyager provides the ideal flooring solution for a wide range of applications in the transport sector.
Forest fx – inspired by nature
In this year, Polyflor took further steps to expand our portfolio with the launch of our first heterogeneous vinyl sheet flooring, Polyflor Forest FX. The range features sophisticated and highly realistic wood designs such as maple, cherry, beech and oak.
The future of safety flooring
In March 2005, Polyflor launched 2 exciting new Polysafe floorcoverings, underlining our commitment to developing a comprehensive safety flooring portfolio.
Polysafe Hydro, featuring a ‘pimple’ emboss, has been designed to reduce the risk of slipping in continually wet barefoot areas.
Polysafe Ultima has been developed with increased slip resistance for demanding areas such as commercial kitchens.
The Queen’s Award
James Halstead Flooring was presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of International Trade.
The Queen’s Award – number 2!
James Halstead Flooring was presented with the 2007 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the continuous product innovation and development category for the Polysafe collection of safety flooring products.
Ground-breaking Polysafe launches
Launch of two excitingly different new decorative ranges - Polysafe Wood FX and Polysafe Mosaic - ideal for both high design and traditional safety flooring applications.
New Heterogenous Production Facility
Polyflor acquires its Stockton-On-Tees Heterogeneous sheet vinyl flooring facility. After a significant period of investment and customisation, the Riverside plant begins production of Polyflor Heterogeneous and Polysafe flooring ranges.
Launch of Recofloor Recycling Scheme
Polyflor co-founds Recofloor, an industry leading recycling scheme for post-consumer waste vinyl flooring.
New UK distribution facility
In January 2010 the new warehouse in Royton, Oldham became fully operational. Customised with the latest stock control systems, onsite samples department and modern showroom facilities, the new building offered greatly enhanced capacity. The Sales, Marketing & Distribution departments are relocated to the new building.
Queen’s award for Polyflor’s parent company
James Halstead, the Manchester-based parent company of Polyflor, was awarded the Queen’s Award for International Trade. James Halstead last won the Queen’s Award in 2007, for Innovation, and the International Trade Award in 2006 - since then international sales increased by £55 million, a growth of 90%.
Establishment of Polyflor Canada
On January 7 2013, Polyflor opened a wholly owned subsidiary business in Toronto to act as both a local distributor within Southern Ontario, and as additional support for our Canadian distribution partners located in other provinces.
BES6001 Responsible Sourcing Certification is achieved
Polyflor became the first flooring manufacturer to receive BES6001 certification, achieving a ‘very good’ rating for it’s LVT product Ranges.
Launch of innovative Expona Control collection
Expona control utilises patented technology to combine the design benefits of an LVT with the performance of a HSE compliant safety floor offering sustainable wet slip resistance.
The Secura multi-width luxury vinyl sheet range
Polyflor’s first ever multi-width luxury vinyl sheet flooring range, the Secura collection, was launched to enhance interiors with designs that reflect the natural beauty of wood, stone and stylish abstract finishes.
Establishment of Polyflor India
In 2014 Polyflor India was established in Mumbai to provide localised support for existing customers and to develop new business in the Indian market which had the potential for significant growth.
Polyflor celebrates 100 years of manufacturing in the UK
In 2015 Polyflor celebrated a century of manufacturing in Manchester, UK, where this family-run company was born and is still flourishing today as a global business.
Next generation safety flooring for barefoot & shod areas
Polysafe Quattro is an innovative safety flooring range offering barefoot and shod sustainable wet slip resistance with a stud-free finish for enhanced comfort underfoot.
Discover a new world of colour with Palettone
The launch of Palettone PUR, Polyflor’s largest and most advanced collection of Homogeneous flooring, a spectacularly colourful 50 colour collection.
New Adhesive Free Safety Flooring Collection
Polysafe QuickLay is a loose lay safety flooring designed for adhesive-free installation and is the perfect solution for busy commercial environments in need of a quick turnaround and where sustainable slip resistance is a priority.
Encore Rigid Loc added to the Expona family
Expona EnCore Rigid Loc is an exciting new hybrid product that has an expertly engineered premium rigid SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) construction with exceptional stability making it ideal for installation in large scale commercial installations or a warm and inviting home interior scheme.
Establishment of Polyflor Malaysia
In November 2020 a new company was incorporated in Malaysia and Polyflor took on the trade of our former long-term distributor. Polyflor Malaysia provides localised stockholding and acts as a base for the South Asia markets of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Choosing the right flooring with our new commercial Visualiser
Preview our portfolio of flooring options in your space with our new commercial visualiser. Compare ranges, shades and installation directions before selecting the perfect floor for your project.
A significant Recycling Milestone
In January 2022, the amount of post-consumer waste vinyl flooring recycled via Recofloor surpassed 6,000 tonnes since inception! This equated to a total of 7,038 tonnes of carbon savings – equivalent to taking 1,837 cars off the road for a year. In total approximately two million square metres of vinyl flooring has been recycled – enough to cover 276 football pitches.
New Polyflor Website
Our website was relaunched in September 2023, boasting a fresh look and numerous modern features. The website covers commercial and residential flooring options for customers whilst further utilising our popular Visualiser tool. It showcases an easy-to-use search facility, multiple case studies featuring exciting global projects, and an enhanced online sample ordering experience.