In 1915 James Halstead found the company that still bears his name. The company was founded as a weaving operation and 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 rainwear and outdoor clothing.

ORIGINS

The family business developed rapidly with the founder’s sons Herbert and John investing in technical developments that would innovate new products and it was they, in 1934, who expanded the manufacturing capabilities to include flooring products.

FLOORING INSPIRATION

Towards the end of the 1940’s, and after many experiments, Halstead technologists made a crucial breakthrough in the practical application of PVC when they created a first of its kind vinyl sheet product, POLYFLOR.

It proves a major innovation in flooring manufacture, and Polyflor and its many adaptations became the cornerstone of the company’s success.

CREATING POLYFLOR

On 30th April 1948, the company was floated on the Stock Exchange, issuing 10,000 ordinary shares of ten shillings each.

1948 also saw the purchase of Belstaff Limited, synonymous with using wax cotton in the manufacturing of waterproof apparel for motorcycling. Belstaff remained part of the Group until 2004 when the Group chose to focus 100% of its resources into the flooring market.

BECOMING PUBLIC

The group continued to invest heavily in flooring and as demand grew throughout the 1950’s Halstead’s developed manufacturing and sales capability overseas by establishing or acquiring companies in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
In the following decades this strategy continued and today the Group have sales, marketing and warehouse operations located across Europe, Scandinavia, Australasia, China, India, Canada, Middle East and high quality, fit for purpose products are exported all over the world.

A GLOBAL BUSINESS

The company’s pioneering, dynamic spirit has been recognised by three Queens Awards, two for international trade in 2006 and 2011, and one for innovation in 2007, with Polysafe sheet vinyl safety flooring recognised for continuous product innovation and development.

THE QUEENS AWARDS

Today, Halstead’s flooring products are found in schools, hospitals, transport, public, commercial and residential buildings around the world.

The company’s directors still include members of the Halstead family, and the business continues to look to a future of innovation and entrepreneurship.

INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE

Did you know?

Floating Floors - Royal Caribbean’s ‘Freedom of the Seas’, one of the world’s largest cruise ships, boasts Polyflor homogeneous vinyl flooring in its crew areas.

Aiming High - You’ll find Voyager flooring underfoot in every carriage of the Machu Picchu Railway in Peru, the highest train on the planet.

Did you know?

Did you know?

High Profile, High Performance - Kremlin Conference Palace. Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. Port Stanley Airport. Just some of the places you’ll find Halstead products.

Did you know?

Gold Standard - Melbourne Cricket Ground’s 100,000 seater stadium sported specialist Polyflor products at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, as did many of the sports venues at the Olympics in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Did you know?

Poles Apart - You’ll find Halstead flooring at Scott Base in Antarctica and, on the other side of the planet, in the Svalbard Hotel on the edge of the polar icecap.