Ulster Carpets is pleased to announce the acquisition of Axfelt, manufacturers of high quality and fully sustainable underlay.

The purchase of this successful brand further demonstrates Ulster’s commitment to developing complementary products to enhance its customer offering.

Ulster’s ethos and future plans very much revolve around quality and service excellence, and these standards will be brought to bear at Axfelt ensuring the existing product is fully supported and developed at the existing Axminster Carpets base.

David Acheson, Ulster’s Head of Strategic Operations commented, “We are delighted to be playing a part in the immediate retention of one part of the facility at the Axminster Carpets site. Working with the current employees, Ulster is committed to growing and developing this highly successful product in Devon. Ulster Carpets are already developing a number of related businesses in the locality with a view to further increasing employment opportunities as it continues to expand its wider brand portfolio.”

Axfelt is made from 100% recycled materials, including wool rich carpet and rubber tyres. This fits perfectly with Ulster’s desire to develop environmentally responsible UK based manufacturing facilities. The recycled nature of the product was an important factor in the decision and it is planned that the Axfelt production facility will become a future Group hub for developments in recycling, as well as a home for repurposing the Group’s current yarn and carpet waste.

The acquisition is being funded from cash reserves and continues to reflect Ulster’s philosophy of acquiring high quality businesses in the floor covering and luxury interiors sector.

Vescent

| Eclectic energy, inspired design…

Vescent is the new eclectic contract stock collection from Ulster Carpets designed exclusively to meet the varied demands of the international hospitality industry.

Featuring six contemporary designs – Linea, Arbor, Nexus, Calx, Vapor and Nebula – in 21 colourways Vescent is guaranteed to complement any commercial setting. The neutral colour palette used throughout the collection ties in with modern fabric and wallpaper collections while the experimental colours add a flash of colour for those seeking something different.

Vescent is available from stock with no minimum order. This collection is 4m wide and woven in 9 row axminster quality – 80% wool / 20% nylon, making it suitable for use in a wide range of busy contract applications.

Within Vescent, Linea, Arbor and Nexus are structured designs while Calx, Vapor and Nebula are more organic.

Arbor and Linea feature smart, clean lines and shapes positioned on top of multiple layers that create depth and texture. Nexus features a beautifully structured design similar to fretwork with very soft neutral tones and lots of layers adding to its contemporary distressed look.

Within the organic designs, Calx reflects the natural world with layers and tones reminiscent of lichen and lava. Nebula offers a soft textured subtle design ideal for grounding areas hosting statement pieces, while Vapor’s ethereal misty top pattern reveals glimpses of an underlying herringbone pattern.

As with all axminster carpet produced by Ulster Carpets, Vescent is manufactured to the very highest environmental standards.

Take a look at some of these stunning new designs.

Ulster Carpets has picked up two prestigious awards at this year’s Wool Carpet and Rug Awards in association with British Wool. The winning entries won:

• Residential Woven – Watercolours Mineral Alchemy
• Commercial Woven Carpet Design Installation of the Year – Grand Central Hotel, Belfast

The awards were established in 2016 by the Campaign for Wool Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, to highlight the diversity and breadth of quality in design, production, innovation and marketing across the carpet and rug sector. The awards also demonstrate the strength of British brands manufacturing in the UK.

This year there were over 100 entries for 12 categories. Judges assessed the entries based on design, colour, innovation and technical excellence.

Receiving the awards at the ceremony in Harrogate, Ulster’s Residential Sales Director Jeremy Wilson commented: “We are delighted to accept these two awards which recognise Ulster’s excellent creative design talent, innovation and quality.”

To learn more about Ulster’s Watercolours range visit www.ulstercarpets.com/residential

To read about Ulster Carpets supplying over 12,000m² of bespoke carpets to the Grand Central Hotel, visit our projects.

Ulster Carpets’ new Dye House and Energy Centre, situated at the company’s headquarters in Northern Ireland will not only facilitate a number of manufacturing efficiencies, it will also bring with it many environmental benefits in line with the company’s Sustainability Policy.

A dedicated building, state-of-the art technology and a complete move to package dyeing from hank, will increase capacity and improve the efficiency of the whole process providing faster response times.

The new dye house will deliver 20% more efficiencies than the building and processes that it replaces. This is mainly due to new a automated dispensing system that allows more accuracy on the weighing of dyes and chemicals.

Ulster Carpets, Dyehouse & Energy Centre, January 2018 from Ulster Carpets on Vimeo.

New technology means that cycle times are reduced by eliminating the requirement to neutralise each dye lot as it is processed, therefore producing more dye lots per day.

Package dyeing uses considerably less water (40%), heat (25%) and chemicals (5-10%) per kilogram of yarn processed, and the system’s capabilities means a greater amount of dye lots can be produced in one day, making the new dye house more energy efficient.

At present, while much of the water used in the dye process is taken from Ulster’s own borehole, the rest comes from the local town supply. A reduction of 40% in water requirements minimises usage from the town supply reducing the environmental impact of the dye house on the local area.

The building has been designed and constructed by local businesses. This is a deliberate strategy by Ulster Carpets, supported by Invest NI, to continue to invest in Northern Ireland’s economy and to support local jobs.

Ulster Carpets was delighted to be included in the latest article by PWC ‘Changing Times’.

Next year, Ulster Carpets will celebrate 80 years of carpet manufacturing. Dedicated to producing the finest axminster and wilton products, to this day the family owned company remains committed to the original Ulster ethos based on growth and development. Whilst tough trading and financial periods have seen many of their competitors move their operations abroad, Ulster’s long term strategy and proactive business approach has enabled them to withstand the crisis and ensure all wilton and axminster manufacturing remains within the UK and Ireland. From the buying and processing of the wool in Ulster Yarns in Dewsbury, to the winding, dyeing and weaving at the Castleisland site in County Armagh, Ulster have control over every aspect of the process ensuring the quality of the carpet is of the highest standard.

People are at the heart of Ulster Carpets and it is the passion and dedication of its employees that sets them apart from the competition. Continuous demand for their products around the world, combined with expansion into new export markets has led to a recent increase in employment levels with 20 new jobs being created, providing a welcome boost to the local economy. Each year Ulster also runs a graduate scheme, taking on students across all areas of the business including design, sales, engineering and operations.

Technology and innovation is part of the Ulster Carpets’ ethos. Their patented PSYLO™ technology, which allows designers to use a superior number of colours without the need for a repeating pattern, has enabled them to become a market leader in the manufacturing of bespoke Axminster designs for the hospitality, cruise liner and casino markets. To date they have supplied some of the world’s most famous venues including the Ritz Paris, The Regent Fleet Seven Seas Explorer and the Burj Arab Hotel in Dubai.

In addition, investment in infrastructure plays a huge role in their growth and development. As part of a £35 million regeneration of all woven manufacturing facilities at their Northern Ireland headquarters, last year saw the completion of a brand new state-of-the-art Dye House and Energy Centre, designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce the company’s carbon footprint. The remaining phases of the redevelopment will be rolled out in the coming years.

Nick Coburn, Group Managing Director and Deputy Chairman commented:

“Ulster’s continued focus on innovation and investment has enabled us to grow and maintain our competitive advantage. We are a family owned, but professionally managed business committed to operating as a vertically integrated, self-sufficient company in order to maximise our control over the entire manufacturing process. This will ensure we continue to strengthen our position as a premium carpet brand in the years to come.”

Read the full article on PWC’s website