About van Gelder, Inc.
van Gelder Inc. is a family run business for over 35 years. We offer a variety of specialty flooring products. Our range includes Entrance Matting, Anti-Fatigue Flooring, Logo & Commercial Mats, Modular Carpet Tiles, the TacFast ® Carpet Tile System, Grid Matting Systems and Luxury Vinyl Planks & Tile, just to name a few. All of our products continue to play a vital role in providing commercial spaces with a safe, clean and attractive exterior and interior environments and entranceways.
We pride ourselves on offering realistic solutions for every stage of the floor covering process. With our long-term solutions we can save you time, money and resources. Plus, you’ll be purchasing the most innovative products, which can be customized to suit your needs!
We are constantly improving our range to meet and exceed LEED / ECO friendly requirements. Our dedicated team of sales, customer service and support staff is well prepared to answer all your matting and specialty flooring questions or requests. Call us today!
We know you have a choice when it comes to commercial flooring and matting. Our team looks forward to the opportunity of working with you on future projects.
Sal van Gelder
Sal van Gelder, a Dutch immigrant, founded Charles van Gelder Importers, Inc. (AIA member) in 1978. The distributorship was set up in upstate New York selling Axminster wool and other related flooring materials imported from a firm in Quebec, Canada, who was liquidating their merchandise. Within four years the firm became solely owned and operated by the van Gelder family. Over the next few years, the company expanded product lines to include padding, sundries, Magee carpets as well as the birth of van Gelders own private Guildcrest label.
Early 80’s
In the early 80’s, the firm expanded beyond traditional carpeting and decided to utilize its overseas connections and knowledge to import the first line of high quality, durable fiber bonded carpet. In proper application, these products were and are used to protect and stop 80% of dirt, dust and moisture from entering and destroying interior spaces. Fiber bonded or needle-punch, as it is sometimes referred to, was very unique to the US flooring market and soon allowed van Gelder to cut out a market niche in this area. It was during these early years that regional distributors also recognized the importance of entrance matting & carpet tiles and approached the firm to acquire the products directly from them.
The strategy became two fold.
First, the company began to expand it’s products through international trade. Always keeping with the goal to offer high quality imported needle-punched carpet and carpet tiles to an already existing Northeast client base. Secondly, geographic expansion throughout the United States utilizing an agent network to attract new customers.
Late in 2012, the name Charles was dropped, as he had not been involved for many years.
Today you will find us under the name van Gelder Inc. In 2013, you will see that we offer a blend of past, present and future led by management that has a first hand knowledge of international trade and development. As our industry enters into the new millennium the firm continues to search for and offer products that are on the forefront of flooring technology. Among these are needle-punched tiles that are health conscious and environmentally friendly. From products that use fibers which will eradicate dust mites, eliminate bacteria, mold, and fungi, which can trigger asthma or allergies; to tiles with a backing that is 100% recyclable.
The success of this strategy and pursuit of product innovation has led to the development of an ever-expanding client base, which now services distributors located throughout the entire United States. Most important of all is the continued pursuit of the family’s tradition of "customer satisfaction and product excellence". The first and second generations of the family are actively involved in the business to ensure that this core philosophy never changes.
