Charles van Gelder Importers, Inc., a family run business for over 30 years, offers a variety of speciality flooring products. Our range includes entrance matting, rubber and anti-fatigue flooring, logo and commercial mats, modular carpet tile, TacFast® carpet tile systems, and ADA safety tiles, to name a few.

We pride ourselves for offering the most innovative products. The environment and the effects of product waste are very important in our corporate objectives and continue to be reflective in our research and development.

We are constantly improving our range to meet and exceed LEED and eco-friendly requirements. Our knowledgeable sales and customer service staff are well prepared to fulfill all of your matting and speciality flooring requests and concerns. We look forward to the opportuntiy of working with you.

Sal van Gelder, a Dutch immigrant, and Charles Schiffman 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.

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 needlepunch, 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 needlepunched 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.

Charles van Gelder Importers, Inc. offers 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 needlepunched 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 familys 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.