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, specifically relating to outdoor carpet, entrance matting, safety / floor mats, logo mats, and modular carpet tile. As the walk off mats and entrance matting industry enters into the new millennium the firm continues to search and offer products that are on the forefront of non woven and needlepunched technology. Among these are entrance matting, mats, and modular carpet tile, all needlepunched and non woven, that are health conscious and environmentally friendly. These walk off mats and matting contain Permafresh™ (ultra fresh) fiber that will eradicate dust mites; eliminate bacteria, mold, and fungi, which can trigger asthma and allergy sufferers and grow on matting surfaces.

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 products lines to include padding, sundries, Magee carpets as well as the birth of van Gelders own private Guildcrest label.

In the early 80s, 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 are used to protect and stop 80% of dirt, dust and moisture from entering and destroying your interior spaces. Fiber bonded or needlepunched, 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, product expansion through international trade 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 and offer products that are on the forefront of flooring technology. Among these are needlepunched tiles that are health conscious and environmentally friendly. The former contains Permafresh™ fiber that will eradicate dust mites; eliminate bacteria, mold, and fungi, which can trigger asthma and allergy sufferers. The latter is a tile 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 over 25 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 second generation of the family is actively involved in the business to ensure that this core philosophy never changes.