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Rolling out a new look

With eight branches and showrooms across the North East showcasing quality flooring solutions for any style or budget, the Karpet Mills Group has a commitment to delivering the best for its customers. Here, director Joel Dickinson explains how a new refurbishment programme across its portfolio, supported by new product lines, is ensuring the 147-year-old business is ready for the future.

Walk into any Karpet Mills showroom and you’ll find more than just flooring – you’ll find a business that’s constantly evolving.

For director Joel Dickinson, though, the company’s ongoing refurbishment programme isn’t just about fresh paint and new displays.

It is about creating a customer experience that reflects the company’s heritage while embracing the future, all backed by a carefully curated range of new product lines.

Following the sixth-generation family business’ most successful year on record in 2024, the decision was made to press ahead with long-standing plans to upgrade each of its five showrooms across the region.

With work at three sites – Benton, Hexham and its flagship Kingston Park branch – already complete, further refurbishment will be carried out in the autumn at its Gateshead and Hetton stores.

Joel says: “We’ve taken a decision to invest heavily across all the showrooms in our portfolio.

“These were plans that were in place before COVID-19, but we pressed pause until we were s ure we were in a good place to complete the refurbishments to the standards we wanted.

“Despite the economic headwinds we’ve all faced in recent years, we were proud to report a record year in 2024, bucking the trend in the flooring sector more widely.

“And rather than rest on our laurels, we decided to be bullish in 2025 and invest using the proceeds of our success last year to make sure we can continue driving forward.”

The refurbishment work at the Benton branch has seen a significant increase in retail floor space, achieved by moving an adjoining warehouse to a new central operations site.

A new glazed entrance has been added to the building, with the aim of creating a more welcoming and modern exterior.

A matching glazed feature entrance has been added at Hexham, which has also had a contemporary makeover to the interior – keeping up with market leaders and enhancing customer experience.

Meanwhile, the Kingston Park store has been modernised and reconfigured to expand its premium Designer Flooring marque.

The firm has also expanded its long-term partnership with luxury flooring firm Amtico, with an away day planned for staff to visit the company’s production hub in Coventry.

Its latest product – Amtico First – will be sold at Karpet Mills’ Designer Flooring outlets at Kingston Park and Hexham.

Described by Joel as Amtico’s entry-level product, with a sharp price point in the firm’s range, it means the company now offers the full range of Amtico products, for all styles and budgets.

And for the first time, the company also hopes to install Amtico displays at the Benton and Hetton branches in August.

Joel says: “We’re really focused on the LVT part of the market, and the additions we’re planning will double our showroom space across our portfolio with Amtico.

“We feel it’s important for customers to be able to find all the products they expect to see across our branches.”

The extension of the Kingston Park Designer Flooring showroom also means the arrival of two new names this summer, including luxury wooden flooring from premium brand Ted Todd.

Also launching is a bespoke stair runner display that will allow people to see a range of products and designs that can be turned into runners using an in-house service provided by Karpet Mills.

Joel says: “The stair runner display is something we’ve introduced in response to customer demand for custom designs, as runners on staircases are a key trend for this year and beyond.

“We wanted to create an easy way for customers to physically see the options available to them, and the potential for the end result.

“It’s been really well received in the first few months.”

As well as investment in products and facilities, Karpet Mills also continues to invest in its people.

A number of new staff are being welcomed into the company, including retail sales staff and estimators to support the business’ continued growth and uphold the quality service customers have come to expect.

Joel adds: “The investment this year adds to what we’ve done to our business over the last 147 years.

“We’re always striving to improve and keep up with what customers want.

“That means having our showrooms full of key products and offering the best value and choice, from entry-level products to ultra- exclusive boutique brands.

“We want to make sure everyone experiences the same high level of service, with expert installation teams for every product.”

This article first appeared in Bdaily's sister print publication N magazine. 

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