With over 100 years of combined experience in the healthcare sector, together the Gerflor and Gradus businesses have built an unrivalled reputation for quality and service.
The Gerflor group is well known as a credible and valued supplier of complete flooring solutions designed specifically for the healthcare market. The constraints of hygiene, slip resistance and acoustic qualities are part of mandatory characteristics for this sector.
Our expertise allows us to offer numerous flooring products suitable for all areas of a healthcare facility. Whilst maintaining the technical performance and the design aspect of our floorcoverings, we manufacture our ranges with the environment in mind, as well as the health and wellbeing of end users. We have recognised brands ideal for healthcare facilities, including our Mipolam, DLW, Taralay, Taraflex® and Tarasafe flooring ranges.
Gradus is a UK manufacturer of contract interior solutions, these include wall protection, stair edgings, floor trims, barrier matting and LED lighting. As the largest UK Manufacturer of Wall Protection we are able to offer a comprehensive range which includes textured wall cladding, hygienic cladding, handrails, dual rails, combination rails, wall guards, corner guards, bed protectors and door protection.
Gradus control the design of profiles from initial concept through to finished products including specialist CAD design and the manufacture of tooling. This ensures that quality is maintained and provides customers with an efficient, flexible, and fast service. We also offer a project management and installation service for our wall protection systems.
When you choose to specify a Gerflor or Gradus product in your healthcare facility, it all starts with our Specification Key Account Managers, Chris Pursey and Andy Gordon. Here they explain a little more about themselves.
Chris Pursey
“I have worked within the flooring industry for most of my working life. I started out as an apprentice floor layer 27 years ago, and then came ‘off the tools’ and into a Sales Estimating role in 2001. 15 years ago, I progressed into manufacturing and became a Specification Manager in the Southwest, specialising in contract flooring and wall finishes.
“I have worked for Gerflor since 2017. My current role as Healthcare Key Account Manager in the South utilises the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the years. I really enjoy working across the Flooring, Wall Protection and Accessories teams within our business to offer our customers a complete solution for healthcare projects.”
What do you like about your role and the sector you work in?
The variety of project types, people and locations that we encounter in the Healthcare sector means that no two days are ever the same. It’s especially fulfilling to guide a specifier or end user through the whole interior design process, right from the entrance matting, floor & wall finishes to stair edgings and even lighting. Gerflor & Gradus are quite unique due to the sheer width of the range of Healthcare solutions we can offer across the two brands, so clients are often pleasantly surprised to hear how one business can help in almost every area of their project or estate.
What challenges are driving the Healthcare sector?
Sustainability and budget are often near the top of the agenda when discussing a project, whether it’s a new build or refurbishment. There is now so much more data available regarding carbon emissions linked to construction products and our responsibility as a manufacturer doesn’t end at the factory gates. Revolutionary surface treatments are significantly helping to reduce operational carbon output, whilst keeping maintenance & lifecycle costs down as well. Other important factors such as mental health, an ageing and a neurologically diverse population are also presenting new challenges for Designers of Healthcare facilities.
Favourite Gerflor and Gradus solutions and why?
For vinyl flooring, our Premium range brings together all the best attributes of our Mipolam Homogenous & Taralay Heterogenous ranges into one product and there is nothing else like it within the industry. With the Comfort backing option it also improves acoustic performance within a project, another topic of which there is increasing awareness. Our Gradus Sure Protect Pure hygienic cladding system, with hot welded joints and thermoformed corners also compliments our flooring range brilliantly. Holistic surface protection solutions for both floors and walls is the game changer.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
I love to be near, in or on the sea so I spend a lot of time in South Devon! It’s close enough to Bristol (where I live), I can pop down the M5 at weekends and I have a lot of family and friends there too. We recently moved into a period property which is something of a time capsule, so when I’m not flying a drone on the beach or walking the dog on the Coast Path, I’ll usually be found tinkering with bits and pieces on the house. It will probably be a lifetime project but I enjoy restoring old things and also a bit of drawing when I get the time!
Andy Gordon
“I have worked within the flooring industry most of my life, working for several different companies in various roles. I started in the marketing department at a well-known flooring manufacturer, before setting up an entrance matting subsidiary which, through organic growth, established itself as a major player within the industry.
"During my time at Gerflor I’ve worked as an Area Sales Manager, before progressing to my current role as Healthcare Key Account Manager. This is a very challenging but rewarding role and allows me to bring together all of the skills I have learnt over the years to help establish Gerflor & Gradus as the go-to healthcare provider for Floors, Walls and everything in between.”
What do you like about your role and the sector you work in?
The best part of the role is seeing a project from early inception and development into a full working floor and wall solution. I frequently engage with a diverse range of key decision makers from Architects to Main Contractors to Estates and Capital Planning teams within the trusts to Facilities management and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Teams. The role allows me to dive deep into the project with all the key decision makers and make sure that their needs and wants are knitted together to produce a robust specification which benefits the client throughout the building lifecycle.
What challenges are driving the Healthcare sector?
There are some really exciting developments happening within Healthcare at the moment, centred around decarbonisation and digitalisation of the NHS Estate, allowing us to work with Specifiers through our BIM and digital models before a spade goes in the ground.
NHS Estates are now building ‘Digital Twin’ models, it allows for manufacturers to iron out potential issues before any install happens. An example of this is making sure LRV’s are correct, between floors and walls, floors and doors and other interior finishes.
Favourite Gerflor and Gradus solutions and why?
DLW Lino is one of my favourite collections, thanks to the wide choice our clients can have in colours and designs and its front-end embodied Carbon sustainability story. Thanks to also its revolutionary Neocare surface treatment, it significantly reduces operational carbon costs. From the Gradus portfolio, the XT Stair nosings are a game changer because it is the only stair nosing on the marketplace which has a wraparound insert that is mechanically fixed, this is a benefit for building longevity and reduces risks of slips and falls on stairs and it is also DSDC approved.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
My hobbies include playing tennis again after a long break from the sport and I also enjoy the odd round of Golf. At home, my wife Emma and I enjoy cooking and entertaining with family and friends, and you might also see me singing and playing my guitar at local open mic events. I don’t think I will ever leave Gerflor for a career in music, but I will definitely play when I can, whether I am any good is another story!
Gerflor & Gradus offer a wide range of products, for all locations within a healthcare environment whether its acute care, aged living or other care home facilities.
Gerflor innovations include market leading vinyl, lino, carpet flooring collections that are sustainable, design led and deliver high performance, regardless of the location where they are installed. We have some brand new DSDC ranges that are certified for Dementia applications.
You can read about the full 2023 Flooring offering from Gerflor by downloading our new brochure here: https://www.gerflor.co.uk/media/uk-flooring-brochure-2022-23-collection.pdf
Gradus innovations include PVC-u Corner Guards, Combination Rails and SureProtect Wall Cladding to suit a variety of healthcare settings and reduce maintenance costs longer-term, while still providing excellent protection.
Gradus has recently upgraded our existing offerings to add new colours and designs to our SureProtect Endure and SureProtect Design wall claddings as well introducing SureProtect Artworx, a protective wall covering which can be printed with bespoke designs.
Gradus has also introduced new PVC-u continuous retainers within our wall guard and corner guard profiles. They can be used in environments such as hospital circulation areas, wards and corridors for protection against damage from pedestrian and wheeled traffic.
You can read about the full 2023 Wall Protection offering from Gradus by downloading our new brochure here: https://gradus.com/download/brochure-wall-protection-systems-2023
To speak with a member of the Gerflor & Gradus team about healthcare installations, please email contractuk@gerflor.com, inmail@gradus.com or call 01625 428 922.