Celebrating a Quarter of a Century In Industrial Flooring

It’s 25 years since Ultrasyntec first opened its doors at our premises in Yorkshire, in 1996. Today, we’re proud to enjoy an established reputation for performance and commitment to quality within the resin flooring industry, providing nationwide service and covering applications as diverse as food processing, sports stadia and industrial installations.

So how did it all begin?

Founder Tom Hoyle had worked in resin flooring for many years and was a well-known figure in the industry. Supported by his wife Vicky, he set up Ultrasyntec to focus on industrial applications, determined to provide a sector-leading service capable of creating flooring solutions matching individual applications and designed to provide the longest possible service life.

The early days

Against a background including the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep, the launch of Hotmail and Nelson Mandela’s retirement, at Ultrasyntec we took our first steps into the market.

The first-ever job undertaken by the company was for John Smiths Brewery in Tadcaster, where Tom already had established commercial connections. This huge brewery in North Yorkshire had a requirement to floor an area measuring 400m² using a non-slip coating, plus 550 linear metres of demarcation lines in and around the main brewing area.

The job was a total success, and Ultrasyntec began to build a strong relationship with all the different departments at the Tadcaster site. At one time, there were Ultrasyntec teams on-site most weekends completing a wide variety of flooring requirements for the firm. Tom thinks back fondly on these as the ‘good old days’ – there was definitely less red tape than we’re used to today, and the rumour goes also plenty of excellent ale to take home at the end of a long shift!

Choosing the right partners

This was also the start of a long and mutually successful partnership between Ultrasyntec and resin flooring specialists Resdev, using the renowned Pumaflow and Pumadur products. Whilst the geographical proximity of the two companies – we’re both based in Elland, in West Yorkshire – had something to do with this, for Tom and the team it was primarily the quality of the products, their handling benefits and the levels of specialist product and application back-up Ultrasyntec enjoyed from Resdev. To this day, 90% of Ultrasyntec‘s work is completed using Resdev materials.

So what have been some of the stand-out jobs?

The largest project completed to date by the Ultrasyntec team began back in 2018 at the former Thomas Cook yard in Peterborough. This mammoth task covered over 18,500m² in total. It was completed in individual stages over a year, as the premises were converted for lease as industrial units to private businesses.

The floors were worn and tired, and some places were 50mm below substrate level, which meant there was a significant focus on preparation and levelling off before any work could begin. Ultrasyntec had specified Resdev’s Pumaseal for the entire project due to its flexible yet abrasion-resistant characteristics and excellent aesthetic results.

After a twelve-month time window and many trips up and down the A1, the last stage of the project was finally handed over at Christmas 2019.  “Reaching the end was a proud moment for the entire team, after 12 months of hard graft,” says Will Hoyle, who together with Lee Sunderland took over management of the business from his father Tom back in 2015.

“Transforming an old, degraded floor into a brand new, smooth and shiny surface is very gratifying – it completely changes the nature of a building. And there were lots of shiny floors about once we had finished! Our principal contractor Royd Developments played a big part in this job too – having strong working relationships on a project of this scale pays dividends in all sorts of areas!”

Taking UltraSyntec skills across the Channel

So what’s the furthest the Ultrasyntec team has travelled to complete a project? Back in 2014, we were tasked by contract furniture specialists Andy Thornton to complete a polymer screed project and a polyurethane screed project in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany. We were working on a US Army Base near the German/Austrian border, where Andy Thornton was completing bar fitting and joinery works for a new canteen area for the troops.

An initial site visit was completed to assess the job, then all necessary materials and equipment were sourced and sent to the site some weeks in advance. The installation team completed the long journey to Garmisch by van – a trek that had to be done five times prior to handover, as the work was completed in stages.

“Lee still reminds me how deep the snow was, and the stress of not knowing if they would make it to the site each morning,” says Will. “However, they did all agree that keeping the beers on the window ledge at the hotel kept them at the perfect temperature for drinking once the hard work was completed each day! It was a great learning experience for us, both in terms of administration and logistics. Since then, we’ve completed many trips across the North Sea on the ferries to carry out work for our friends in Europe!”

Award-winning performances too

The Ultrasyntec team often puts in award-winning performances – including the ambitious project for Leeds United which won the company a Project of the Year award from FeRFA, the Resin Flooring Association.

Here, the team had created a decorative flooring system for the East Stand Concourse, which successfully incorporated the club’s corporate colours. A medium to heavy-duty epoxy flooring finish was selected to provide an easily cleaned surface with excellent resistance to abrasion. This was broadcast with PVA flakes blended in Leeds United blue, yellow and white colours, then roller coated with a high build epoxy clear resin coating and finished with a top coat of a UV light stable, chemically resistant polyurethane, creating a practical and attractive finish.

A big thank you to our loyal customer base

Of course, a business can only thrive where it enjoys a lasting relationship with its customer base. At Ultrasyntec, we’re proud to state that some 80% of our work is repeat business, and we owe a debt of gratitude to our loyal customers for their continued support.

To mention just a few of the many who have entrusted us with their flooring work over the past 25 years:

• ABP Beef – one of Europe’s leading privately owned meat processors
• Barnfield Construction Ltd
• MARS Pet Care & Treats
• Marshalls plc
• Pilkington Glass
• Russells WBHO – full-service main contractors
• St Gobain Glass
• Wavin – suppliers of plastic pipes and solutions
• Winterbotham Darby – leading UK suppliers of olives, antipasti, continental meats and plant-based foods
• RN Wooler & Co Ltd– contractors for the manufacturing and distribution industries

Into the future

We’ve updated our logo to give us a fresh face into the future, reflecting our commitment to keeping pace with new materials, new products and new ideas!

Looking forward to the next 25 years, we remain committed to providing an excellent service across all areas of the business, guaranteeing customers the right product at the right price, installed to the highest quality standards and backed up by manufacturers’ performance guarantees.