In the frame for more awards

​In two years the specialist flooring contractor has tripled its sales and made the frame in two national industry awards.

And in a move inspired by the problems of its managing director's girlfriend's father's garage floor problems, it is embarking on a diversification which could dwarf its current turnover.

Now that boss, Sean Scott, and the company are both nominees for the Mail's Business Awards.

It is a contender for the NatWest Bank-sponsored Small Business of the Year Award and Scott, aged 21, for the Gosschalks Solicitors-supported Young Businessperson of the Year Award.

Incorporated by John Scott in 1990, it has been under his son Sean's management for barely two years during which it has tripled its annual sales to almost £1.5m, employs some 15 people and works nation-wide.

Specialising in accurately-laid highly wear-resistant synthetic resin floors its customers range from food and pharmaceutical manufacturers to universities, supermarkets, prisons, hotels, airports and upmarket night clubs, with Smith & Nephew a major client.

"We recently did the Embargo Club in London with £5,000 worth of gold flakes embedded in the surface – and the opening featured in the national press," said Sean.

With a vinyl-like appearance the resin is ultra-hard wearing and in the Embargo was designed to replicate Italian Terrazo-style floors.

NIFL also does vehicle dealership workshop floors and is about to market the materials and techniques to the DIY sector, a move which could see the firm's sales rocket.

"My girlfriend's dad was having trouble finding a good floor paint for his home garage, and I thought 'why not'? The cost is only 10 to 20 per cent higher than paint for a surface which can easily last five times longer.

"Working with a manufacturing partner, we're launching our own Vuba brand DIY products enabling anyone to create professional standard garage floors."

Having gained a business economics A Level early, he'd spent the rest of his time at Hymers College running a student competition business – a company so successful that it won a national student competition and made runner's-up spot in a European one.