Our History

We’ve been going since 1924. Originally a textile supplier, based in the Rossendale Valley, we traded as Greenwood & Coope Ltd. In 1956, with the advent of a new method of making carpet, called ‘tufted’, Neville Cormack set up Cormar Carpets. For over 60 years now, we’ve been making carpets right here in the UK, at our two Lancashire mills - Brookhouse Mill, in Greenmount and Holme Mill in Ramsbottom. Keeping a local, family feel to our company is important to us. So as a family-run business with family values at heart, we take great pride in understanding the home and creating the final piece of the jigsaw to make our customers' homes "just right".

1920s

Greenwood & Coope was registered in 1924, with John Cormack (right), as Finance Director. The company was based in Rossendale and produced felts and bindings for the local slipper trade. John’s son, Neville, joined the business in the early 1950’s and started carpet manufacturing under the brand name Cormar Carpets. Though we now trade as the Cormar Carpet Company, our parent company is still Greenwood & Coope Ltd.

1950s

Cormar Carpets was founded in 1956 by Neville Cormack, O.B.E. (right). One of the pioneers of tufted carpet in the UK, he bought his first two machines from the United States and started production at Nunn Hills Mill in the Rossendale Valley. In 1959, Cormar Carpets moved into the existing Brookhouse Mill factory in Greenmount, near Bury, to provide more space for storage and production.

1960s

Despite a major flood at Brookhouse Mill, the business continued to expand and thrive, with new offices and warehousing being added to the factory site. We even had a special visit to our stand at the Earls Court Exhibition, by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth (pictured to the left with Neville Cormack and his wife Betty).

1970s

An extensive fire in 1970 destroyed the main warehouse at Brookhouse Mill. Thankfully, no-one was hurt or injured in the blaze and the following year it was rebuilt. In 1973, we purchased Holmbury Carpets and moved the tufted machines and carpet manufacturing to Holme Mill in Ramsbottom. Cormar continued to expand and in 1974, Greenwood & Coope enjoyed its 50 year anniversary.

1980s

The delivery fleet, production and warehousing at Brookhouse Mill expanded as the company continued to grow. Neville Cormack was awarded an O.B.E. in 1987 in recognition for his and Cormar’s continued success as well as his work with the Industrial Society in Rossendale. His son David joined the business in 1987 as Promotions Manager.

1990s

Our new offices and showroom at Brookhouse Mill, were opened by Lord Derby in 1990. Our new “4-Star” range won the Best Floor-covering Award at the Harrogate Flooring Exhibition. David Judge was appointed Managing Director in 1994, with Neville Cormack appointed Chairman. In 1996 Cormar Carpets celebrated its 40th anniversary.

2000s

Cormar continued to win awards for market-leading carpets, as the backing plant at Brookhouse Mill was upgraded and further extended. 2006 saw us celebrate our 50th anniversary and appear for the first time in the Sunday Times as one of the top 10 privately owned "Companies To Watch".

2010s

The awards keep coming with Cormar voted Flooring One’s carpet supplier of the year for the 12th year and winning the Interiors Monthly Supplier award again in 2017. Expansion continued, with new warehousing added to the Holme Mill site in 2014. Our new £15million distribution centre in Hemel Hempstead opened in January 2018, as Cormar continues to grow and increase our UK service across the south of England & Wales.

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History of Cormar Carpet Company

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