Portadown-headquartered Ulster Carpets is on the crest of a wave after completing a lucrative project aboard the Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, which has just left Miami in Florida on its maiden voyage with 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew aboard.
The fourth-generation family-owned company, which has a staff of 660, created 55,000 square metres of bespoke carpets for the 250,000-ton Royal Caribbean International-owned vessel.
Rachel Guy, contract sales director for marine at Ulster Carpets, said: “Icon of the Seas has been making headlines all over the world, and we are proud to have played a part in this amazing cruise ship.
“The project challenged our design, planning and production teams like never before, but the final results demonstrate our ability to create unique designs and luxury carpets.
“This is why cruise ships, casinos and hotels around the world turn to us first for their bespoke carpets and rugs.”
Featuring eight distinct ‘neighbourhoods’, the first Icon Class ship has 2,805 staterooms, 20 decks, 7 pools, and 40 different venues to drink and dine in.
The company’s designers, based in its headquarters in Portadown and its London design studio, created more than 75 different designs to match the distinctive design and style of each area.
“Our average project would encompass around 20 different design schemes, so the Icon of the Seas profile was very different to complete at one time,” added Rachel.
“Our planners also had to deal with an extra level of intricacy in some areas of the cruise ship and the entire project placed a lot of pressure on our production team.
“Yet despite the extra challenges, we were still able to deliver the same level of unrivalled service we offer our customers all over the world.
“We are delighted with the final results as they demonstrate the unique qualities and skills that Ulster Carpets are renowned for globally.”
In December Ulster Carpets, which was granted a Royal Warrant by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022, revealed that sales in the year to last March had risen by 17 per cent to £79.9 million and its gross profit surged by 38 per cent to £30.3 million.