YOU would expect a flooring company to be well grounded.

But Jason Lamb, a sole trader floorer who combined with another sole trader, Daniel Seammen, six months ago proved they could hit that ground running with their new venture, Appletree Flooring in Derwent Walk, Huntington, York.

Together they quickly attracted orders from some of the biggest names in retail in both the north west and north east, including PC World, Mothercare, Currys, the Early Learning Centre, Starbucks and Pizza Express.

Combined with an ethical and environmental approach to their work, Appletree Flooring is now on target to achieve a £170,000 turnover in its first year.

And it has given Jason the confidence to pitch for both the New Business Of The Year and Think Green Business Of The Year categories in The Press Business Awards 2011.

He and Daniel soon moved from his dining room office to a retail unit in Derwent Walk which opened its doors to the trade and public.

Jason said: “Due to our already large buying habits, we were attracting some big discounts on stock, such as carpets, vinyls, wood and luxury vinyl tiles which are popular with most retailers. We could clearly see that we could re-sell these items at extremely low costs in comparison to even the big chains.”

The partners take pride in recycling waste. One strip and refit of Starbucks coffee shop left them with 70 sq metres of water-damaged wood flooring destined for landfill. Instead it was all recycled and after drying out used to partly refloor a York charity shop.

Uplifted carpets were either sent back to manufacturers for recycling or given to allotment owners for use as weed depressants and, ultimately, compost.

“We’re approved by the environment agency and easily exceed our green obligations,” says Jason proudly, also pointing out that by using paperless invoicing where clients agree, “every penny we save, even with stationery costs, is another reduction in our prices.”