Flooring specialist Gerflor’s acquisition of US-based Connor Sport Court International in November 2014 has played a “crucial” part in expanding the firm’s global market reach and sports product range, according to Gerflor’s managing director Bertrand Chaumet.

Founded in 1872, Connor Sports is the leader in hardwood sports flooring and has two manufacturing sites in the US. It is the US market leader in sports surfacing and has built systems for a number of elite leagues – including the NBA, where more than 14 of the teams play on Connor courts.

Last summer, the 2016 Rio Olympic Committee selected Connor’s QuickLock floors as the surface to be used for the Games’ eight basketball and wheelchair basketball courts.

“Being involved with the Summer Olympic Games in Rio was a testament to the quality of our overall sports flooring offer and the ongoing development we do as company to produce the very best products we can,” Chaumet says.

“Four Connor systems are being introduced in the UK this year – Neoshok, Rezill Sleeper, QuickLock portable system and Alliance."