A FLOORCOVERINGS firm has landed two major contracts in a fast growing export market.

Gaskells Textiles has secured deals with Dublin Airport and the Irish Tourist Board to add to the Accrington-based firm's expanding Southern Ireland customer base.

The firm has laid a special carpet on the air bridges - link tunnels between the departure terminal and the aircraft - at the airport.

And a further 5,000 square metres of carpet tiles have been installed at the Irish Tourist Board's head office in the city.

"Two years ago our overseas sales were limited to three main customers in France, Italy and Ireland," said export manager John Reed who has spearheaded Gaskell export drive since 1997.

"Now we are selling to 15 countries every month."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.