Experts in synthetic foams

From the beginning till today

The NMC story begins in 1950, when the entrepreneur Gert Noël founded NMC in a small village in Belgium and started trading in the post-war period. His first entrepreneurial idea was to simplify the life of housewives by offering an innovative household sponge made of Polyurethane foam.

Today, NMC has grown to a leading and growth-oriented international company specialized in synthetic foams. For 70 years, the company put customers and people at the heart of its actions and identifies more and more products and solutions that contribute to comfort and protection for a better life. Spread over 22 locations, around 1650 collaborators are currently serving customers in 120 countries.

Always challenging the status quo, strong values and the Noël heritage are the foundation of NMC’s growth ambitions for the future.

NMC History

1950 : Noël Marquet & Cie SA starts trading

In 1950, Gert Noël founded the company Noël Marquet & Cie SA as a distributor for foam sponges and household products in Hauset, Belgium.

Covering the Benelux market out of Hauset, a first subsidiary was established in Northern France in 1962. Later, NMC opened up sales organizations in other European countries and began to offer decorative mouldings, initially cut out of blocks of synthetic foam.

First patents on products and processes were registered as early as in the 1960’s.

NMC History

1970 : Pioneer Age of the Industry

At the beginning of the 1970’s, the distributorship was extended to an industrial operation. In the middle of the oil crisis, the company began manufacturing ISOTUBE®, a pipe insulation made out of polyurethane foam.

In 1977, a major technical breakthrough led to the launch of flexible pipe insulation made from extruded polyethylene foam under the CLIMAFLEX® brand. Shortly thereafter, NMC optimized this process and developed NOMASTYL® interior decoration profiles made out of extruded polystyrene. This new type of product offered significant advantages versus mouldings made out of plaster or those cut out of blocks. This made individual decoration affordable and very popular.

Based on newly developed foam extrusion technologies, NMC expanded to Germany (1972), Great Britain (1976) and the USA (1979).

NMC History

1980 : Foam becomes respectable

In the context of increasing awareness regarding environmental aspects and the protection of the ozone layer, NMC acted as a pioneer. As first mover in its sector, the company adapted its foam manufacturing processes to CFC-free gases and started recycling its own raw material waste.

Due to the steadily growing demand, the visionary Gert Noël saw the opportunity to expand and acquired new premises in Eynatten, Belgium. With the acquisition of the Kenmore group in 1987, NMC widened its offering with flexible INSUL® rubber insulation for cooling applications.

The USA operations changed name to Nomaco Inc. and continue to be run independently by another branch of the Noël Family.

NMC History

1990 : Coloured foam

Since the beginning of the 1990s, NMC develops innovative products in the field of packaging, sports, and leisure. Today, the blue-coloured NOMAPACK® protective packaging is the market standard while the colours of the COMFY® items are adapting to the trends of the market.

With decoration products made from polyurethane, marketed as ARSTYL® for interior applications and as DOMOSTYL® for the application on facades, NMC offers a new high-end alternative to stucco. The new design elements, which are easy to apply, contribute to the well-being at home by a modern or prestigious individual interior design and facade embellishment.

Always looking for innovations and close collaboration with its stakeholders, NMC develops new products for different industrial sectors, for example, the automotive area. The NOMATEC® foam components improve thermal and acoustic insulation as well as cushioning.

NMC History

2000 : Proximity to customers

The Noël family handed over the company’s management to an independent professional management team in 1997 and thus prepared NMC for the 21st Century.

NMC bought a production site in Germany, established a subsidiary in Spain and built new production sites in Poland and Russia. The geographical extension of the group’s activities, including Central and Eastern Europe, allows serving more and more customers and consumers. With targeted acquisitions in Finland, Sweden and Norway, NMC also gets closer to its customers in Northern Europe and offers new solutions in the field of foam sheets and rolls.

The company expands its offer of design elements from the ceiling to the floor by presenting WALLSTYL® decorative skirtings. After further technical development, NOMAWOOD® is launched as 100% moisture-resistant and easy to maintain solution for outdoor applications such as facades and shutters.

NMC History

2010 : Consolidation and innovation

In order to complement the company’s expertise in the field of acoustic insulation, two new acquisitions are made in Sweden and Finland: Sundquist Components and Noisetek are integrated into the NMC-Cellfoam organizations to provide customers with a single contact for a wide variety of needs. The company enters new partnerships in Brazil and Russia by contributing technical know-how and product quality that has proven in Europe.

In collaboration with interior designers, the company innovates and presents ARSTYL® Wall Panels and Wall Tiles to the market. These elements give walls texture and allow the creation of unique and modern living spaces, whether in private homes or in public spaces and hotels.

In 2016, NMC reinforces its commitment to sustainable development. In the field of technical insulation, 150 formulations change over to NMC-NATUREFOAM®, which incorporates more than 50% of renewable resources and makes the total production process neutral in terms of CO2 emission (cradle to gate).

NMC History

2017 : Partnerships and new skills

NMC once more expands its offer of products in technical insulation by integrating the activities and the solutions of the German group Baumann. Aeroflex® and Aeroline® branded products, known in the field of solar heating and heat pumps, complement the NMC INSUL®, CLIMAFLEX®, and EXZENTROFLEX® product ranges.

In a strategic partnership with the Seitner family, SELIT, expert in innovative underlays for parquet, laminate, and vinyl floating floors, becomes part of the NMC Group. This merger offers new growth opportunities based on a shared desire to offer a wide and modern assortment to end customers, providing them with comfort for a better life.

The company installs one of the largest photovoltaic parks in Belgium, which allows it to produce roughly 20 % of the electricity consumed at the Eynatten site locally.  This once again shows that the company stands up to its purpose and actively contributes to the transition to renewable energy.

The NMC story goes on. Come and write the next chapter with us.

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