The ‘founding father’ of British Gymnastic apparatus

Niels Larsen Factory 01

Who We Are

Niels Larsen was founded in København, Denmark in 1893 as a designer and manufacturer of gymnastic and rehabilitation equipment. A subsidiary was later established in Leeds in 1907 bringing innovative designs into the UK market, many of which were later incorporated into our own British Standards. Niels Larsen can justly claim therefore, to be the ‘founding father’ of British gymnastic apparatus.

The company traded continuously as Niels Larsen Ltd until 1971 when it was acquired by the Sutcliffe Group of Companies. The ‘Larsen’ brand was however, retained by Sutcliffe Leisure in recognition of the exceptional quality of the equipment. In 1995, the sports and gymnastic equipment manufacturing business of Sutcliffe Leisure, including the Niels Larsen manufacturing unit, became independent once again as a result of a management buyout. The new company, again trading as Niels Larsen Ltd, is a wholly owned independent business.

‘The personal development and safety of all gymnasts - whether pre-school children or physical training instructors - depends on the quality, stability and structural integrity of the equipment being used. Niels Larsen products are well designed, and manufactured from the finest materials with real pride by our Yorkshire craftsmen. We hope you will enjoy using them.’

Niels Larsen Factory 04

Niels Larsen

  • REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.
    Users should note that all our equipment must be inspected annually by an experienced contractor. The frequency of inspection should be reduced to six months when apparatus is subject to heavy usage. If equipment becomes unsafe for any reason, it should be placed out of use and repaired without delay. We recommend that these repairs are also always undertaken by an experienced contractor. A list of contractors in your area is available by contacting sales@nielslarsen.co.uk

    SUPERVISION.
    Children should always be supervised by a qualified adult when using gymnastic equipment and suitable matting should be placed appropriately. Useful advisory organisations include the Afpe.org.uk (Association for Physical Education) at www.Afpe.org.uk and British Gymnastics at www.british-gymnastics.org

  • Our team at Niels Larsen are committed to maintaining close customer contacts. If you have any comments (good or bad!) about any aspect of our products or services, we are keen to hear from you.

    • Is our website and company literature clear and helpful?
    • Do our prices and delivery times broadly meet your needs?
    • Could any of our products be improved, in terms of quality or fitness-for-purpose?
    • Are there any gaps in our range?
    • Perhaps you have an idea for a product we could develop?

    Click here to contact us about any customer service matter.

  • Niels Larsen Ltd is a member of CKMA (Calderdale and Kirklees Manufacturing Alliance

  • Niels Larsen Limited has developed an integrated management system based on the requirements of ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001.

    The Organisational Context of Niels Larsen has been used in the development of this policy by ensuring applicable external and internal factors have been considered along with the needs & expectations of interested parties that are relevant to the company’s direction and improvement and performance.

    The company places high emphasis on continually improving its processes and products to exceed the requirements of customers…. read more