Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day to hospitals, schools, homes, hotels, offices, retail and sports facilities. Nader Ghavami/archives

Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day to hospitals, schools, homes, hotels, offices, retail and sports facilities. Nader Ghavami/archives

The firm said in an online statement published on Monday that the attack was detected on 29 April. It affected part of its operations despite security measures put in place by the group.

“The group immediately shut down its IT systems and put in place the necessary preventive measures to protect its operations, as well as the data of its employees, customers and partners,” it said. “Tarkett's teams are fully mobilised and accompanied by world-renowned independent computer and investigative experts to enable a return to normal operations as quickly as possible. Commercial activities and production remain disrupted. Tarkett is in contact with the relevant authorities and has notified its cyber security insurer.”

The 140 year-old firm had a turnover of €3 billion last year. The cyberattack comes after the IT system of Luxembourg supermarket chain Cactus was hacked on 29 April, forcing it to temporarily close three stores.