Irvin & Sellers commenced trading in 1799 in Derby Road, Bootle, Liverpool. They imported Honduras Mahogany and other exotic hardwoods to manufacture roller blocks for cotton textile machinery. Eventually the business progressed to concentrate on importing exotic hardwoods from around the world.
Irvin & Sellers commenced trading in Northern Ireland pre-Second World War. Their first premises were at Corporation Square, Belfast. The company came to Northern Ireland because of the thriving linen industry, they continued to serve this market segment. In 1960 they moved to 21 Duncrue Street, Belfast which gave the company a saw milling facility for the first time.
Over the next twenty years Irvin & Sellers were subject to a series of take-overs and mergers. The company had several different owners these included Hahn & Co, Tower Assets, Tremlets and International Timber. The last merger was between Montegue L Meyer and International Timber in 1986. These two companies formed Meyer International, thus bringing together Irvin & Sellers, J.W. Jacob and Keizer Venesta under the same management team. In 1991 the local management bought the companies from Meyer International and formed the IJK Timber Group.