Tile International 2/2013

ISSN2039-8301

Parquet & iSaloni

2013

MACHINES AND TOOLS FOR THE TILE & STONE PROFESSIONALS

r a i m o n d i u t e n s i l i . i t

300 CM / 10’ SLABS? THE COMPLETE LINE OF EQUIPMENT FOR CUTTING, FINISHING, HANDLING AND INSTALLATION. Professional cutting-guide for porcelain slabs up to 3 meters length (10’).

Dismountable in two bars of 1.5 meters each (5’) for the ease of transport and when cutting slabs up to 1.5 meters (5’).

Supplied with case for squares, pliers and cutting-unit storage and transport.

FREE-CUT

PRO-CUTTING-OF PLIERS Extra cutting-of pliers for material of thickness from 6 up to 12 mm (¼” – ½”).

Usefull also when very precision cut-off is needed.

They apply progressive and balanced pressure.

For easy handling of huge tiles up to 300 cm lenght (10’). Disassembable in two bars of 1.5 meters (5’) each for easy transport. Use one bar only to handle tiles up to 1.5 meter (5’).

EASY-MOVE CUTTING UNIT WITH ANGLE GRINDER (45° AND 90° VERSIONS AVAILABLE) Complete cutting unit with angle grinder. Available in 45° and 90° versions. Insert it into the “Free-Cut” guide and cut. For cut and bevel standard thick tiles even in thin strips as well as thin slabs. Provided with power tool. Dry cut. Provided with hole fitting for dust extraction devices.

Rubber anti-bouncing tile beater to improve adhesive bounding and to expel air from underneath the slabs/tiles. Rubber bottom to prevent tiles/slabs damages.

RUBBER TILE BEATER

FINISHING DIAMOND PADS To fine-finish the edge after cut when needed. Grit from 100 to 3500.

Dry use.

graphic design & photo: www.gruppobento.com

MULTIPLO 110/180/240 The new dimensions of beauty.

Discover the new Stilnovo Multiplo on www.stile.com

STILE PAVIMENTI LEGNO S.P.A. via dei laghi 18 Bivio Lugnano 06018 CITTA’ DI CASTELLO (PG) tel. +39.075.86.47.61 e-mail: stile@stile.com Numero Verde 800.217.630

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Original Parquet

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Raimondi

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Saudi Ceramics

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Schlüter Systems

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• Contributing editors: - Luca Baraldi - Milena Bernardi - Sara Falsetti - Paola Giacomini

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Contents 9 - Editorial

Contrasting signals from the market

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

PHOTOnews 10 - Cotto d’Este supplies coverings for Unipol Tower 12 - Crystal care anti-bacterial system by Listone Giordano 14 - Poolside safety by Monocibec 16 - Edilteco and the Renzo Piano Auditorium 18 - Tilefax In the Spotlight 30 - Cotto forges ahead 34 - Litokol’s 45 Anniversary 38 - Kütahya bets on large-size tiles

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Economic&Market 42 - A breath of optimism at Coverings 46 - Internationalisation saves the italian ceramic industry 50 - The European parquet industries in 2012 Distribution 54 - Atelier de Façonnage & Décoration 58 - Minoli celebrate unprecedented awards success 62 - Ceramic Surfaces

Different materials, applications and functions

72 - iSaloni 2013

The 52nd edition of “iSaloni” comes to an end in Milan

84 - Topics

30 34 54 72

The floor as a comfort zone

Projects 86 - Progress Profiles: simply the Best 90 - Laticrete soars to new heights with the Al Hamra Tower Cover picture by: FLAVIKER - www.flavikerpisa.it Advertiser’s list: page 5 Subscription order form: www.tiledizioni.it/subscription Translations: Geoff Day / John Freeman

Tile International 1/2013

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Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E Bodentemperierung mit Schlüter®-DITRA Technologie Floor heating system with Schlüter®-DITRA technology

Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E ist ein System zur elektrischen Bodentemperierung, welches schnell wohlig warme Fußböden schafft. Die Heizkabel von Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E werden in der Entkopplungsmatte überall dort verlegt, wo schnell und gezielt Bodenflächen erwärmt werden sollen. Durch eine flexible Steuerung von Temperaturen und Heizzeiten über den SchlüterFußbodentemperaturregler schaffen Sie mit Schlüter®-DITRAHEAT-E warme Fliesen wann und wo Sie wollen.

Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E is a system for electrical floor heating that quickly creates comfortably warm floors. The heating cables of Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E are installed in the uncoupling mat below the specific floor areas you want to heat up quickly. Thanks to the flexible control of temperatures and heating times provided by the Schlüter floor thermostat, you can use Schlüter®-DITRAHEAT-E to create warm tiles whenever and wherever you choose.

Funktionen auf einen Blick: Functions at a glance:

Argumente, die überzeugen: System benefits include: wohlige Wärme im Handumdrehen  schafft Creates instant cozy warmth

Entkoppeln neutralisiert Uncoupling neutralizes Formveränderung deflection forces

temperierte Zonen können individuell  ausgelegt werden Rissüberbrückung Crack-bridging

Heating zones can be configured individually für Renovierungen dank  ideal niedriger Aufbauhöhe Ideally suited for renovation projects thanks to low assembly height mit bewährter DITRA-Technologie  entkoppelt Uncoupling with proven DITRA technology

Lastabtragung

direkt in den Untergrund

Load transfer

directly into the substrate

Einfache Verlegung der Heizkabel Simple installation of heating cables

Fliesen auch auf kritischen  warme Untergründen Warms tiles even on problematic substrates

Schlüter-Systems KG · Schmölestraße 7 · D-58640 Iserlohn · Tel.: +49 2371 971-0 · Fax: +49 2371 971-111 · www.schlueter-systems.com

180 cm 20 cm

The new dimension of design By improving the raw extrusion technology, nuovocorso developed a line of edge-ground porcelain stoneware floors featuring slabs up to 200 cm long, provided with amazing cohesion and strength, as well as outstanding flexibility.

This extruded material ensures a quick and flawless laying of nuovocorso floors.

Once installed, they level out by themselves and are perfectly flat despite the remarkable size of slabs, meeting the requirements of the modern living design. nuovocorso, a new perspective for the living dimension.

VISIT US AT CERSAIE 2013 23rd-27th September - Pav. 15/Stand D1

www.nuovocorso.it

Editorial

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

Contrasting signs from Europe and the USA

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The lesson of history is that these cycles reach Europe about a year after their appearance in the USA. 5

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Contrasting signs are emerging from the United States, meanwhile, where unemployment started rising again (to 7.6% after dropping to 7.5% in April) although, according to the Department of Employment, jobs in non-agricultural sectors rose by 175,000 in the same month, as against the figure of 170,000 forecast by analysts. Unemployment benefit figures for May also surprised analysts, who had forecast a stable situation with approximately 340,000 applications, which in reality amounted to 354,000.

Improvements in the United States construction industry, however, are looking more decisive. According to a report from ANSA dated 22 June: “The race for bricks and mortar in the United States is back on. With the FED set to suspend quantitative easing as

ury villas, via major architectural projects like the Porsche Building overlooking the ocean, which is offering loft apartments with price tags ranging from 3 million to 45 million USD.” To sum up, the USA, which was the first country to be hit by the property crisis that then spread worldwide, is also the first to show signs of recovery: having already recorded sales growth of 10% in 2012, prices rose by 12% in the first quarter of 2013, thus confirming the upswing in new home sales (+20% compared with the same quarter of the previous year) and reducing unsold stock levels.

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early as September, the volatility of the financial markets and uncertainty over monetary policy are making property a safe-haven asset once again, and lifting the American property market out of recession. Rising prices and the fact that the majority of transactions (up to 70%) are concluded in cash suggest that the market that was at the eye of the storm in 2008 is now returning to full health. The fastest movement is in the luxury home segment, where demand is high and supply short, and buyers are willing to pay substantial premiums, again all in cash.

New York tops the league by value, while Miami leads the field on number of transactions. “Money is changing hands again and people want to spend it, especially on houses. Many buyers are willing to pay a premium too, because supply is short”, explains Vickey Barron, an agent specialising in luxury real estate, such as the Walker Tower, a historic building on New York’s 18th Street, which is under renovation and offering large apartments from starting prices of 9 million USD. (…)

According to the Realtors Association, prices have also risen by 11% in Miami over the past 12 months, and the number of transactions has gone up by 30%. There is brisk interest in all types of real estate: from studio apartments to lux-

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2006 to just 60,000 today, is soon expected to enjoy a substantial upturn (of up to 1520%). So Europe’s construction industry should improve in 2014 (+0.5%) and put recession behind it in 2015 (+1.7%), although there are still significant differences between the 15 western-block countries, for which Euroconstruct is forecasting growth of 1.6% by value in 2015, and their four eastern counterparts – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – which are forecast to see growth of 3.7%.

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At its meeting on 6 June, the Governing Council of the ECB decided that the interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility would remain unchanged at 0.50%, 1.00% and 0.00% respectively.

At a press conference, Mario Draghi, the bank’s President, then announced that GDP growth forecasts had been revised downwards slightly for the current year (-0.6%), but upwards slightly for 2014 (+1.1%), on the grounds that economic activity is stabilising and an upturn is expected by the end of the year.

As for the European construction industry, the 75th Conference of Euroconstruct, held in Copenhagen on 13 and 14 June 2013, confirmed that 2012-2013 had been a difficult year characterised by falls in key indicators for all of its 19 member states, with the exception of Germany, Austria and Norway. Total construction revenues at the close of 2012 were down by 5.3%, and a further fall is forecast for 2013 (-2.8%). The prospects for 2014-2015, however, are improving, as many countries are expected to stabilise and some should see a distinct recovery. These include Spain which, in the wake of a severe recession that saw residential building alone fall from 850,000 new dwelling units in

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COTTO D'ESTE SUPPLIES COVERINGS FOR UNIPOL TOWER The Unipol Tower, which is the headquarters of the Unipol financial group, is Bologna’s first skyscraper to exceed 100 metres in height, and is the highest tower in the entire Emilia Romagna region of Italy: standing 125 metres tall, it has 25 back-office floors, 3 front-office floors with hanging gardens, a triple-height entrance lobby and 3 floors below ground level.

For the Unipol Tower’s interior coverings, the architecture firm

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Open Project used over 10,000 sq.m of Kerlite (Over-Road series, in multiple formats with a thickness of 3.5mm), Cotto d'Este’s ultra-slim porcelain ceramic.

Kerlite,“the new architectural covering”, comes in large-format sheets of porcelain ceramic, measuring up to 3 x 1 m, with a thickness of 3 mm, and makes an ideal wall covering for homes, offices and public buildings, both indoors and out.

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CRYSTAL CARE ANTI-BACTERIAL SYSTEM

BY LISTONE GIORDANO Listone Giordano’s Research & Development team has deployed a new production process, conducted in partnership with ICRO, to create a special formulation for wood flooring, which eliminates some of the most hazardous bacteria for human health.

The project centres on people and the healthy condition of their habitat: this is Crystal Care, a new generation of finishes - XPlus, Naturplus and Oleostrong – that transform the beauty of wood coverings into an eco-active, anti-bacterial material.

How does it work?

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How does it manifest its capacity to make normally bacteria-friendly surfaces inhospitable?

The active ingredients of Crystal Care are based on anti-microbial substances or biocides, which work by ion exchange.

These substances are integrated into the structure of the finish so they do not get washed away during cleaning and maintenance, and they do not lose their effectiveness over time.

Listone Giordano also emphasises that these substances are non-toxic and are not released into the environment, so the treatment is totally safe and risk-free.

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POOLSIDE SAFETY BY MONOCIBEC For his renovation of the swimming pool area in the grounds of the Residence Punta Grò in Sirmione, the architect Luca Forghieri chose Monocibec’s Geotech collection.

Situated on the southern shore of Lake Garda, a few kilometres from Peschiera and Sirmione, the Residence Punta Grò is a complex dating back to the early 1970s, consisting of 20

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residential buildings set in 50,000 sq.m of garden.

The residence boasts two swimming pools, a hydromassage pool and a children’s pool, so materials with highly specific technical characteristics were needed for their renovation, to ensure the safety of users, young and old; durability, ease of maintenance, and attractive, modern styling.

Geotech met the client’s

requirements perfectly, because it is a floor tile collection designed for outdoor use, made exclusively with a natural finish and edge, and offering excellent non-slip properties (R11 - A+B).

The architect chose Geotech in the colour Pietra Dorata, for a harmonious effect, and alternated two formats, namely 25x50 and 25x25 cm.

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EDILTECO AND THE RENZO PIANO AUDITORIUM The “Auditorium del Parco”, also known as the “Auditorium del Castello” by virtue of its castle location, is a “provisional” structure for hosting concerts and theatre in the grounds of the Forte Spagnolo in L'Aquila.

Based on an idea by Claudio Abbado and designed by the architect Renzo Piano, it was built using funds donated to the city by the Autonomous Province of Trento following the 2009 earthquake.

The companies involved in the construction of the Auditorium included Edilteco, based in San Felice sul Panaro, which is another locality that was hard hit by the earthquake that struck the Emilia region of Italy in 2012.

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making big gains in market share in recent years, partly for technical and economic reasons and partly for their anti-seismic properties, have one common feature: low mass per unit of area, and therefore they require a wide range of insulating products in sheet and panel form.”

That’s where Edilteco came in, because the company has made sound insulation a company mission in recent years, which is why it set up the dBred Noise Reduction division and forged a partnership with the world’s leading manufacturer of materials made from recycled rubber.

Edilteco’s products, which are developed by the dBred Noise Reduction division and contain SBR rubber fibre, deliver high levels of functional and

The Auditorium is made up of three cubes of different sizes: the largest can accommodate 238 spectators and 40 musicians, and features a wooden structure with a 30°rake; while the two smaller cubes provide the foyer and dressing rooms.

The chosen material for the structure is European spruce from the Val di Fiemme in the Trentino region of Italy: offering excellent acoustics, that make buildings resonate like musical instruments in their own right, Trentino spruce is resistant to seismic oscillations and ideal for safe, eco-sustainable construction.

Lightweight wood structures, however, explains Michele Chiarato, an engineer and the head of the dBred division of Edilteco “… which have been

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acoustic performance.

Edilteco also largely resolved the problems associated with the diffusion of acoustic vibration within the three cubes that constitute the structure of the Auditorium, using Regupol BA, an eggboxtype anti-vibration and sound insulation product.

Regupol BA is a multi-layer sheet comprising selected SBR rubber fibres and granules, bound with polyurethane resins with a density of 550 kg/m3. The eggbox conformation of one of the two faces reduces the contact area to one fifth of the total area.

Maximum thickness does not exceed 17 mm and minimum thickness is 8 mm. Regupol BA by Edilteco can be used in single, double or triple layers.

Tile International 2/2013

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Companies, News & Markets NEW VERSION OF TABLET APP

ever greater confirmation of the signs of recovery that first emerged in 2012, the other markets are still languishing, with a negative effect on global turnover. Italy is down by 12% while Europe, which is greatly affected by the enormous difficulties on the Portuguese market (-24%) combined with falling sales in France, Germany and the Netherlands, displayed an overall downturn of 13%. Also Asia, South America, Oceania and Africa suffered a decline compared to 2012 Q1, but thanks to the acquisition of several important building projects and to the commercial partnership forged with one of the biggest Brazilian operators in the ceramics sector there are good prospects of regaining lost ground in the coming months.

Net sales revenues at 31 March 2013 were €66.7 million, 7% down on the equivalent period in 2012. EBITDA stood at €5.1 million, corresponding to 7.2% of the value of production (€6.8 million at 31 March 2013), while EBIT was booked at €0.7 million (€2.2 million at 31 March 2012).

Readers are reminded that the old version of the tablet app of Tile Italia, Tile International, Ceramic World Review and Brick World Review, published by Tile Edizioni, was de-activated on January.

The new version, which is much faster and features new graphic design, is already available.

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PANARIAGROUP: US BUSINESS UNIT UP 12%

NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR KALE ITALIA

The positive trend is continuing for Panariagroup's US business unit, which closed 2013 Q1 at +12%. Results were positive for all distribution channels although the Florida Tile stores network performed particularly well, recording a rise in sales of almost 20%.

If the US market, which accounts for 31% of the Group's total sales, is providing

After reopening its Borgotaro plant, Kale Italia has reached another important milestone in the process of consolidation of its Italian operations.

The company's offices are currently being transferred to the new completely renovated headquarters, reorganized to maximize productivity and management efficiency, in Ubersetto in the mu-

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nicipality of Fiorano Modenese.

Kale Italia's relocation from the original headquarters in via Radici in Piano was subsequently completed by transferring the logistics department to via Viazza in Fiorano Modenese, where the company has a site of approximately 40,000 m2, of which 8,000 m2 covered.

Kale Italia, which is currently relaunching the historic Edilcuoghi, Edilgres and Campani brands, is investing significant resources in both the technological development of its plant and in the management of its human resources. The new headquarters will feature large open space offices to promote beneficial continual interaction between the areas of sales, research and logistics with the aim of engendering a process of constant improvement in the services supplied to customers.

According to the previous general manager, Burak Orhun, recently replaced by Paolo Cavallacci, “In addition to excelling on the market due to the high quality of our products, we aim to achieve recognition for our attention to the wellbeing of personnel in the workplace, which we plan to make one of the most efficiently-run in the ceramic district�.

RAIMONDI S.P.A. DOUBLES ITS PRODUCTION FLOOR SPACE. From 29 April 2013 Raimondi S.p.A. (Italian leader in the production of tools and machinery for the installation of ceramic and natural stone coverings since 1974) is moving part of its operations to

a new plant that will operate alongside the existing facility.

Thanks to the new site, which has total floor space of 5,400 m2 of which 1,200 m2 used for offices, a showroom and a demo area, the company's total production/operative floor space is now approximately 13,000 m2. The new headquarters are occupied by the sales and administrative functions, the main finished products warehouse and the shipping department, while R&D and production activities remain on the original site.

The new plant, which was built making

use of the latest technologies to maximize energy efficiency, forms part of a raft of investments aimed at boosting productivity and efficiency and supporting significant expansion in the sphere of information technology with the consequent allocation of resources.

Despite the current economic climate, the decision to expand the company was made to assist growing export sales and to get into the best possible shape to reap the maximum benefits when the market finally stabilizes and returns to growth, which will hopefully occur in the not too distant future.

KERASAN, KEEPING AN EYE ON CONTRACT PRODUCTS

itary ware the collection also includes floor-standing and wall hung urinals. All the bathroom fixtures are made of fine ceramics in Italy. The Aquatech line also includes a free-standing washbasin with a sculpted profile (60x40x85) and a bath-tub made of Pietraluce with a bath shelf in natural teak, ideal for bathrooms in hotels and spa centres.

Kerasan brings its design flair to public conveniences and toilets in spa centres and hotels with the Aquatech collection - designed by Massimiliano Cicconi - to offer a range of sanitary ware specifically created for use in public toilets.

The wall hung washbasin is extremely robust and features an ergonomic rounded shape. The WC has a water saving system in compliance with class 2 of EN 997 (the new European standard for WC pans that specifies the use of just 3 litres of water for a partial flush and 4.5 litres for a full flush). In addition to classic san-

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MAPEI GOES TO TURKEY Mapei SpA, world leader in the building chemicals business, has acquired the Turkish company Wallmerk Construction Chemicals Building Industry and Trade Inc., bringing its worldwide presence to 63 production plants in 31 countries in all 5 continents.

Incorporated in 2007, Wallmerk Construction is based in Polatli, which is in one of the most important industrial districts near Ankara and a strategic area for the Turkish market.

The company occupies a 23,000 m2 site with 5,000 m2 of covered floor space and operates in the production and sale of building chemicals with a range of more than 200 products including waterproofing agents, special mortars and fixing mortars, tile adhesives and grouts, thermal insulation materials, interior and exterior paints and industrial floor coatings.

In 2012 Wallmerk Construction reported sales in excess of €10 million.

To quote Veronica Squinzi, Mapei's Internationalization and Development Executive: “We are extremely proud of this operation, which allows us to gain an operational foothold on the Turkish market that we were already serving - although on a marginal level - by importing Mapei products made in our other European sites.

Our internationalization strategy is based on the principle of moving closer to local markets and minimizing transport costs while constantly delivering the level of excellence guaranteed by our R&D centres.

The acquisition of Wallmerk is another step in this direction, allowing us to serve a dynamic and active market like Turkey,

Tile International 2/2013

which has the added attraction of being able to act as a commercial bridgehead between Europe and Asia”.

Turkey has the third highest population in Europe after Russia and Germany and today it is the sixteenth largest world economy, although given the current rate of growth it looks set to gain a place among the world's top 10 economies by 2023. In addition, Turkey is the second largest ceramics market in Europe, the top European producer and exporter of cement, and the third on a worldwide basis.

The Mapei Group's constant internationalization process, which started back in 1978, is directly connected to the growth of sales recorded over the past 20 years: in 1990 consolidated turnover totalled 150 billion Lire, while in 2012 it exceeded 2 billion euro, of which 70% generated outside Italy.

BAUWERK PARKETT: INDUSTRIAL MERGER WITH THE NORWEGIAN BOEN AS Bauwerk Parkett - the Swiss company that is the European leader in the production of two-layer parquet - has announced a merger with the Norwegian Boen AS group.

The union of the two companies will result in the creation of Bauwerk Boen, the second-largest European parquet manufacturer with sales of more than €225 million, 1,400 employees and production capacity of more than 8 million square metres of wood flooring

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(around 7 times the surface area of the city of Rome).

The merger will allow the exploitation of important industrial synergies and further development of the sales network, extending its reach to include east European and Mediterranean countries.

The group will have its headquarters in Zurich and it will be headed by the current Bauwerk Parkett CEO, Klaus Brammertz who will be flanked by Boen CEO, Thorleif Hals.

Founded in 1939 at St. Margrethen by Ernst Göhner - inventor of the modern 2-layer adhesive bonding parquet Bauwerk sold more than 4 thousand square metres of parquet in 2012 alone.

Swiss by birthright, over the years the company has cultivated the typical vocation for quality of the Alpine confederation, achieving distinction thanks to its use of certified wood sourced from responsibly managed forests and from European regions with controlled replanting programmes.

Another mark of distinction is the company's insistence on using exclusively adhesives that do not contain solvents or other substances that are potentially hazardous for health.

With around 600 personnel in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy, Bauwerk manufactures and markets more than 400 types of parquet and a vast assortment of accessories.

Tilefax

70 YEARS OF SUCCESS FOR FILA - SURFACE CARE SOLUTIONS Fila - Surface Care Solutions, a top specialist in solutions for cleaning and treatment of building surfaces, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1943 by Guido and Pietro Pettenon, since 1970 Fila has been headed by Beniamino Pettenon, who has brought the company to its current status as a brand of excellence.

Today, Fila has six foreign subsidiaries (France, Spain, Germany, UK, US and Arab Emirates) and sales networks in more than 60 countries.

It was in Dubai that Fila recently inaugurated its sixth subsidiary: a strategic centre that employs technical experts and sales people with a mission to provide direct support for clients throughout the fast-growing Middle-Eastern area.

Fila is also the only brand of surface cleaning, protection and maintenance solutions to be recommended by more than 200 international floor and wall covering manufacturers, all of whom endorse Fila treatment systems.

Fila’s new pay-off, with the previous Surface Care Products giving way to Surface Care Solutions, reflects a shift in emphasis in the organisation. The decision was based on the type of service the company supplies to its clients: an extended system that integrates product performance with technical and commercial consultancy services, increasingly important on today's market and able to function as a differentiating and distinguishing factor.

“We are proud to be celebrating our 70th anniversary with the accomplishment of these important goals – ex-

plains Chairman Beniamino Pettenon (pictured) – which I'm happy to share with all our staff, because the strength of our company is to be found also in the professionalism and passion of the people that work with us day after day. It is our intention to press ahead with our expansion so that we can work even closer to our customers, surpassing their expectations and offering increasingly qualified services and advice”.

the German Design Council that gives recognition to particularly innovative projects that combine design, research applied to materials and technology, and sustainability in terms of production and use. 5MM, made entirely of satin stainless steel (completely free from lead, chrome and nickel) is available in a counter-top version (55 mm wide, 210 mm deep and 155 mm in height) and in a wall-mounted version (150 mm wide, 220 mm deep and 60 mm in height).

The styling of 5MM reflects the essential characteristics of the technology employed to create it: the unit’s constant thickness of 5 millimetres, also in the counter-top version, incorporates the outlet of water from the spout and also its internal transit through the mixing system. The use of a single steel gauge for all parts of the tap - from the control levers to all internal components - means that the innovatively styled 5MM is a particularly lightweight unit.

Apart from imparting innovative aesthetic appeal to the tap, this technology is also employed to maximise performance in terms of eco-sustainability and water saving.

TREEMME RUBINETTERIE WINS THE DESIGN PLUS AWARD The 5MM collection, manufactured by Treemme Rubinetterie, was honoured at the Frankfurt ISH exhibition with the prestigious Design Plus award based on a competition held in collaboration with

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Tilefax

FIANDRE OPENS NEW MAXIMUM SHOWROOM Fiandre inaugurated its new Maximum showroom, an open space of over 250 sq.m at the Fiandre Megastore in Castellarano (Reggio Emilia, Italy), on 8 May. The company’s new, large-format Maximum tiles (measuring 300x150 cm, equating to a surface area of 4.5 sq.m per tile) push back the frontiers of design and open the way to new forms and new expressions. This is the only format of its kind in the world, and combined with its thickness of just 6 mm, it offers a host of potential to explore and a myriad of new creative challenges. According to Federica Minozzi, Managing Director of GranitiFiandre: “This material drew inspiration from the desire to excel, and to go beyond the ordinary and the habitual. So as the product itself represents a challenge, it was also a challenge to come up with a display con-

PIEMMEGRES WINS WALL TILE OF THE YEAR AWARD Piemmegres (the hi-tech brand of Industrie Ceramiche Piemme), was recently

Tile International 2/2013

cept that goes beyond the ordinary and to present this ceramic not as a material for covering surfaces, but as a creator of space in its own right.”

The challenge was taken up by Lukasz Zagala and Przemo Lukasik – of Studio MedusaGroup – who saw the material as: “An opportunity to reconsider the potential of a new ceramic material in an entirely unexplored way. The idea of a showroom dedicated to Maximum that confined itself to the simple covering of surfaces was unthinkable. That’s why we decided to design a kind of dynamic, fluctuating object, which you can even climb onto so as to discover different points of view and new forms from the material itself.”

MAXIMUM is made in Italy only, in Casalgrande’s plants, using an innovative production process, which delivers major energy savings because it has eliminated the pressing phase and made the firing phase less energy-hungry.

selected for the “Wall Tile of the Year Award” by The Tile Association (TTA), the UK’s trade and industrial association for the ceramic industry, thanks to the creative peculiarities of the three-dimension-

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al surfaces of Newstone, made using state-of-the-art production technologies.

This is an award of considerable international value, which not only highlights the prowess of Piemmegres, but also highlights the level of quality of the Italian ceramic industry as a whole, which is fighting with courage and determination against the economic crisis, and continuing to come up with stylistic and technical innovations underpinned by Italian technologies and craftsmanship of world-class excellence. The quality of Piemmegres products is appreciated the world over and is widely used in major residential and commercial construction projects. This keeps Industrie Ceramiche Piemme’s export levels high, enabling it to report excellent results and continuous growth. As Coverings in Atlanta, USA, came to an end recently, there were signs of a marked recovery compared with previous editions, at which Piemmegres was exceptionally well received, and consolidated its status as a key player in the industry.

Tilefax

WERNER SCHLÜTER SELECTED FOR JOE A. TARVER AWARD 2013 On Wednesday May 1, 2013, the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) awarded Schluter®-Systems founder, Werner Schlüter, the Joe A. Tarver award for Lifetime Service to the Tile Industry.

The NTCA very rarely assigns its “Lifetime Service Award”, which is a special honor reserved for outstanding personalities who have made a long-term contribution to the entire Tile Industry.

The NTCA’s award was named after Joe A. Tarver, who served as the Association’s Executive Director from 1972-2002.

Starting his career as a tile layer on the building sites around the German town of Iserlohn, “master-tiler” Werner Schlüter introduced the very first “Schluter®SCHIENE” profile in 1975, to provide a simple solution to a common problem, which left exposed tile edges vulnerable to chipping and breaking. Decades later, this first metal L-profile has developed into an entire company with over 40 product lines specially designed for tile.

“During the past 28 years it has been a

privilege to serve the American market.

The open mind and welcoming attitude of contractors, distributors and dealers have been great contributors to our growth and success,” said Werner Schlüter. “I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to industry organizations such as the NTCA,TCA, CTEF,TTMAC and several others, who have supported us in many ways, particularly through the inclusion of innovative technologies in industry handbooks and manuals, as well as education and training.”

The special Awards program took place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, in conjunction with Coverings 2013.

PROGRESS PROFILES: GOOD RESULTS IN RUSSIA AND UNITED STATES Progress Profiles, Italy’s leading manufacturer of technical and decorative finishing profiles, is enjoying continued growth. Headquartered in Asolo in the Italian province of Treviso, the company exports its products to over 50 countries worldwide, and successfully took part in major international trade fairs in Moscow (Mosbuild; see photo of the company’s stand) and Atlanta (Coverings).

Visitors flocked to Progress Profiles’ stands in large numbers, to view the company’s vast product range, comprising over 12,500 articles in stainless steel, aluminium, brass, PVC and wood. Visitors showed particular interest in the skirting boards and listels, which offer top-quality solutions capable of satisfying the most discerning customers, and in the innovative Proleveling System, a revolutionary, patented levelling system for the installation of medium and large ce-

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ramic floor tiles and slim tiles, consisting of just two elements: a leveller and a tierod. Proleveling System also offers ease and simplicity of installation, and is the only system in the world capable of levelling T-junctions with a single piece, thereby saving three pieces for the junctions and two pieces for the Ts. In the wake of 28 years of success on world markets, Progress Profiles – which has recorded growth of over 20% in the past 10 years – closed 2012 with revenues of almost 20 million euros, thanks to constant commitment to technological investment, qualified in-house staff and a top-flight sales network. Exports accounted for 29% of total revenues, thanks to significant investments in new sites in Moscow, Dubai and Randolf, New Jersey. This figure is backed up by a series of other indicators of the company’s vitality, including an increase in employees, prompt streamlining of costs, an increase in in-house design capacity and ongoing investment in specialised training.

Tile International 2/2013

Tilefax

FMG MAXFINE AT THE VENICE BIENNIAL “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters. And God said: “Let there be light!” And there was light.” (Genesis 1:1; 1:3) These words describe the beginning of the world, and its origins from the essential elements: earth, water and light.

They were also the inspiration behind Studio Azzurro’s installation at the 55th International Art Exhibition in Venice.

The installation took the form of a pavilion, created by Studio Azzurro in partnership with FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti, in which the book of Genesis was interpreted by means of an interactive video-installation in which the primordial element – in other words, the earth that

CERCOL FOR WOOD FLOORING Cercol has recently presented a new comprehensive range of products for the installation of wood flooring, specifi-

Tile International 2/2013

was brought to life by light – was represented by FMG Maxfine tile.

“It is an honour and a privilege for us that Studio Azzurro chose MAXFINE large-format tile by Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti for the creation of the Pavilion of the Holy See”, explained Federica Minozzi, the company’s Managing Director. “We see it as a new achievement that remind us of our origins, and of the fact that everything comes from earth and fire, and everything is forged from natural elements.

That’s how our materials come into being, and above all, they come into being as an ecological and high-performance alternative to the precious materials that nature offers us. Replicating marble and stone in the factory enables us to preserve the quarries that have graced our country for millennia, while at the same time bringing the world an attractive, high-tech, ductile medium at the service of creativity.”

yurethane adhesive, without solvents or free amines) and F.80 Puliparquet (a cleaning fluid for parquet floors).

F.24 Poliprimer Mono, which features ultra-low volatile organic compound emissions, is designed to treat cement-based screeds with high humidity and/or insubstantial surfaces before laying parquet flooring and, since it is a singlecomponent product, it has the added benefit of reusability. F.30 Parquet A+B and F.30 Monoparquet are adhesives that offer high coverage, ease of application and excellent rib stability and are recommended for bonding all types of pre-finished or traditional parquet to all types of substrates, including heated floors, while respecting the environment and the health and safety of installers and end users thanks to their ultra-low solvent contents.

F.80 Puliparquet is specifically designed for cleaning the surface of coated prefinished parquet to remove fresh residues of reactive adhesives.

DOMUS LINEA PRESENTS TAVELLA ATLANTIS cally: F.24 Poliprimer Mono (a hygrohardening solvent-free single-component polyurethane primer), F.30 Parquet A+B (a two-component epoxy-polyurethane adhesive), F.30 Monoparquet (a single-component hygro-hardening pol-

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An innovative solution for residential floor slabs from Domus Linea, a company based in Rubiera (Reggio Emilia, Italy), with the Tavella Atlantis, a hollow tile that is the result of years of experimenta-

Tilefax

9TH CASALGRANDE PADANA GRAND PRIX AWARDED IN MILAN

tion and research.

In line with the principles of bioecological architecture and manufactured using extrusion techniques, Tavella Atlantis is made in a 25x50 cm format with a maximum thickness of approximately 5 cm in two versions: red, the natural colour of terracotta, and glazed white.

Compared to conventional materials this innovative hollow tile offers a number of benefits including its superior modulus of rupture, which enables it to support pedestrian traffic without the use of reinforcing meshes thus facilitating installation and guaranteeing the safety of construction workers.

Tavella Atlantis has obtained ANAB environmental management systems accreditation, confirming that it qualifies for inclusion within the group of materials classified as “Suitable for use in Bioecological Architecture”.

DIE KERNIGE BY NATURINFORM: THE NEW OUTDOOR DECKING IN WPC Made of WPC (Wood-Polymer-Composite), the distinctive feature of Die Kernige is its natural wood effect.

Belonging to the NATURinFORM collection, Die Kernige stands out for its pro-

Over 20 years of history, nine editions and more than 1500 projects from five continents: these are the figures that sum up the Grand Prix, an architecture competition that has become a privileged vantage point from which to observe the evolution of ceramic and its applications, and the development of design and construction research in general.

The Casalgrande Padana Grand Prix awards ceremony saw the participation of renowned exponents of architectural culture and figures from the worlds of design, criticism, academia and the media, and was preceded by a contribution from Claudio Artusi, Chairman of CityLife, who described the CityLife Resi-

dences project, the construction of which involved the use of over 50,000 sq.m of outdoor coverings produced by Casalgrande Padana.

Attendees then listened to the muchawaited keynote speech by the architect Daniel Libeskind, who presented a selection of works – from the Jewish Museum in Berlin to the masterplan for the World Trade Center area in New York – through which he described and highlighted the distinctive characteristics of his way of working and the original aspects of his design research.

The closing event of the 2013 Grand Prix came to a symbolic end with the launch of the 10th edition of the Grand Prix, for which the closing date for entries is 31 December 2015. Any works actually completed by that date and which have not been entered in previous editions are eligible to take part.

nounced grain patterns; a full, solid appearance, and a certain roughness to the touch. The product is at its best when used for country-chic applications, for the creation of decking (for terraces, outdoor areas of restaurants, walkways, market stalls and relaxation areas in the garden), but also as flooring for swimming pool sur-

rounds, gazebos and enclosures. 100% eco-compatible, in terms of its colours too, all NATURinFORM decking is maintenance-free and offers higher levels of wear-resistance than wood, combined with excellent dimensional stability.

Die Kernige is available in three colours: brown, anthracite and grey.

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Tilefax

GARDENIA ORCHIDEA: FOUR PROJECTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Cleaner, more environmentally friendly industrial processes, products made with recycled materials, sustainable use of raw materials, elimination of hazardous substances, and reduction of atmospheric emissions and energy consumption: these are the key principles that underpin Gardenia Orchidea’s innovations.

And that’s why Gardenia has launched the following four eco-innovative projects since 2009: • Natstocer– reduction and re-use of production waste; • Energeo – energy saving and reduction of CO2 emissions; • Wap-Wir – Wall Panel Without Resin; • Eco Bull-Nose 2.0 – trim-piece cutting process involving recovery of the process water.

These four processes contribute to solving the major critical aspects of the ceramic production process, and that’s why the company has obtained the support of the European Commission.

Gardenia Orchidea, which manufacturers 5 million sq.m of ceramic every year, half of which is Bitech (white-body wall tile) and half porcelain tile, is a member of the Green Building Council Italia. The company also subscribes to the Emilia Romagna region’s projects for technological clusters, and avails itself of the consulting of the Department of Environmental and Materials Engineering of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, for the purposes of materials research and the development of eco-sustainable production processes.

Tile International 2/2013

All of the company’s products are made in Italy, testifying to its constant commitment supporting Italian manufacturing.

COOPERATIVA CERAMICA D'IMOLA WINS AWARD FOR BEST STAND AT COVERINGS Cooperativa Ceramica d'Imola came home from the recent edition of Coverings in Atlanta with a “Best Stand” award for its trophy cabinet. Cooperativa Ceramica has always paid close attention to design and the latest architectural styles, and this is coherently reflected in the passion that it puts into all its display settings, from showrooms to trade-fair stands in Italy and worldwide. A number of Cooperativa Ceramica d'Imola products, under the ImolaCeramica and LaFaenzaCeramica brands, were also used in several innovative architectural projects in the United States, and these received an honourable mention in the “Residential” category of the same awards held during Coverings.

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MOTEL ONE CHOOSES KALDEWEI SHOWER TRAYS Ursula Schelle-Müller, Head of Design and Marketing/PR Director of Motel One, recently opted for Kaldewei’s Conoflat glazed shower trays for the Motel One facilities in Stuttgart and Salzburg, and explained her decision as follows: “The design of these shower trays won us over completely: Conoflat’s central drainage outlet is aesthetically attractive and extremely functional at the same time.

Made of enamelled steel in the same colour as the shower tray itself, it is a robust, load-bearing element that is flushmounted and almost invisible.” The matt black version of Conoflat in size XXL (140x80 cm) was chosen for the renovation of Motel One’s bathrooms, because it coordinates perfectly with the granite of the bathroom area as a whole, thus meeting the customer’s high standards of styling.

A major European manufacturer of bath tubs and shower trays in 3.5 mm enamelled steel, Kaldewei is Germany’s and Europe’s leading player in the sector. In Germany, Kaldewei has been awarded a seal of approval for sustainable building and the respective declaration of eco-compatibility from the IBU (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V.) in accordance with ISO 14025. The company is also an official member of the U.S. Green Building Council, which oversees the LEED certification system.

The services offered to customers include a 30-year guarantee on all products.

Tilefax

MAPEI GROUP OPENS SECOND PLANT IN POLAND Mapei Poland officially opened its second production site in the Barcin area of the country’s centre-north region on 10 May. Giorgio Squinzi, Mapei Group CEO explained: “Poland has always been an important market for Mapei Group, partly because of its size and partly because of its potential for growth and its receptiveness to high-quality, technologically advanced products.

The plant we are inaugurating today is the second plant built to meet the demand of Mapei Poland’s customers, but in reality it is the Group’s fourth Polish plant, as it now joins the existing portfolio comprising Mapei Poland in Gliwice, our associate company Sopro Poland in Nowiny and Górka Cement in Trzebinia, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.”

With two plants, Mapei Poland’s total production capacity for products in powder form now rises to 420,000 tonnes per year, in addition to the production line for liquid additives for concrete and the cement grinding line recently installed in Gliwice.

The new plant has a covered area of 9,700 sq.m but is situated in a site with a total area of 48,000 sq.m, so as to allow

for future expansion.

It has a production capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year of products in powder form, which include adhesives for tiles and thermal insulation, self-levelling compounds, and mortars for restoration and waterproofing.

“Mapei Group is expanding in accordance with a strategy of eco-sustainable growth.

Our products are formulated to reduce energy consumption and VOC emissions and are therefore safe for the environment, for the workforce that produces them, for installers and for end users.

Our commitment to safeguarding health and the environment also finds expression in our everyday work – such as constructing plants with locally sourced, eco-sustainable materials, as close as possible to our customers and raw materials suppliers, in such a way as to reduce the distance and cost of transport,” explains Veronica Squinzi, Mapei Group’s Head of Development and Internationalisation and a Member of the Board of Directors of Mapei Poland. Against this backdrop, it is no coincidence that the Barcin production plant is one of the 17 exclusive Polish projects that have received LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, like all of the Group’s most recently built plants worldwide.

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CERAMICHE KEOPE FOR HOTEL PREMIER AQUA IN VRDNIK Ceramiche Keope, a member of the Concorde Group and a renowned manufacturer of high-quality porcelain tile, recently supplied the floor and wall tiles for the luxurious Hotel Premier Aqua, designed by Alexander Bauer of Architecture & Urbanism Laboratory.

The prestigious 5-star Hotel is in Vrdnik, between Belgrade and Novi Sad, within the Fruska Gora National park, and in addition to air with a high ozone content, it offers spa baths and thermal treatments deriving from the locality’s outstandingly pure and mineral-rich waters. Ceramiche Keope took part in the project by supplying porcelain floor and wall tiles from various collections: the Design collection (colour: Ambient; size: 30x60 cm) was used for the flooring of the Spa & Wellness Centre and in the Medical Centre, along with the Arkas wall tile collection (colour: Nuance Beige; size: 30x60 cm). The In&Out Percorsi Extra collection (colours: Pietra di Barge and Pietra di Cimbra; size: 30x60 cm) was chosen for the outdoor swimming pool area and for the flooring of the meeting rooms. The Café area, meanwhile, was finished with the Norge collection (colour: Teak; size 22x90).

Tile International 2/2013

Companies & managers

Paolo Cavallacci appointed new General Director of Kale Italia.

Mauro Vandini appointed new Managing Director of Marazzi Group.

Nino Piredda appointed new General Manager Grohe Italia

On 1 April 2013, Paolo Cavallacci took over from Burak Orhun as General Director of Kale Italia, the group which acquired the Edilgres, Edilcuoghi and Campani brands in 2011.

Cavallacci came into the ceramic industry in 2006, after holding a string of top jobs at major companies including Manetti&Roberts and Sun Chemical Group, by joining Emilceramica as Industrial Director, before then becoming the company's General Director in 2009.

From September 2012 to March 2013, Cavallacci then served as Managing Director of Ceramica Fondovalle S.p.A.

Within the framework of the management reorganisation brought about by the company's acquisition by Mohawk Industries, the Marazzi Group has appointed Maurizio Vandini as its new Managing Director.

For Vandini it’s a homecoming, because he worked for Marazzi for almost 30 years (until 2009) and now takes over from Andrea Sasso, whom the company thanks for his hard work, over the course of his brief term of office, in ensuring the success of the takeover by Mohawk Industries.

Nino Piredda has been appointed as the new General Manager of GROHE SpA, the Italian subsidiary of GROHE AG, a worldwide manufacturer of taps and fittings, bathroom accessories, kitchen mixer taps, shower systems and sanitaryware.

Piredda takes the helm at GROHE after filling the same role for several years at the Italian subsidiary of General Electric Lighting.

Born in Pavia but of Sardinian parentage, Piredda gained a degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Pavia and a Masters in Corporate Management from Deakin University in Melbourne. Over the past decade, he has held positions of increasing responsibility at Siemens, at the company’s subsidiaries in the Far East and Oceania and at its headquarters in Munich. From 2007 to 2009, Piredda was also Sales and Marketing Director at Osram.

Tile International 2/2013

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www.progressprofiles.com

Delicate details between emotion and technology

With a glance always oriented to the future.

Projolly square polished stainless steel

na olog 13 B 2014 0 2 saie for news 22 cer us Stand Visit 45 ll a H Area/

studioverde

Protermstep polished stainless steel

Profiles for steps and walls

BLACK Line Only Progress Profiles offers you a complete range of profiles for steps and walls that can satisfy any building typology. A true custom-cut cloth of excellent manufacture.

Focus on details that do the difference.

New lines enter on a wide range of finishing: the BLACK Line, that includes anodized, polished, varnished and crepĂŠ finishing for any decoration need and the tusCAny Line, that includes rustic-modern finishing to satisfy the needs of country style.

Progress Profiles spA

Certificated company UNI EN ISO 9001:2008

NE - Anodized black aluminium BN - Polished black aluminium

NS - Brushed black aluminium

tusCAny Line

03tu - Tuscany grey

05tu - Tuscany beige

20tu - Tuscany bronze

CR - Coated crepet aluminium

In the spotlight

Cotto forges ahead



With a production capacity of 150 million sq.m/year and a 2012 effective output of 136 million sq.m, Siam Cement Group (Thailand) has confirmed its position as the world’s largest ceramic tile producer in terms of volumes.

It operates 22 factories, including 17 in Thailand, 4 in Indonesia (Kia & Kokoh and PT Surya Siam Keramiks) and one in the Philippines (Mariwasa), with a total workforce of about 7,300 people.

This year’s acquisition of the Prime Group, one of the largest Vietnamese producers, further reinforces SCG’s position and level of internationalisation within the ASEAN area.

The tile business, which generated a turnover of about 525 million euro in 2012, is a significant part of the SCG Building Materials division, which also produces sanitaryware and fittings, roofing materials and wall products.

Since the year 2000, Siam Ce-

Tile International 2/2013

Anuvat Chalermchai ment Group’s growth has been accompanied by a constant attention to the latest production technologies and intensification of its global promotional activities.

The Group’s goal now is to achieve higher market coverage and brand awareness for its high-end Cotto brand outside the borders of the ASEAN region (where SCG is already the market leader in many countries), especially in western markets.

In April we met Anuvat Chalermchai, Brand Director of SCG Building Materials, at the Fuorisalone events in Milan.

Tile International: This is the second year in a row that you’ve come to Milan.

What results have you had so far?

Anuvat Chalermchai: Following the huge success and recognition last year in Tortona, this year we have aimed to reinforce awareness of the Cotto brand amongst internation-

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In the spotlight

al designers and influencers.

With this in mind, we have presented the Marmo Granito range through an original conceptual showcase that reflects Thai appreciation of nature.

Besides Tortona, we have also taken part in the event “Another Perspective� in the Ventura Lambrate zone, where we asked young designers to interpret the bathroom space using Cotto tiles and sanitaryware products.

Our presence in Milan has been very positive, a big improvement on last year with an approximately 50% increase in number of visitors and a 20% increase in brand recognition.

Most visitors have appreciated our concept and some have even considered Cotto’s showcase the best stand in Tortona.

Tile International: What new products have you launched?

A. Chalermchai: We have launched the new Eramo and Palizza series from the Marmo Granito range.

Produced using cutting-edge technology, they faithfully reproduce the beauty and appeal of two rare marbles, Canadian Eramosa limestone and veined white Palissandro marble. The tiles are coordinated with washbasins and sanitary fittings.

Tile International: What other international marketing strategies are you pursuing?

A. Chalermchai: Our strategy

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is increasingly global. Besides the Milan Design Week we have also been taking part for a number of years in Cersaie and Coverings, along with a continuous presence in the media and in regional exhibitions in the ASEAN area, our strategic market.

We plan to further consolidate our position in the ASEAN market by opening new Cotto concept showrooms aimed at end users, architects and interior designers.

Tile International: What about Thailand?

A. Chalermchai: One of our most recent initiatives was participation in Architect Fair in Thailand, where we exhibited the Caverna Nirvana concept that was so successful in Milan. In general, we are working aggressively in the commercial segment to secure key projects such as the renovation of washrooms in the Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports in Bangkok, a project that has attracted a lot of coverage in the press and social media. We are also collaborating with Florim on the latest Cotto Italia collection launched in Thailand in March, which has received very positive feedback from designers, architects and homeowners.

Tile International: Quality and design: how important have these aspects been for the growth of the Cotto brand?

A. Chalermchai: They are Del Conca "Fast" both key aspects for the Thai-

Tile International 2/2013

In the spotlight

land ceramic tile market, where consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and discerning.

We have continuously improved our new product design and increasing the skill and competency of our designers, as well as investing in R&D. At SCG we have continuously invested in new technology to increase production efficiency and product quality.

Examples include new digital printers to improve product design, an automatic warehouse for a more efficient response to market growth and dynamic consumer behaviour, and the dry grinding plant to achieve savings in energy consumption, since energy cost is becoming a key issue in the ceramic tile business in Thailand.

We are also making continuous investments to increase the level of automation of our factories.

Tile International: Environmental sustainability has long been one of your key strengths.

A. Chalermchai: Sustainable development is a practice that embraces all aspects of our business, from the manufacturing process to product development (since 2009 the Eco range has included tiles with recycled content and water-saving WCs and taps).

We aim to act as a sustainable trendsetter and leader, but the biggest challenge is to educate consumers and pro-

Tile International 2/2013

mote awareness of environmental issues.

Tile International: How is the Thai ceramic market evolving?

A. Chalermchai: Competition between local players and importers has intensified greatly in recent years, fuelling pricebased competition.

However, we believe that the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will contribute to significant economic development of the entire region and consequently long-term growth in demand.

Tile International: How did your exports evolve in 2012?

A. Chalermchai: Our exports performed very well last year.

Our primary markets remain in Asia Pacific, but we also export to USA, Australia and Scandinavian countries, where we are seeing continuous growth.

Tile International: SCG Building Materials division also has a major manufacturing activity in the ceramic sanitaryware and fittings segment. Could you tell us about that?

A. Chalermchai: Ceramic sanitaryware (3 million pieces/year) is produced by Siam Sanitary Ware Industry Company, while Siam Sanitary Fittings Company produces 10 million pieces of fittings.

The two companies employ a total workforce of more than 3,000 people and in 2012 generated a turnover of around 132 million euro.

Our manufacturing and com-

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Del Conca "Brera"

In the spotlight

mercial strategy is to offer customers a complete solution, so we deliver a coordinated range of tiles, sanitaryware and fittings based on an analysis of consumer trends.

Tile International: What new projects are on the Group’s agenda?

A. Chalermchai: Acquisitions are one of our growth strategies for expanding business and capturing new markets.

We believe this may continue to be one of our key strategies for supporting future growth.

This year we completed the acquisition of Prime Group, one of the market leaders in Vietnam with a production capacity of 75 million square metres of ceramic tiles.

This operation has also encouraged SCG to increase the competitiveness of building materials in Vietnam.

Now that our overall production capacity has reached 225 million sq.m/year following the acquisition, our goal is to become one of the world’s top 5 producers by 2016.

5

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In the spotlight

Litokol’s 45th Anniversary

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On 14 March this year, Litokol, founded in 1968, marked the 45th anniversary of its incorporation, by opening the new Starlike Division production facility in Rubiera, Italy.

Over 160 people attended the gala evening, including Litokol’s entire sales force, which now covers over 90 countries.

In addition to three production plants in Italy, the Company, which manufactures adhesives, sealants, special building renovation products, tile installation accessories and profiles, operates production plants and commercial companies in Russia, Armenia, Ukraine and China.

We invited Luciano Cottafavi, Litokol’s founder and chairman, to give us an outline of the stages that have marked the Company’s solid development in terms of results, technological progress and employment, especially over the past 20 years.

Tile International 2/2013

Luciano Cottafavi Tile International: Could you start by telling us about the new Starlike Division?

Luciano Cottafavi: The new production facility at Rubiera, which cost about 5 million euros to build, has a total area of 4150 sq.m, a compactable warehousing system and dedicated production and packaging lines.

The aim of the facility is to extend the Starlike Division, whose new Monomix sealant was officially presented at the gala evening on 14 March.

This facility is Litokol’s third production unit in Italy and is also located in Rubiera.

Our decision to set up a third production unit is emblematic of the Company’s approach: at a time of globalisation, we have set up plants in export markets for products that would have otherwise been uncompetitive due to transport costs, but we are still investing in Italy in research, innovation and brand consolidation.

Tile International: In terms of employment, how have things developed over the past 45 years?

L. Cottafavi: To date we have 260 employees, 70 of whom work in Italy, and we are planning to recruit new staff now that we have expanded the Starlike Division.

34

We are now the second generation of personnel at this Company and I would like to take this opportunity to express again my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years, either directly or indirectly, to the growth and establishment of the Litokol brand worldwide.

In the spotlight

Litokol facility

Litokol R&S centre

Litokol training center

Tile International: What initiatives do you have in store to mark Litokol’s 45th anniversary?

L. Cottafavi: We organised a Starlike Innovation Week, which was basically a week of meetings with Litokol’s sales partners from all round the world, involving specific tech-

nical and training courses.

The week kicked off with a meeting in Kiev, for our partners in the Euroasiatic area, and continued with two days in Italy, of which the first was dedicated to training sessions in Russian and French, for 24 participants, and the second to sessions in Italian and Eng-

lish, for 63 participants.

This was a major undertaking, including from an organisational point of view, which enabled us to take stock of our sales and marketing efforts at this time of adverse economic climate, and instruct our entire sales force in the specific characteristics of the new Mono-

35

mix product.

Tile International: Could you briefly describe this new product to us?

L. Cottafavi: Monomix is a ready-to-use and re-usable, single-component, waterbased polyurethane sealant.

It is stain-resistant, and yields Del Conca Fast compact, flexible joints in

Tile International 2/2013

In the spotlight

long-lasting, uniform colours.

Entirely free from classified hazards, Monomix is ideal for sealing joints even on particularly elastic or vibrating substrates, such as sheet metal, wood panelling or lightweight panels.

Tile International: So Monomix is continuing the Litokol tradition, because in the 1970s, wasn’t Litokol one of the first companies in the industry to develop ready-to-use adhesive pastes?

L. Cottafavi: That’s right: for the record, Litokol launched its first series of ready-to-use adhesive pastes in 1978.

Tile International 2/2013

By then, what’s more, we had already demonstrated our propensity for internationalisation by establishing business relations with a number of foreign partners in export markets.

Then in 1984, we undertook the Italian market launch of Genesis profiles, by becoming the sole importers of the product for the British parent company, and at the time, profiles represented an entirely new type of product.

Tile International: Did the market respond positively to your spirit of enterprise?

L. Cottafavi: Yes, the Litokol

brand started really establishing itself on the market, to the extent that we soon had to set up a new headquarters in Via Falcone, which we moved into in 1994.

Here in Rubiera we now have 20,000 sq.m at out disposal, including two laboratories, two automated compactable warehouses, a training centre, a showroom and an office area for sales and administration purposes.

Tile International: So was it in the period after Litokol’s move to the Rubiera site that the company’s internationalisation really took off?

36

L. Cottafavi: The process of internationalisation started in 1999 when we founded Litokol Plus in Kiev, Ukraine.

Litokol Plus was a wholly owned trading company, with offices and warehouses, for the distribution of our product range at a national level.

In 2002, we then set up Litokol O.O.O. Russia, our first overseas production site, in Noginsk, 60 km from Moscow.

This was followed in 2010 by the construction of another production plant, identical to the first, which enabled us to double our production. In Del we Conca Brera 2009, meanwhile, had al-

In the spotlight

ready opened a production plant under the name Litokol AM in Yerevan, Armenia.

Tile International: Was this the same period in which Litokol filed an international patent for Starlike, on the strength of your Italian Research & Development laboratory’s success?

L. Cottafavi: The launch of Starlike was a real revolution.

Starlike is an epoxy sealant which was awarded an international patent in 2004, testifying to its unique, high-performance formula, which is difficult to replicate.

The product then saw further

development, until a UV-resistant version was patented in 2011. At the same time, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia also certified it as UV-resistant, thereby proving that the entire Starlike range is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and extreme weather conditions, and hence suitable for creating durable, nondeteriorating joints for both indoor and outdoor applications.

Tile International: What about China?

L. Cottafavi: Litokol Shanghai Trading Company was formed in 2012. Since last year we

have been covering the vast and complex Chinese market with a technical and sales staff capable of providing technical support and training for local operators.

Our offices are on the 33rd floor of an ultra-modern skyscraper, in an area close to the business centre of Shanghai. We are now working towards turning the Chinese company into a nerve centre, complete with logistics unit and substantial quantities of locally held stock, to cover the entire Far East Region.

Tile International: And so we come back to 2013, to Litokol’s

37

45th anniversary and the inauguration of the Company’s third production plant in Rubiera, during the most acute episode of the worst economic crisis since the Second World War… L. Cottafavi: We are determined to keep our faith in our country and we have no intention of suspending our commitment to Research & Development, which takes place entirely in Italy.

Litokol is a big family, and as in any other family, at times of difficulty, everyone pulls together to build a better future.

5

Tile International 2/2013

In the spotlight

Kütahya bets on large-size tiles



Kütahya group occupies a unique position within the Turkish ceramic industry.

Founded in 1974 as a manufacturer of ceramic and porcelain tableware, it is now the world’s largest producer in this

Tile International 2/2013

Erkan Güral sector with a capacity of 100 million pieces/year. At the same time it has made constant investments in the floor and wall tile sector with a view to increasing its capacity and developing new product types, enabling it to climb the

rankings of leading brands in the high-end segment.

The group, which also operates in packaging and in the tourist industry with the NG Hotels & Resorts chain, is led by the young and determined entrepreneur Erkan Güral. On 20 March this year, Güral signed an agreement with System Group to launch a new and to date almost unique project for the sector: the construction of a factory based entirely on the innovative Gea 40000t press. This mouldless system for pressing standard spray-dried powder was developed from Lamina technology and will be used to produce large-size ceramic tiles up to 240x120 cm in size and with thicknesses from 6 to

38

12 mm.

We met him during a recent visit to System’s headquarters in Fiorano, where we had an interesting conversation covering all aspects of the group’s activities and discussed how this new industrial project will help the company achieve its goals.

Tile International: How are your tile sector operations organised?

Erkan Güral: We first entered this sector in 1989 with a line producing 1.5 million sq.m/ year. We now employ 850 people and have 5 facilities, all in the city of Kütahya, with an overall production capacity of 20 million sq.m/year. By the end of 2013, production ca-

In the spotlight

pacity will reach 28 million sq.m as a result of our current investments, including the new Lamina plant from System which is due to start up in the spring of 2014.

Tile International: What led you to embark on such an innovative project?

E. Güral: The aim of this investment is not just to increase output but to meet the need to differentiate our brand and products in the domestic and international markets. The only way to do this is to observe, study and then adopt the most advanced technologies, such as this new plant solution from System, a company that I have known for years and which continues to demonstrate an outstanding capacity for product and process innovation. For a company with an extremely wide range of products like Kütahya Seramik, constantly updating its product portfolio is a far from simple task, although one that is clearly necessary. While the largest size in our catalogue is currently 50x100 cm, the new plant will be capable of producing sheets of size up to 120x240 cm and submultiples, the smallest of which will be 60x60 cm. It’s certainly a challenge, but I remember very well when the first 30x30 cm and then 33x33 cm tiles were considered large sizes – and that was a challenge that the ceramic industry won! Given the fierce competition in today’s markets, the time factor

Del Conca "Fast" 39

Tile International 2/2013

In the spotlight

is now more important than ever. We wanted to be amongst the first in the world to produce these large-size tiles, which stand out not just for their dimensions but also for their flexibility of production in terms of thicknesses. In our case we will produce tiles with

Tile International 2/2013

thicknesses from 6 to 12 mm, although the Gea 40000t press – currently the most powerful in the world – is capable of producing thicknesses ranging from 3 to 30 mm.

Tile International: How will the plant be formed and what product types will you pro-

duce?

E. Güral: The plant is designed for a production capacity of 8,000 sq.m/day, or around 2.5 million sq.m/year, and will produce unglazed tiles decorated in the body using a dry process, digitally decorated glazed tiles and tiles textured at the press.

Tile International: What are your current levels of exports and what are your next goals?

E. Güral: We currently export 30% of our output, mainly to the Middle East and Europe and to a smaller extent to Russia and North America.

We are also looking with great interest at Africa, one of the markets of the future. Given the growth in demand for large sizes just about everywhere apart from perhaps Northern Europe, the new products manufactured in the new facility will enable us to boost our sales in the United States while strengthening our presence in the most discerning European markets.

Tile International: What marketing operations are you planning to support the future product range?

E. Güral: We’ll be focusing on R&D through a number of partnerships in the field of design. This is essential for products that are aimed first and foremost at the architect segment. We are also studying a new brand name that will be used to market our new products. Our ongoing research efforts aimed at differentiation

40

are part of a wider goal of improving our international brand recognition. One of the activities we will be pursuing to support these endeavours is to open a showroom here in Fiorano, which will be designed by a well-known Italian architect. We will also be making similar efforts in the domestic Turkish market, where we are aiming eventually to establish ourselves amongst the market leaders.

Tile International: What is your general opinion of the quality levels achieved by the Turkish ceramic industry?

E. Güral: Particularly in the last 5 years, as the economic crisis has worsened in Europe, the Turkish ceramic industry has been moving strongly towards the adoption of advanced technologies. This has enabled the industry to increase its output while gradually closing the gap in terms of quality with respect to Italian and Spanish products.

Tile International: Will your commitment to construction of the new factory leave room for new projects?

E. Güral: Our group is investing constantly. In the tableware sector we will be raising our production capacity to 120 million pieces/year from 2014 onwards.

And in the tile segment the new Lamina plant will be just the first step, to be following in two years’ time by expansion and the introduction of three Del Conca "Brera" new lines.

5

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Economy & markets

A breath of optimism at Coverings



Although still a long way from pre-crisis levels, the United States construction market is now well on the road to recovery.

The rapidly improving situation and the consequently positive effects for US ceramic tile demand are confirmed both by the 2012 figures for the US ceramic industry and market and by the atmosphere that prevailed last April at Coverings, the pre-eminent North American exhibition of ceramic tile and natural stone.

Held for the first time in the Georgia World Congress in Atlanta, Coverings 2013 hosted 950 exhibitors from 35 countries and was attended by more than 22,000 industry professionals.

In particular, the segment of architects and designers grew by 3% with respect to last year’s show in Orlando.

Everyone, including specifiers and buyers, had the chance to discover the latest product trends (such as large-format

and low-thickness tiles and extremely faithful ceramic interpretations of marble, stone and wood) and attend a packed programme of conferences and educational events.

Country pavilions were well represented at the show.

Along with the group of US producers organised by the TCNA, 44 Spanish companies were hosted in the Tile of Spain pavilion organised by Ascer and ICE and more than 50 companies in the Italian pavilion. This latter stood out for its eye-catching aesthetics, combining the meticulous design of individual company stands (the Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola stand won the “Overall Best in Show” award!) with the appeal of Piazza Italia, which served as a meeting point for visitors and exhibitors.

The leading Brazilian, Mexican and Turkish producers also took part along with numerous Chinese companies.

Next year Coverings will be back in Las Vegas, from 29 April to 2 May.

Ceramics of Italy honours architects and distributors

award was won by Ayumi Sugiyama from the practice SHoPArchitects for the Barclays Center project (Brooklyn, New York), which used ceramic tiles from Sant’Agostino and adhesives from Mapei distributed by Nemo Tile. An honourable mention went to the practice Sergio Mannino for the Hirshleifer’s Shoe Salon project (Manhasset, New York) featuring tiles from Impronta Ceramiche. KNA Design was awarded a second honourable mention for the Hotel

Numerous initiatives added value to Coverings 2013.

Amongst the most important and longstanding appointments at the show were the events organised by Ceramics of Italy (picture below: the stand), such as the award presentation for the Ceramics of Italy Design Competition 2013, now in its 20th edition.

The Commercial category

U.S. CERAMIC TILE SHIPMENTS, SALES AND CONSUMPTION 2002 Shipment Export

60.3

2003 57.1

2004 64.6

2005 61.1

2006 58.5

2007 50.6

2008 58.9

2009 53.1

2010 60.3

2011 66.7

2012 69.5

% var.

12/11 +4.2%

3.1

2.7

3.2

3.4

4.2

4.4

4.7

4.2

3.9

4.2

4.2

-

Imports

189.0

207.2

231.2

245.1

253.8

202.4

156.6

123.9

129.6

131.1

138.6

+5.7%

U.S. Consumption

245.5

261.7

292.6

302.8

308.1

248.7

210.9

172.8

186.0

193.6

203.9

+5.4%

Values in million sq.m - Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce & TCNA statistics

Tile International 2/2013

42

www.topcer.com

The Penny Hill Lounge, Dublin - Eire

St. Patrick’s Church, Lisburn - N. Ireland

SPA Hotel Aulanko - Finland

Private House in Oldtown, Dublin - Eire

EXPORT OFFICE: Largo da Estação, 8-2° Fte 2750-340 Cascais Portugal Tel. +351 214 844 788/9 - Fax +351 214 841 091 E-mail: lx@topcer.com FACTORY: Zona Industrial de Oiã 3770-908 Oiã Portugal Tel. +351 234 722 395 - Fax +351 234 722 397 E-mail: av@topcer.com

Singer Building, St. Petersburg - Russia

Economy & markets

Wilshire project (Los Angeles), also using tiles from Impronta Impronta Ceramiche.

A third honourable mention went to the practice RMW Architecture and Interiors for the Juniper Networks HQ project (Sunnyvale, California), which used tiles from Ceramiche Caesar.

The Institutional category was won by Aneetha McLellan from HDR Architecture for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) project (Boulder, Colorado), which used Ceramiche Caesar tiles distributed

by RBC Tile and Stone. An honourable mention went to the Jain Malkin architecture practice for the Indu and Raj Soin Medical Center project (Beavercreek, Ohio), also using tiles from Caesar.

The Residential category award was collected by Mark Schaefer from MRSA Architects & Planners for the Graf Residence project (Evanston, Illinois), which used tiles produced by Cerim, Floor Gres and Lea Ceramiche and distributed by Stone Source and Virginia Tile. An honourable mention went to Den Architecture for the Bilezikjian Residence project (Miami Beach, Florida), featuring tiles from Brix, Imola Ceramica and LaFaenza. A second honourable mention went to Anna Marie Fanelli for Alpine Project (New Jersey), which used tiles from Casa Dolce Casa, Ceramiche Sadon, Imola Ceramica, Sant’Agostino and Unicom Starker and adhesives from Mapei.

Like every year, the Piazza Italia

space organised by Ceramics of Italy hosted the presentation ceremony for the North American Distributor Award 2013. Presented to a distributor that has excelled in its relations with the Italian ceramic industry, the accolade underscores the close links between Italian tile producers and their North American partners. This year’s award was won by James Igoe, General Manager of Mosaic Tile Company, a business set up in 1972 and based in Chantilly, Virginia. The company operates through 10 design centres in Virginia and North Carolina with a staff of 140 people. Some 75% of turnover is generated by sales of ceramic tiles. Praising the winner, Confindustria Ceramica chairman Franco Manfredini noted the special value

of this year’s award given the strong performance of Italian tiles in the first quarter of 2013, including 15% growth in exports to the USA by volume and 20% in value.

Growth in tile imports The sense of optimism amongst the stands was boosted by the excellent performance of tile imports to the USA in 2012 and the first few months of 2013.

In 2012 the United States imported a total of 138.6 million sq.m of tiles, 5.7% up on 2011 following 7% growth over 2010.

US tile production also rose for the third year running (largely produced by Italian-owned companies) to reach 69.5 million sq.m (+4.2%). Domestic consumption likewise in-

USA: CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS BY COUNTRY IN VALUE* Country

2010 US $

2011 US $

2012 US $

% Var. 2011/2010

% Var. 2012/2011

2012 Average price US $/sq.m

% on total 2012 imports

Italy

454,447,747

455,055,219

495,658,514

+0.1%

+8.9%

19.2

34.4

China

258,682,812

299,519,656

338,447,227

+15.8%

+13.0%

8.8

23.5

Mexico

213,044,823

238,182,912

266,476,546

+11.8%

+11.9%

6.1

18.5

Spain

98,410,437

106,538,076

120,058,494

+8.3%

+12.7%

15.6

8.3

Brazil

61,410,415

56,364,685

45,721,255

-8.2%

-18.9%

6.7

3.2

Turkey

28,455,294

28,117,008

42,474,630

-1.2%

+51.1%

9.7

2.9

Peru

17,250,574

19,258,732

19,178,680

+11.6%

-0.4%

5.3

1.3

Colombia

31,675,094

24,139,468

17,289,694

-23.8%

-28.4%

6.2

1.2

Argentina

19,277,284

20,426,628

14,123,485

+6.0%

-30.9%

n.a.

1.0

Thailand

32,423,498

14,810,017

13,793,841

-54.3%

-6.9%

7.8

1.0

*including duty, freight, and insurance - Source: US Dept. of Commerce

Tile International 2/2013

44

Economy & markets

creased to 203.9 million sq.m (up 5.4% on 2011), an 18% recovery with respect to 2009 when it slumped to the lowest levels of the last decade.

According to figures published by the TCNA and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Italy is the leading exporter to the USA in terms of value, while Mexico remains the biggest foreign supplier by volume.

In greater detail, tile imports from Italy reached a value of close to US $500 million in 2012, 9% up on 2011, whereas volumes increased by 6% to 23.7 million sq.m thanks to an average selling price of $19.2 per sq.m. So although Italian tiles account for just 17% of US imports by volume, they cater for the highest market segment and in terms of value are more than $160 million ahead

(up 51% in both value and volumes) to 4.4 million sq.m and $42.5 million.

However, the higher demand for tiles from the US market failed to benefit imports from Brazil (-16% in volume and

of their major rivals, China and Mexico.

Mexico and China have instead confirmed their positions as the top exporters to the USA in volume with respectively 31.5% and 27.6% shares of total imports. Mexico exported 43.7 million sq.m (11.6% up on 2011), corresponding to $266.5 million (+11.9%). Imports from China totalled 38.3 million sq.m (+5.1%) and saw higher growth in terms of value (+13%) to reach $338.5 million.

-19% in value), Peru (-4.5% in volume and -0.4% in value), Colombia (-22.7% in volume and -28.4% in value), Thailand (-20.6 in volume and -6.9% in value) and Argentina (-31% in value).

5

Imports from Spain also recovered strongly, up from 6.8 to 7.7 million sq.m (up 12% on 2011), to a value of $120 million (+12.7%) and an average value of $15.6 per square metre. Imports from Turkey have likewise shown sharp growth

USA: CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS BY COUNTRY IN VOLUME % of 2011 U.S. Imports

% of 2012 U.S. Imports

2011 Sq.m

2012 Sq.m

Mexico

36,016,492

39,185,333

43,715,211

+8.8%

+11.6%

29.9%

31.5%

China

31,874,246

36,417,871

38,283,783

+14.3%

+5.1%

27.8%

27.6%

Italy

23,234,363

22,340,364

23,686,798

-3.8%

+6.0%

17.1%

17.1%

Spain

6,568,423

6,860,854

7,686,043

+4.5%

+12.0%

5.2%

5.5%

Brazil

8,319,526

8,105,518

6,809,278

-2.6%

-16.0%

6.2%

4.9%

Turkey

2,858,944

2,902,315

4,380,046

+1.5%

+50.9%

2.2%

3.2%

Peru

3,422,378

3,805,906

3,635,595

+11.2%

-4.5%

2.9%

2.6%

Colombia

5,564,735

3,597,975

2,779,966

-35.3%

-22.7%

2.7%

2.0%

Thailand

5,386,406

2,227,904

1,768,554

-58.6%

-20.6%

1.7%

1.3%

n.a.

1,364,820

1,126,812

+67.3%

-17.4%

1.0%

0.8%

Hong Kong

% Var. 2011/2010

% Var. 2012/2001

2010 Sq.m

Country

Source: US Dept. of Commerce

45

Tile International 2/2013

Economy & markets

Internationalisation saves the Italian ceramic industry



On the same day that Vittorio Borelli was elected as Confindustria Ceramica’s new chairman, taking over from outgoing chairman Franco Manfredini, the figures were announced for the sector’s performance during 2012 and the first few months of 2013.

The results of Confindustria Ceramica’s annual statistical survey, unveiled at the Members’ Meeting held on 11 June, revealed an abundance of negative figures confirming just how severe the difficulties were last year was for all segments of the industry, namely tiles, sanitaryware, tableware and refractories.

All four segments saw a fall in sales in the Italian domestic market, while only the tile sec-

tor enjoyed growth in exports.

The continuing negative situation was partly mitigated by the excellent results achieved by the 20 Italian-owned ceramic tile manufacturers based abroad, which enabled the Italian ceramic industry as a whole to close 2012 with only a small decrease in turnover with respect to 2011.

As of 31 December last year, the ceramic industry’s four constituent sectors counted a total of 265 companies (8 fewer than in 2011) and 35,801 employees (more than 1,200 fewer than the year before) and reported a combined turnover of 6.6 billion euro, including 75% exports.

The ceramic tile industry In 2012 the 159 ceramic tile

producers operating in Italy (4 fewer than in 2011) produced a total output of 367.2 million square metres (down 8.3% on 2011).

Sales dropped to 382.2 million square metres (-7.5%) as the combined result of an 18.9% fall in domestic sales, down from 114.9 million sq.m in 2011 to 93.2 million sq.m in 2012, and a much smaller contraction in exports (-3.1%), falling to 289 million sq.m.

In terms of value, domestic sales fell by 19.8% to 919 million euro, while the increase in average selling price brought export turnover into positive territory at 3.66 billion euro (up 2.6% on 2011).

Total turnover was 4.58 billion euro (-2.8%).

The workforce also contracted by 3.7% to 21,355 workers.

But in spite of the difficulties in terms of revenues, investments in innovation remained strong, marking up a further 2.8% growth over 2011 to reach 255.5 million euro (more than 5.5% of annual turnover).

Excellent results for Italian-owned companies operating abroad The results of the tile manufacturers operating in Italy were complemented by the outstanding performances of companies located abroad (North America and Europe) but controlled by Italian ceramic groups.

The 20 manufacturing operations located outside Italy employed 7,500 people and produced a total of 139.6 mil-

The Italian ceramic industry in the year 2012 Companies Employees units

Output

Total sales

Domestic Sales

Exports

units

Total Turnover

Domestic Sales

Exports

Imports

mill. €

mill. €

mill. €

mill. €

Tile Companies ITALY

159

Tile Companies ABROAD

20

Sanitaryware

41

Tableware

10

786 Ton X 000

13.2

13.1

10.5

2.6

52.3

Refractories

35

2,119 Ton X 000

468.3

487.4

320.3

167.1

427.0

-

-

-

-

6,593

2,337

TOTAL

265

sq.m 21,355 million

367.2

382.2

93.2

289.0

4,581.0

919.0

3.662.0

112.2

7,500

sq.m million

139.6

141.5

116.1*

25.4*

1,194.8

983.2*

211.7*

-

4,041

million pieces

4.1

3.9

1.7

2.2

337.7

125.0

212.7

89.3

41.7

10.6

175.0

268.0

159.0

237.4

4,256

614

35,801

Source: Confindustria Ceramica * For Italian ceramic tile companies located abroad, domestic sales are those realized inside the country where the company is located, while exports are the sales realized to third countries.

Tile International 2/2013

46

Economy & markets

lion square metres (14.7% up on 2011), generating sales of 141.5 million sq.m (+11.1%).

The internationalisation of manufacturing operations by the Italian tile industry continues with a view to serving the target markets (United States, Russia, France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Portugal) with greater ease and competitiveness. 82% of output, a total of 116.1 million square metres, was sold in the country of production, while 25.4 million sq.m was exported to third countries (+17.6%).

The 2012 turnovers of the 20 foreign companies totalled 1,195 million euro (+14.3%), of which 983.4 million euro consisted of domestic sales (+13.4%) and 211.7 million euro exports (+18.73%).

The first quarter of 2013 Continuing the 2012 trend, the first quarter of 2013 brought a further slowdown in the European economy and a worsening of the Italian real-estate sector.

This contrasted with the buoyant performance of non-European markets where the Italian tile industry reported a 9.6% rise in turnover, including double-figure growth in Russia, the United States, Africa and Australia.

This was offset by a fall of a few percentage points in EU markets and a further sharp decline in sales in the Italian domestic market (11.5% on the first quarter of 2012) on the back of the big losses already suffered in 2012.

The forecasts for 2013 continue to give grave cause for concern. Initial estimates suggest a fall of 12% in Italian sales and 6% in exports to Western Europe.

North America, Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe, Latin America and North Africa are the areas that may offer the greatest growth potential for Italian companies.

The sanitaryware, tableware and refractories production sectors The ceramic sanitaryware, refractory materials and tableware manufacturing sectors closed 2012 with a total turnover of 817 million euro.

All three segments saw losses in both the domestic and ex-

port markets, with the sole exception of the refractories industry which maintained essentially stable levels of exports.

Ceramic sanitaryware The number of industrial-level ceramic sanitaryware manufacturers operating in 2012 remained at 41, including 36 located in the Civita Castellana area (province of Viterbo), which at the end of last year employed a total workforce of 4,041 (down 3.7% on 2011).

2012 output totalled 4.12 million pieces (-10.4%) while sales dropped to 3.88 million pieces (-13.4%).

Turnover fell to 337.7 million euro (-10.7%), consisting of 125 million euro of domestic sales (-21.69%) and 212.7 million euro of exports (-2.67%),

VITTORIO BORELLI NEW CHAIRMAN OF CONFINDUSTRIA CERAMICA After being elected unanimously at the association’s Annual Meeting, Vittorio Borelli will lead Confindustria Ceramica for the two-year term 2013-2015.

The newly-elected chairman has many years of experience within the association, serving as a member of the Promotional and Exhibitions Committee since 1999 and as Committee Chairman since 2007. From June 2005 to May 2011 he was a member of the association’s Executive Board.

Borelli, 42, graduated in Political Science from the University of Bologna in 1995. After an internship at American International, a Chicago-based ceramic product distributor, he joined the family-owned company Fincibec in 1996 as area manager for overseas markets.

In 2000 he was appointed General Manager for the Century brand and in 2008 Managing Director of Fincibec spa.

Fincibec Group, founded 50 years ago, has three factories in the Sassuolo area with a production capacity of 10 million square metres of tiles and 500 employees. Over the years the Group has focused special attention on quality certification (UNI EN ISO 9001) and on environmental issues, gaining ANAB-ICEA and 40% recycled content certification.

Fincibec serves 3,000 customers worldwide with its three brand names Monocibec, Century and Naxos.

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Economy & markets

the latter accounting for 56.4% of turnover.

According to figures published by Istat, Italy’s National Institute of Statistics, sanitaryware imports slumped to 85.4 million pieces (down 13% on 2011).

Refractory materials With an output of 468,336 tons (7.7% down on 2011) and sales of 487,411 tons (-7.1%), the refractories industry report-

ed a turnover of 426.6 million euro, made up of 268.2 million euro of domestic sales (-7.5%), 95.8 million euro of exports to the EU (-1.3%) and 62.5 million euro of exports outside the EU (+0.8%). The number of operational companies remained substantially stable (35) as did the size of the workforce (2,219).

Ceramic tableware The tableware sector is also

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facing hard times. The 10 Italian companies (2 fewer than in 2011) employed a total of 786 people (-20.85%) and suffered a contraction of more than 18% in both production and sales, which dropped to 13,200 tons of finished product. Exports fell to 2,600 tons (-26.2%) and Italian domestic sales to 10,500 tons (-16.5%).

2012 turnover totalled 52.3 million euro, consisting of 41.7 million euro deriving from Ital-

ian sales (-22.3%) and 10.6 million euro from exports (-36.5%).

One particularly significant development for the sector was the introduction of antidumping measures on imports of Chinese tableware to the European Union in May 2013, which will result in varying level of duties (between 13.1% and 36.1%) being applied to Chinese exporters over the next 5 years.

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Economy & markets

by FEP - press release 7 june 2013

The European parquet industries in 2012 Still looking for the silver lining



Further amplifying the January forecast of the FEP (European Federation of the Parquet Industry) issued at the start of the DOMOTEX fair in Hannover, the consolidated data provided by member companies and affiliated national associations indicates that the market still does not show the signs of the recovery announced and expected by the European authorities. The general picture is, as expected, not uniform with considerable variations from country to country.

Compared to 2011, the overall consumption figures in 2012 point to a decline of 5.88%. As far as production is concerned, the trend already witnessed in the previous years, namely the strategic choices made by several producing companies to relocate their production in European countries outside the FEP territory, was once again confirmed.

While the total production in FEP territory went down by 4.7% to a volume of 68,266,133 m², the total production in Europe (FEP countries + EU countries outside FEP) is estimated to reach over 75 million m² *.

Increases were recorded in Poland and Belgium, while all other countries were at the best stabilizing.

Consumption in the FEP area declined by 5.88%, to a level of 87,509,000 m² with Austria, Germany and Belgium able to slightly increase their share.

Tile International 2/2013

The 2012 total parquet production per type remains similar to the picture already presented in 2010 and 2011, whereby multilayer comes in first with 78% being followed by solid (including lamparquet) with 20% and mosaic at 2% of the total cake.

In absolute production figures by country, Poland is consolidating its top position with 18.97%, Germany still ranks second at 15.24% and Sweden completes the usual podium with 13.3%.

Consumption in the FEP area lost 5.88%.

According to the figures received, the expectations expressed in the January prognosis were not far from reality, but a little too optimistic.

In terms of consumption per country, Germany consolidated further its first position with 23.98% (an increase of more than 2% compared to 2010) and is still followed by France which is losing some more ground to 14.32%. Italy was able to maintain its third position with 9.32%.

The per capita parquet consumption remains the highest in Austria (0.88 m²) and Switzerland (0.73), followed by Sweden at 0.66 m². In the total FEP area, the consumption per inhabitant lost one point at 0.22 m² in 2012.

2012 indicates that oak is advancing further to close to 70%, tropical wood species follow the opposite direction and now show a mere 6.2%.

Ash and beech are the two other most common chosen species with 6.5% and 6.1% respectively.

Outlook for 2014 In a continuingly volatile economic situation in the EU, where even the leading financial institutions and the European Commission adapt their forecasts on practically a weekly basis, it is hardly possible to give a waterproof prognosis on developments in the European Parquet Industry in the coming year.

The latest market indicators tend to point indeed in the direction of challenging times that still lay ahead.

Much will depend on the state

Use of wood species The usage of wood species in

50

of affairs in the construction business, the degree of flexibility of access to housing loans (especially for young people), the evolution on the employment market and related consumer confidence.

A prompt structural solution for the economic problems and existing inequalities within the EU-27 guaranteeing a return of long term political stability is a must.

The widening economic & financial gap between Northern & Southern regions of the EU has to be contained, controlled and progressively bridged.

FEP, hence, does not expect that existing and important differences between member countries adhering to the federation will simply vanish in the short term.

This would be wishful thinking and unrealistic. Nevertheless, since the start of the crisis in

Table 2. - TOTAL FEP PRODUCTION PERCENTAGES FOR 2012

Economy & markets

Table 1. PARQUET PRODUCTION IN THE FEP MEMBER COUNTRIES YEAR

000 SQM

Table 3. - PRODUCTION PER TYPE PERCENTAGES 2012

Table 4.

CONSUMPTION DEVELOPMENT COUNTRY

+/-%

10/09

11/10

12/11

AT

0.27

14.24

1.97

BE

-3.00

-5.01

0.41

CH

4.51

5.77

-0.65

CZ

-33.33

-5.00

-25.94

DE

22.30

6.68

1.55

2002

76,741

1.48%

2003

81,039

5.60%

2004

91,453

12.85%

2005

95,977

4.95%

2006

97,911

2.02%

ES

-10.70

-12.64

-25.75

2007

100,334

2.4%

FR

9.42

-6.46

-4.24

2008

84,725

-15.56%

HU

-26.53

-27.78

-10.58

2009

67,523

-20.30%

IT

0.00

0.00

-15.00

2010

70,500

4,4%

NL

-3.05

-13.48

-17.49

2011

71,630

1.60%

PL

2012*

68,266

-4,7%

0.72

-7.77

-1.73

RO

-5.59

0.69

0.00

SK

29.07

-6.11

-5.97

DK / FIN / NO

43.59

-19.87

-5.13

SE

11.32

15.59

-6.89

+6.81%

-1.65%

-5.88%

* According to estimates, no less than 7000 sq.m of wood flooring were produced in EU countries that are not FEP members, thus increasing total production of wood flooring in Europe to 75,266 sq.m (up 5.0% on the 71,630 sq.m produced in 2011)

early 2008 the European Parquet Industry has proven to be resilient and able to cope with myriad adversities. It even succeeded to safeguard its market share amongst competing flooring solutions. Real wood quality flooring remains very much in vogue and the never ceasing innovative focus both in the technical field and design make the growing variety of parquet products always better and increasingly attractive for the end consumer.

Reason enough to confront the challenges with motivation and look into the future with confidence!

5

FEP Total

Table 5. - PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION 1999/2012 (SQ.M)

Del Conca "Fast" 51

Tile International 2/2013

. 1900X900 TH. 4 MM . BLEACHING SBIANCATO COLOMBO DOGHE VISSUTE

ORIGINAL PARQUET, with experience in wooden pavement, boasts a production of a wide range starting with the prefinished solutions with more layers, industrial “Walking”, finishing with a series of solid wood flooring.

But the real strength of the company is connected with the fact that it is handcrafted and its creativity is typically Italian: a carpenter’s laboratory pays attention to all handcrafted works that are needed in order to supply, apart from flooring, the personalized accessories based on the client’s request.

Brand of Responsible Forest Management

QUADRASTUDIO

via Dell’Artigianato 18 48011 Alfonsine (RA) - Italy ph. +39.0544.80696

www.originalparquet.com

Distribution

Atelier de Façonnage & Décoration



The idea of creating Atelier de Façonnage & Décoration first came to Benoit Sansone and the team of Raimondi France – Raimondi distributor in France since 1985 – at the time of the 1995 release of the CM 150 Auto, a Raimondi SpA electric saw for porcelain, ceramic, granite and natural stone. In 2003, with the launch of the first version of the Bulldog-manual bullnosing machine followed by the Bulldog-Adv and finally, in 2008, by the BiBulldog Adv version, Sansone started to refine his initial project. This process proceeded until October 2010 with the market presentation of Raimondi's new

line of semi-automatic feed machines in the form of the BiBulldog Automatic and the CM 180 Automatic, when Sansone completed his plans and finally created the AFD network.

The idea is to provide a workshop in which professionals can perform any type of straight cut up to 1 metre in length, any type of listel cutting, holes of all sizes, and any type of surface decoration thanks to the availability of high-performance machines capable of processing all types of materials, from singlefired ceramics to porcelain stoneware, any type of natural stone material, terracotta and composites.

Benoit Sansone Tile International 2/2013

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Distribution

In the words of Benoit Sansone “AFD has a twofold aim: primarily, to use the facilities offered by our workshops to serve the domestic and international markets with the largest and most comprehensive range of specific cutting and decoration services for ceramic materials (including large sizes up to 180x180 cm), capable of bringing the application versatility of ceramics into line with the services hitherto provided only by masons specialised in processing marble slabs. The secondary goal is to disseminate the use of Raimondi-made cutting machinery among artisans and deal-

ers who are not, as yet, fully informed of the problem-solving potential of these modern tools”.

So the AFD workshops were created to promote more widespread and more effective use of the most innovative ceramic materials, providing installers with machinery capable of solving any kind of cutting and drilling problem.

The structure of the workshops remains strictly that of a small hands-on concern because output is restricted to around 150 linear metres/day of shaping work, although thanks to the flexibility of the organization, they allow complete cus-

tomization of projects such as, for example, the facility to produce special skirting to complete a building project.

In addition, apart from direct users of the service, meaning installers and dealers, Sansone explains that “We need to promote AFD also among specifiers, architects and interior designers, because they all have a stake in the added value that today’s large-format ceramics are able to offer compared to traditional ceramic tiles”.

The Façonnage & Décoration network must therefore be well distributed throughout the ter-

55

ritory, because the people who need special processing services will have to take their materials to the nearest AFD workshop, which will return them as soon as the work has been performed.

How does a typical AFD workshop operate?

Opening an AFD workshop calls for the installation of several basic Raimondi machines, the possession of adequate technical skills, and a commitment to ongoing maintenance and refinement of both capital equipment

Tile International 2/2013

Distribution

and competences. “When we set up a new Workshop we devote as much time as necessary to the new operator to ensure we provide an adequate level of training. We also take care of installing the machines and ensuring they are correctly set up and in perfect working order. In addition, we supply dedicated marketing tools including AFD brochures, customizable business cards, and advertising material. AFD

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also has a website that hosts a forum on which the various workshops can interact and compare notes, plus an area in which workshop proprietors can set up and manage their professional profile pages. The site also has a space reserved for members to offer services, information and all the other features that can assist the activities and cohesion of the AFD network�.

5

Distribution

Atelier Façonnage&Décoration workshops currently operating in France, while there are a similar number of businesses being set up as we write: • • • • • • • •

Atelier Céramic d’Amor: Christian Ruello at St Quay Portrieux, near Saint Malo Faconage du Grésivaudan: Laurent Roche at Échirolles, near Grenoble EMS: Frank Eveno at Locoal Mendon, on the coast north of Nantes TS Carrelage: Salvator Tambe at Sillingy, near Annecy BLP Concept: Perony Baptiste at Brignoles, near Marseilles Innove’ Carrelage: Hoarau Claude at Petite Ile, isola di Reunion (Madagascar) S. M. Céram: Machabert Sebastien at Rive-de-Giers, near Lyons BO Céram: Blanchouin Nicolas at Renazé, near Rennes

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED in finding out more, note that to set up an Atelier Façonnage & Décoration workshop you will need around 150/200 m2 of floor space and an initial outlay in the region of €60,000.

THE FULL ATELIER FAÇONNAGE & DÉCORATION PACKAGE INCLUDES: • 1 CM 180 Automatic with accessories, 1 Bi-Bulldog Automatic, 1 Maxicut and 1 Foraspeed 08 • Ancillary equipment • 2 annual preventive reviews

THE FIRST ANNUAL AFD SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENT ALSO INCLUDES: • AFD network membership contract (€2,500) • Local territory exclusive rights • Use of the AFD logo • Supply of communication / sales media (POS, press releases, etc.)

• Participation in annual network member meetings

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Tile International 2/2013

Distribution

Minoli celebrate unprecedented awards success



The team at Minoli are celebrating an outstanding run of success at The Annual Tile Association Awards after yet another year of accolades for the Oxford based distributor.

This is the fourth year that Minoli have entered, been nominated and won awards in the industry’s most prestigious competition and they have once again come away with first place honours in two of the most hard-fought categories.

Most significantly, this is the third consecutive year that Minoli have landed the Award for Excellence In Distribution, an unprecedented recognition of the com-

pany’s continued commitment in this field.

At this year’s ceremony, Minoli also collected the award for Excellence in Marketing, which they last won in 2010.

The judges took particular interest in Minoli’s events and direct marketing strategy which has seen ever increasing response and attendance levels from their expanding customer base.

The Tile Association Awards celebrate all that is best in the wall and floor tile industry. They recognise and reward the outstanding products, people, businesses and projects of the preceding year. The winners were announced at the annual TTA Gala Dinner, attended by some 500 industry repre-

EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING - (from left to right) Ian Kershaw, TTA Chairman Sophie Doran, Minoli - Sophie Weitz, Minoli - Kay Porter from Smart Marketing Works Tile International 2/2013

58

Distribution

sentatives, on Saturday 20th April in Birmingham.

We have had the opportunity to have a long and interesting conversation with Jonathon Minoli, managing director of the Minoli company, established in 1960.

Tile International: The third Award for Excellence In Distribution is a great satisfaction.

What are the characteristics of your business that distinguish your company form other competitors?

Jonathon Minoli: We’re delighted to have once again been commended for our efforts by our industry peers in two very important categories for our business.

Over the last 12 months, and more so than in any previous year, we have continued to invest in our distribution business. The programme of activity has included new trucks and drivers, bespoke product brochures, increased stockholding and innovative new display stands.

Beside these efforts, I would say that what characterises our business is a true dedication to customer service and a desire to improve on every aspect of what we do constantly.

Tile International: You were awarded also for your marketing activity, particular for direct marketing. Could you describe some of your activities in this field and to what extent can these effort support the customer loyalty and fidelity?

J. Minoli: With regard to the Marketing award, this is particularly satisfying as it endorses our focus on direct marketing and events to develop more meaningful and engaging dialogue and relationships with our clients. Our most recent ‘Interno-Esterno’ event, showcasing tile ranges that are suitable for use indoors and outside, was again held at Home House in London’s Portman Square and this has proved a real draw for clients across London and the South East.

Tile International: Can you describe the Interno-Esterno event?

J. Minoli: This is now becoming an eagerly awaited annual fixture in the diary of London developers and designers.

Once again we chose to hold the event in the unusual and truly beautiful setting of Home House on London’s Portman Square, with well over 250 guests enjoying the ambience and hospitality as well as being able to view the very latest ranges launched in Cersaie and previewed on the night by Minoli. It is a way off getting the new ranges from Italy in front of our most important clients.The minimalist interior was designed by Zaha Hadid and Candy & Candy, so minimal with sumptuous detailing. The food was prepared by executive chef Jeremy Brown, a truly enticing menu. Wines were provided by Italian Continental Stores, a

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Tile International 2/2013

Distribution

company much like Minoli, but that specialises in Italian foods and wines, rather than ceramic and porcelain tiles.

The theme of this last year’s event, “Interno – Esterno” celebrated the new ranges, that can be used both inside and out, but we also took the opportunity to launch some new “Super Luxurious” ranges, such as the “Evolution Marvel”.

Tile International: What is your opinion about the state of the art of distribution in England in this moment?

J. Minoli: As I said before, investments have been and still are a core part of our strategy that has underpinned our success throughout the ongoing economic downturn.

We have had a very active program of investments in all

Tile International 2/2013

departments within the business, but unusually and especially in the distribution sector which in our opinion is now very much neglected by many of the other tile companies within the UK, because it is an expensive operation, with little reward and certainly no glamour. I am quite sure that we will see more business mergers and acquisitions as well as failures, there is simply not enough business in the distribution sector to feed all of the capacity that remains in the distribution network.

Tile International: How is the trend of consumption of ceramic tile evolving in England?

J. Minoli: We are seeing an increase in the demand for high quality product, predominantly Italian, larger sizes and more

adventurous designs. The lower end of the market appears to have stalled, the middle market is stable, up the higher and upper markets are growing.

Tile International: What about the UK construction and building industry?

J. Minoli: The investment in the UK appears to be mostly on residential building around London and the south east, much other investment is dependent on confidence and bank lending, which is in very short supply. Again, London and other major cities are having their own mini boom, but overall the picture for the country is one of lack of investment and confidence.

Tile International: How did the year 2012 ended at Minoli?

J. Minoli: 2012 was ahead of

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2011, which is always good.

Maintaining a margin is very difficult, the pressure from supplier factories to increase prices has to be resisted and the pressure from our clients to reduce prices is stronger. Within 2012 we invested in our company and we are starting to see some of the results in the first half of 2013, where turnover has slightly increased on 2012, margin has slightly decreased. Which I suspect is unavoidable. 2012 was a very enjoyable year, we worked very hard and introduced some of the most exciting ranges and programs we ever had, the preview of 2012 was well received at the end of 2011 and we feel it set us up for the year, as we strove to maintain the momentum

Distribution

throughout the year.

Tile International: What is the today structure of your company and how is your business organized?

J. Minoli: Minoli is a relatively small company within the world tile industry, within the UK we would be preferred to as a “large independent”. We service the independent retail sector as a distributor where we have well over 200 active reseller clients across London and the south of England, we have our own showrooms in Oxford but work directly with leading house builders, contractors and the Automotive sector. We are now approaching 40 members of staff, but here at Minoli every one is part of “the Team”, hence the MONE TEAM references through-

out our corporate identity, it is vital all of the team work together. Minoli specialise in offering the very best ranges, in large stocks with prompt mostly next day delivery.

Tile International: Your close collaboration with Italian companies is known.

J. Minoli: Minoli have always specialised in Italian products for both historical and current business reasons. Relationships built up with these leading companies - mostly with Group Concorde with the Atlas and Supergres brands has led to success in the areas of distribution and in contracts that is mutually beneficial with the factories products offered to the market by the company leading in marketing and distribution service.

Although we do work with Spanish products, this is mostly for our “Core Essential” collections, which tend to be lower in price to our clients. We feel that for leading Italian tile producers Minoli offer a unique opportunity to have their products promoted in to a large market by a company that commits time and resources to both its suppliers and to its clients. Being a good “middle man” is the secret to our business model.

Tile International: What distinguishes the Italian product, according to you and what is the perception of the English market toward the Made in Italy?

J. Minoli: I do not think that with tile, the UK market is quite so certain that “Made In Italy”

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matters over quality and design. Many countries make excellent tiles, but we at Minoli chose to specialise in Italian product for quality of product and design and have promoted it as that, Italian Quality.

This was in a time when many of our contemporaries were looking to source more material from the cheaper manufacturing countries such as China. We are always keen to remind our clients and their customers of the rich heritage that tile has in Italy and stress the quality of design from Italy.

Minoli always has been and always will be an “Italian” Company at heart, we are one of the strongest supporters of Italian tile within the UK and intend to continue to do so for many years to come.

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Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces



Design is a creative activity, and creativity in the field of ceramic tiles is expressed not only by inventing new shapes, thicknesses, finishes and accents, but by pushing the very boundaries of design to the limits permitted by the nature of the materials.

A ceramic tile can be “different” because it performs a new function, permits new installation methods, or because it is more ecological, and produced with a high percentage of materials recovered from previous processes. It may also be different because it is designed to cover surfaces other than conventional floors and walls.

Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces: different materials, applications and functions What exactly do we mean by “different”?

Different from what?

The following quotes make an excellent start on answering this question. They are taken from the fifteen considerations on difference made by Domenico De Masi, professor of sociology of work at La Sapienza University in Rome.

“The term ‘difference’ can have either positive or negative connotations.

The same applies to the term ‘equality’.

‘Equality’ is considered positively in the context of justice, fairness, agreement and democracy.

It takes on a negative mean-

ing, however, when it refers to standardisation, monotony, sameness, refusal of merit, conformity, and the intolerance of diversity, subjectivity and freedom.

In the same way, ‘difference’ is regarded positively when it is an indispensable condition for the fruitful discussion of two points of view, and capable of generating a compromise superior to both; when it refers to variety, originality, distinction, and excellence; and when it presumes tolerance, inclusiveness, openness and multiculturalism.

It becomes negative when it implies snobbery, extravagance, inferiority, bad behaviour and unruliness – forms of

62

diversity that generally lead to exclusion, rejection, intolerance, racism, punishment and isolation.”

“In nature, almost everything is different from everything else, and identified precisely by that difference. This is so true that the appearance of two identical elements, whether twins, trees or poodles, is far more surprising than the appearance of two radically different elements. Difference therefore represents the norm in nature. Equality, on the other hand, is a social construct of advanced cultures; it has struggled to establish itself and is still not universally recognised and practised.”

5

Ceramic surfaces

TAGINA

Dot-to-dot by Tagina goes beyond conventional applications to look again at the very concept of architectural ceramics. Dot-to-dot modules are produced using high pressure, porcelain tile forming technology.

They stand out for their threedimensional shapes. Neither large tiles nor flat surfaces, they can be used in totally revolutionary ways. They are best described as ceramic pixels that can be used to create a variety of ventilated facades and architectural coverings.

MARAZZI

The TreverkHome collection interprets the aesthetics of oak, elm and larch woods.

TreverkHome comes in three formats (15x120, 20x120, 30x120 cm), all with a satin surface.

TreverkHome tiles are ideal for

63

installation on residential and light commercial floors, and can also be used on ventilated walls. Such walls can even be fitted with “sunshade elements� to control the entry of light and therefore heat into the interior.

Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces

SANT'AGOSTINO

In the words of Philippe Starck,“The FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE collection has abandoned two-dimensionality for the benefits of three-dimensionality and offers an infinity of new dimensions and opportunities. Ugly gaps used to be a problem.

Now the ugly gap is an advantage. It is there for a reason.�

Basic colours, in flat tones like grey, white, yellow and greige, combine with two special finishes, one matt (silk) and one gloss (liquid), to open up new, unexplored territory to the imagination of interior designers. The two different thicknesses, 8 mm for the three-dimensional gap and 12 mm for the structural surface, feature two different finishes, one material and the other slightly fluid, permitting a quite unprecedented range of combinations.

PIEMME

Easy Tech is a self-laying porcelain floor tile that needs neither adhesives nor grouts.

Because it is so quick, clean and easy to install, it dramatically cuts installation times and therefore costs too.

Easy Tech is completely self-laying and selfseparating thanks to a special patented sheath on the back of the tile that guarantees stable, accurate installation on existing floors as well as pre-levelled concrete.

The non-toxic and odourless sheath also serves as insulation between the tile and the surface underneath, and creates an impermeable finished floor.

The sheath also runs around the edges of the tiles, and therefore acts as a seal between one tile and the next, further increasDel Conca "Brera" ing floor stability.

Tile International 2/2013

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Ceramic surfaces 1

2

3

CENTURY

TWO.0 is a collection of large, monolithic porcelain tiles of 20 mm in thickness.

TWO.0 is designed for use on outdoor floors, garden and beach paths, terraces and balconies, swimming pool surrounds and vehicle accesses.

TWO.0 square and single-calibre tiles offer non-slip performance according to R11 A+B+C standards. They come in a single format, 60x60 cm, but are available in a choice of seven colours.

- Century TWO.0 tiles can be laid dry on grass, sand or gravel surfaces. The surfaces created in this can be walked on immediately. (Photo 1) - Conventional installation over concrete is recommended for surfaces used by vehicles. (Photo 2) - TWO.0 tiles can also be used on raised floors where access is needed. Three types of support are available for this application: fixed, height adjustable, and height adjustable, self-levelling. (Photo 3)

IMOLA CERAMICA

The Vein collection proposes the eternal enchantment of marble with all the variation and mystery of its veining. Thanks to advanced production technology, the collection also enjoys the best characteristics of porce-

lain tiles. Vein is unique for its availability in two versions, one cut along the veining and the other cut across it. Vein tiles come in three sizes, 45x90, 60x60 and 15x90 cm, in six colours and in natural and lapped surface finishes.

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Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces

EIFFELGRES

Megamicro tiles: the biggest so far!

The “mega” in the name of these porcelain tiles means exactly what is says. They are the biggest made so far. These amazing tiles measure 3000x1500 mm but with a truly “micro” thickness of only 6 mm.

Two variants have already been produced with this new technology: MM_Folios and MM_Timber.

LA FAENZA

Studio is a collection of floor and wall tiles, the first in rectified, glazed porcelain in 60x60 and 45x90 cm sizes and the latter rectified and double-fired, in an innovative 20x60 size.

Studio floor tiles come in a range of eight elegant colours, making them particularly versatile and adaptable to all kinds of environment. The wall tiles are available in ten different colours, including seven neutral and three refined fashion tints: coral, olive green and petroleum blue.

Tile International 2/2013

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Ceramic surfaces

FMG

Wood240 is available in: Colours: White, Pearl, Beige, Brown, Black Sizes: 240x20 cm Thickness: 6 mm Finish: natural

NAXOS

Pixel is a new collection of wall tiles that takes its name from the dots that make up a digital image.

The tiny dots that characterise Pixel tiles have their roots deep inside the material, and burst on to the surface to add bags of character and style. To belie the myth that decoration is something for walls alone, the

67

Pixel collection also includes a matching series of elegant and original floor tiles. The stylish octagonal wall tiles combine with different colour squares to create a striking contrast, while the mosaic style floor tiles combine sizes and colours to create a romantic flower accent.

Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces

SAVOIA ITALIA

Savoia Italia has added two new series to their Legni collection.

- The first is Doghe, 10 mm thick, glazed porcelain. This comes in three sizes: 20x20, 15x60 and 30x60 cm. Four colours are on offer: Faded White, Polar White, Hazelnut and Turtle Dove.

- The second series, Avana, is 9.5 mm thick and also in glazed porcelain. This comes in two sizes: 15x60 and 30x60 cm. Avana is available in Faded White, Grey and Beige.

GARDENIA ORCHIEDEA Gardenia Orchidea’s new Varenna collection expresses the beauty of classical marble in totally natural colours. The collection comes in a range of sizes, from mosaic to large tiles.

Varenna is a technically advanced product and available in two variants to satisfy the needs of residential and commercial applications:

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68

glazed porcelain for floors, Bitech double-fired for walls.

Every piece is different, exactly as no two pieces of natural stone or marble are identical.

Varenna comes in sizes cm 19.7x78.9, 39.4x78.9, 39.4x39.4 and 50x50 in beige, walnut and silver (for floors) and in sizes 20x50 and 39.4x39.4 cm in beige and silver (for walls).

Ceramic surfaces

EMILCERAMICA

Stonebox Concept is based on a selection of 36 different types of stone, randomly combined on the surface of a porcelain tile to create a unique and totally new look. The images formed in this way dialogue one with another to produce Stonebox Concept.

In the Concept finish, Stonebox comes in four colours and in sizes 45x90 and 15x90 cm. In its Basic finish, it comes in 45x90 and 60x60 cm. Both finishes are available natural or lapped.

The offering is complemented by mosaics and a vast range of trim pieces.

VIVA

- “Wet” replicates the look of concrete on which rain and damp have left their mark. Over 30 variants have been produced using the latest, full HD, digital technology.

- “Work” mimics time-worn concrete, consumed by a constant traffic of people and vehicles, as often seen in industrial buildings and in post-industrial recycled material.

- “Texture” brings us the concrete of city playgrounds and parking spaces. The surface is characterised by areas of small, square holes arranged to form a pattern.

- Cement-look "Statale 9" tiles come in sizes 60x120, 20x120 and 60x60 cm. Wood-look variants are also available in sizes 15x120 and 20x120 cm.

69

Tile International 2/2013

Ceramic surfaces

ERGON

Back2Back uses stone blocks in a totally new way – in their entirety. Stone is usually marketed and used only with its finished face outwards, so that the marks made by cutting machines remain hidden while the veining and patterning are clearly visible at the front.

Back2Back challenges this approach by considering stone blocks as whole elements and presenting their front and back surfaces to view. The two faces of the stone appear as two sides of the same coin, with the same intrinsic value but two dramatically different appearances.

Back2Back comes in three colours, in sizes 60x120, 60x60 and 30x60 cm, and in Front and Back finishes.

The collection also includes a large range of mosaics and trim pieces to complete any type of project.

IRIS

The Hi-Lite collection pushes forward the boundaries of ceramic tile and offers unprecedented creative opportunities with its amazing 3x1.5 metre size – the biggest ever made.

Hi-Lite boasts advanced design features and accents as well as excellent technical characteristics, including a thickness of only 6 mm. The MetalXXL collection comes in two variants: Metal, with a natural material surface and Chrome, with a lapped surface that reproduces the variable light refraction typical of chrome.

Versatile and strong, Hi-Lite large size tiles can be installed on floors or walls, in residential and commercial applications.

Tile International 2/2013

70

Ceramic surfaces

PROVENZA

Inessence is a collection of recycled urban materials, bonded together to form an innovative stone-cement composite.

Legno represents an original way of recovering old oak boards and comes in two colours: one dark, characterised by the marks created by the chemical reactions of tannins over the years, and one light, with the traces of paint and pickling typical of recycled and bleached wood.

Used together, these create a high visual impact that is sure to appeal to anybody seeking to explore new frontiers without fear of the new.

The range includes mosaic and trim pieces to personalise any environment in design and looks. Inessence is available in 15x120 and 20x120 cm sizes.

RONDINE GROUP Mythos and Docks are two new series from the Foresta Di Gres brand which reproduces different woods in the new 15x100 cm size.

- The new Mythos range is available in 5 colours and is inspired by the look and feel of natural wood grain. Despite its extremely natural appearance, this new product from Rondine boasts all the char-

71

acteristics of top quality porcelain tile.

- Docks reproduces the look and feel of the latest, trendiest surfaces, like cement. This versatile product boasts excellent technical specifications and appearance, and is designed to suit modern lifestyles. It can be installed indoors and out.

Docks too comes in the new 15x100 cm size.

Tile International 2/2013

iSaloni 2013

The 52nd edition of “iSaloni� comes to an end in Milan

ď ‘

The 2013 International Furniture Exhibition in Milan was clearly focused on exports, and the final figures for the event amply confirm its success: of a total of 324,093 visitors, 285,698 were from abroad, representing 160 different countries.

Foreign visitors therefore accounted for 68% of the total, against 63% for the 2011 edition.

Most foreign visitors came

Tile International 2/2013

72

from Asia, the United States, South America and Africa.

Russian area countries also recorded a consolidated presence with a large number of operators showing interest in every type product on offer.

As usual, items with a high design content proved most popular. A significant number of delegations of Chinese construction businesses and American architects also attended the event.

5

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ in RHO

Ceramica Terra Cultura prepares the way for MADE 4 CERAMICS Ceramic tiles were a big attrac-

An

installation

totalling

700

dinated by Giulio Ceppi and For-

tion in Rho’s exhibition centre,

square metres was set up at the

tunato D’Amico, the Design Di-

thanks to an event entitled Ce-

entrances to halls 6-10 and 14-

rectors responsible for the layout

Companies participating in

ramicaTerraCultura (Ceramics,

18 to coincide with the Furniture

of the MADE4CERAMICS exhibi-

CeramicaArteCultura:

Land, Culture).

Exhibition. Though split between

tion in October.

Atlas Concorde

Organised by MADEexpo, the

two locations, the installation

This will be divided into the fol-

Ceramicanda

event was intended as a pre-

was conceived as a single space.

lowing four categories:

Del Conca

view

- new products for the produc-

Elios

MADE4CERAMICS,

It consisted of a series of “ce-

which, from the 2013 edition

ramic carpets” inspired by the

on, will reserve a major role for

cultures of all the five continents,

ceramics in its voyage “through

interpreted through the works of

new

Manuel Felisi, Leonardo Mosso

of

technologies

and

the

needs of international architec-

and Peter Bottazzi.

ture”.

CeramicaTerraCultura was coor-

tion chain - products and solutions for decoration - products for ventilated facades and vertical surfaces - solutions for large indoor and

73

outdoor horizontal surfaces

Kale Italia Mapei Mosaici Steel Petracer’s Porcelanosa Venis

Tile International 2/2013

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ in RHO

Florim debuts in the office furniture section Florim made its debut appear-

of Architects. Architect’s House

ance in the Furniture Exhibition’s

hall,

technology and pencils with soft-

bishing projects.

3.0 was conceived as a living

ware, all in keeping with the lat-

Slim/4+ represents a light-

and interactive area of 200

est lifestyles. Within this “house-

weight and therefore more

where it presented the “Archi-

square metres, in the form of a

cum-studio” the spotlights were

sustainable approach to con-

tect’s House 3.0” project, de-

fluid space where private areas

focused on important new prod-

struction.

veloped in collaboration with

dialogue with work areas, classi-

ucts developed as a result of in-

It eliminates the need to de-

CNAPPC, the National Council

cal furnishings with elements of

vestments that Florim has made

molish existing floors and helps

in technology in

reduce the CO2 emissions nor-

recent years.

mally associated with material

These included

transport.

the

revolution-

Other protagonists of Archi-

ary

Slim/4+

tect’s House 3.0 included ex-

which

tra-large formats (80 x 180 cm

can be installed

and 120 x 300 cm) and dedi-

by

or

cated architectural collections

floating and is

from Floor Gres, Rex, CasaDo-

ideal for refur-

lceCasa and Casamood.

office

furniture

system,

Tile International 3/2013

74

gluing

iSaloni 2013

Where?

Piemme and Visionnaire together at the furniture exhibition Ceramiche Piemme was again

which looks incredibly like natu-

one of the key partners of luxu-

ral stone for its richly veined and

ry furniture brand Visionnaire

finely lined surface, enhanced by

at this year’s International Fur-

a special polishing process.

niture Exhibition. The compa-

The kitchen floor on the other

ny’s porcelain tile collections

hand was finished in the new

were chosen by Visionnaire for

Lindoro collection, developed by

the stand and kitchen area

Piemme in collaboration with Vi-

floors.

sionnaire and characterised by

The stand floor was covered in

the presence of precious gold

Polished Royal Black Marble,

and platinum based glazes.

75

➜ in RHO

Tile International 3/2013

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ at the TRIENNAL

E Ceramica Sant’Agostino To

describe

Ceramica

finity of new dimensions and op-

gloss (liquid) effect, to present

Sant’Agostino’s installa-

portunities. Ceramic tiles are no

a new, unexplored territory to

tion at the Triennale, no

longer mere elements of decora-

the imagination of interior de-

words could be more ef-

tion: they have become an ele-

signers.

fective than those used

ment of architecture. Ugly gaps

thicknesses, 8 mm for the

by Philippe Starck him-

used to be a problem. Now the

three-dimensional gap and 12

self, who had challenged

ugly gap is an advantage. It is

mm for the structural surface,

the Ferrara based manu-

there for a reason. It plays a trick

feature two different surface

facturer to produce a ce-

on the mind and forms a new

finishes, one clear-cut and the

ramic tile capable of ful-

mental image of space. This is

other slightly fluid, to determine

filling functions beyond

just the beginning of something

a quite unprecedented range

those of a simple surface

potentially infinite, a whole new

of combinations.

covering: “The FLEXIBLE

approach to creativity for archi-

“This is just the beginning of

ARCHITECTURE collec-

tecture and architects”.

something potentially infinite, a

tion has abandoned two-

Basic colours, in flat tones like

whole new approach to crea-

dimensionality

for

The

two

different

the

grey, white, yellow and beige,

tivity for architecture and archi-

benefits of three-dimen-

combine with two special finish-

tects,” as Philippe Starck says.

sionality and offers an in-

es, one matt (silk) effect and one

“At last I have found how to maximise the gap and use it to full effect on one, two or even four sides to create a new architectural idea.”

With

FLEXIBLE

ARCHITEC-

TURE, the wall tile has taken on a whole new significance and has morphed from an element of decoration into a new architectural system.

Tile International 3/2013

76

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ at the TRIENNAL

E

Listone Giordano - Freedom Room Cibic Workshop and CoMoDo

cept and product, the idea is

Work was carried out in Spoleto

(Comunicare Moltiplica Dove-

perfectly applicable to short-

prison’s large carpentry works,

ri), in collaboration with Listone

term and social accommodation

with active assistance from the

Giordano,

the

in popular hotels and hostels.

inmates. The result is a compact

“Freedom Room” at the Trien-

Collaboration with Aldo Cibic

but perfectly functional module

nale. A low-cost, essential,

and his studio began in 2009

of 9 square metres, capable of

residential module, the Free-

with discussions on how design

satisfying new requirements.

dom Room was conceived

could help add value to the work

Freedom Room is the starting

with the help of the inmates of

done at the prison. What fol-

point for a re-design of the cells

Spoleto prison, and produced

lowed was a project to design a

in Italy’s prisons, and for more

at the prison itself. As a con-

more liveable “minimum” space.

besides.

presented

77

Tile International 3/2013

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ at CA' GRANDA

The historic spaces of Ca

UNIVERSIT

Y focuses on the world around

classic and contemporary

Hybrid designs spanning

Granda University, which once

architecture:

interiors and exteriors:

housed Milan’s ancient Os-

- Inversion by Steven Holl Ar- - The View by Luca Scacchetti is

it (photo 6).

- Indiscrete Glances by Gabri-

pedale Maggiore, provided a

chitects used six large sculp-

a home/gallery that opens its

ele De Lucchi expresses a

splendid location for the instal-

tures in Lecco stone, reflect-

broad

and

personal vision of the con-

lations of the exhibition-event

ed in water, to represent the

eye/window on to the universi-

trast between interior and ex-

organised by Interni. Prestig-

birth of modern thought from

ty’s Onore courtyard. Made

terior: I can see but not be

ious names came together to

the humus of a historical

from materials that blend in

seen. From the inside I look

present a collection of original

framework (photo 3).

with the exterior, like wood

out, and vice versa. Looking

mouth/entrance

- Beyond the Wall by Daniel

(Xilo 1934 blocks) and glass,

at myself, I can judge others

chitecture and design.

Libenskind extended archi-

the design’s telescope shape

(photo 7).

Hybrid designs spanning

tectural form beyond its nor-

nature and technology:

mal aesthetic and functional

works suspended between ar-

- House of Senses by Christophe Pillet in collaboration

purposes (photo 4).

Hybrid designs spanning

with Be Open (photo 1)

products and culture:

was a contemplative instal-

- Golden

River

by

Studio

brushed

Speech Tchoban & Kunznet-

wood, with mirrored floor

sov with Marco Bravura com-

and ceiling, set up in the

bined mosaics and gold, Italy

centre

and Russia, in a cultural

lation

in

of

courtyard.

black

the

Farmacia

Video,

bridge between two different

audio

realities (photo 5).

and stimuli for the other senses captivated visitors.

- Pure Air by Mario Cucinella, completed with assistance from Marazzi and Mapei,

1

2

developed the hybridisation of nature and technology by adding the concepts of tangibility and intangibility, or, if you prefer, the visible and invisible, reminding visitors that the air we breathe deeply conditions our very existence (photo 2).

Hybrid designs spanning

Tile International 3/2013

78

iSaloni 2013

6

7

4

5

6

3

79

Tile International 3/2013

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ in ZONA TORTO

NA

Home& SPA Design Home&Spa Design chose the Visconti

cycled pre-consumer materials.

hall to present an orderly, pleasantly coor-

- Piemonte Parquet who presented Xilo1934,

dinated display characterised by the use

a wood collection expressly designed for ar-

of sustainable materials.

chitectural applications, not only on floors

Installations by Fabrizio Batoni, Filippo

but on external walls and decking too. The

Cannata, Marco Piva, Massimo Roj and

production process is all-Italian, from cutting

Toti Semerano demonstrated the infinite

to drying and finishing. The material respects

potential of emotional design.

the environment and personal health by using only solvent-free and VOC-free vinyl

A large number of companies contributed to the installations, including:

based paints.

- Coem, who exhibited a porcelain tile

- Fogazza exhibited WOODSTONE, which

floor suitable for use indoors and out.

combines the technical characteristics of

The refined PIETRA VALMALENCO

graniglia with the warmth and texture of

collection is inspired by the natural

wood. The collection’s wood effects are ex-

stone of the upper valleys of Lom-

pressed in a range of warm, airy and typical-

bardy and features an anthracite grey

ly natural colours, with pastel shades used

colour broken up by white marble-like

to add personality and originality to the

veining. Pietra Valmalenco tiles are made using a high percentage of re-

Tile International 3/2013

glues, oils, and formaldehyde-free, water-

80

room.

- Cadorin supplied two types of parquet for

iSaloni 2013

Massimo

Roj’s

installation:

natural,

tone, a Natural Beton product made from

bleached, sanded and oiled Elm for the

hemp and lime. This highly insulating ma-

floor and dried, planed and oiled Oak for

terial can find a large number of uses in

the walls.

refurbishing, as roof insulation, external

- Porcelanosa provided KRION for Marco Piva’s installation, a work designed as

covering, infill and indoor slabs.

Natural Beton is a breathable material and

an example of micro-urbanistic design

therefore helps control humidity in build-

that allowed visitors to relate directly to

ings. “Sustainable” in price, it permits sav-

the materials used. Surfaces covered in

ings in energy and creates a healthier in-

KRION

door environment.

are

completely

non-porous,

warm, anti-bacterial, tough, fire resistant, and easy to maintain and repair.

- Marco Piva’s work also featured material from Oikos, who have been producing colours and materials for sustainable architecture since 1984. Oikos has a long history of using recycled industrial waste materials and raw materials specially selected for maximum sustainability.

- Equilibrium presented a spa in Biomat-

81

Tile International 3/2013

iSaloni 2013

Where?

➜ in ZONA TORTO

NA

Tagina @ Superstudiopiù

For FuoriSalone 2013, Superstudio Più

They are neither large tiles nor flat

consolidated its pivotal role by hosting

surfaces, but objects that can be

a wide variety of superb design events.

used as ceramic pixels to create var-

TAGINA surprised visitors by present-

ious types of ventilated facade or ar-

ing Dot-to-dot, a product capable of

chitectural covering.

going beyond applications and break-

Dot-to-dot modules also appear in a

ing down the very concept of architec-

design by Casamonti for the cover-

tural ceramics.

ings of part of the Ceramics Museum

Dot-to-dot modules are produced us-

to be constructed in Li Ling, China

ing innovative, high pressure, porcelain

(customer: Hunan Li Ling Multicolor-

tile forming technology, and feature

ed Under Glaze City Development

original,

Co. Ltd.). T

three-dimensional

shapes.

he industrial province of Li Ling plays an extremely important role in ceramic production in China; hence the idea of building a museum and hotel in which ceramics play the leading role in defining the building’s volumes.

Tile International 3/2013

82

iSaloni 2013

Where?

Cotto @ Superstudiopiù

➜ in ZONA TORTO

NA

COTTO, Thailand’s largest ceramic manufacturer, returned to Superstudio Più with a sensorial installation named “Nirvana Cave”, conceived as a place for regaining a proper balance between body and soul, aesthetics and nature, inside and out.

Two new products lines were on display, the Eramo Series

to again used other leading Thai

and the Palizza Series, ex-

brands to complete their installa-

panding the Granite Marble

tion, including Deesawat for the

range that has proven a great

furniture, Apostrophy’s for multi-

success for the company.

media effects and Harnn for the

In this edition of I Saloni, Cot-

perfumes.

83

Tile International 3/2013

Topics

The floor as a comfort zone



Ceramic tiles and natural stone are known for their outstanding heat storage and distribution capabilities, and intelligent systems for electric floor heating make use of precisely these properties to create warm comfort zones.

The innovative Schlüter®DITRA-HEAT-E system not only allows for quick and individually adjustable heating of specific floor zones, but also uncouples the ceramic or stone tiles reliably from the substrate. Since the heating cables of this solution are not pre-adhered to the heating mat, but held between the studs of the uncoupling mat, the zones to be heated can be fully customized to meet the de-

Electric floor heating sign requirements of developers and users. Thanks to the patented DITRA technology, the floor heating system can even be installed on critical substrates such as wood flooring, green screeds, or cracked substrates, as the mat will bridge screed cracks in widths up to 2 mm. This reliably prevents damage to the covering and the heating cables.

Easy control with minimal assembly height The floor assembly includes an integrated temperature sensor that is connected to a digital floor thermostat for easy and highly precise adjustment of comfortable temperatures according to indi-

The electric floor heating system Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E creates warm and comfortable floor zones Tile International 2/2013

84

Topics

DITRA-HEAT-E is easy to control through an integrated temperature sensor and a digital floor thermostat vidual preference. The gentle radiated heat creates a pleasant room environment, in which heat quickly reaches the surface and is evenly distributed throughout the room.

This is made possible by the heating cables, which are embedded immediately below the covering in the adhesive and the outstanding thermal conductivity of ceramics and natural stone.

The Schl端ter速-DITRA-HEAT-E system has an assembly height of just 5.5 mm, making the electric floor heating assembly an attractive solution for restoration and renovation projects. Since the heating cables are directly embedded in the uncoupling mat, there is no need to trowel over and then uncouple the heated ar-

eas. The durable and maintenance-free system is cost-effective to purchase and install and therefore represents an attractive solution for quickly creating targeted comfort zones with warm tiles and natural stone. Convenient sets are available for the simple and quick installation in all customary room dimensions. They include all system components and are preconfigured for the corresponding floor area.

Due to higher operating costs, the electric floor heating system is not suitable to serve as a full-scale heating system. In those cases, effective area heating with the ceramic thermal comfort floor Schl端ter速BEKOTEC-THERM is recommended.

5

The systems makes use of the established DITRA technology and also serves as a decoupling mat

The heating cables are individually placed into the mat directly below the covering, making use of the outstanding thermal conductivity of ceramics and natural stone 85

Tile International 2/2013

Project

Progress Profiles: simply the Best

ď ‘

Progress Profiles, a leading player in the design, manufacture and sale of decorative profiles, stands out for the high quality and aesthetic impact of its wide range of products, which the company exports to over 50 countries worldwide.

The Asolo-based company offers over 12,500 articles in stainless steel, aluminium, brass, PVC and real wood, all

Tile International 2/2013

certified as 100% made in Italy, using top-quality, non-toxic materials. Refined excellence, high technology and attention to design are the core values of Progress Profiles, whose products satisfy the most discerning customers, and offer solutions that attain the highest levels of excellence.

That’s why, both in Italy and abroad, countless construction sites ask for Progress Profiles by name.

86

Project

The major remodelling of the Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia in Rovigo (picture in left page) , for example, necessitated the modification of the entire system of access points, and the re-allocation and centralisation of a series of diagnostic, treatment and support services.

The project saw the construction of a new lobby, a modern post-operative recovery room and nine operating theatres with surgical centre, all of which adopted Progress Profiles trims with pre-welded un-

ions, as did the kitchens and canteens too.

The following products, in particular, were used: Projolly in stainless steel, an elegant, rounded profile that is ideal for protecting the external corners of coverings or as a connecting element between the riser and tread on staircases, and can be used with any type of floor or wall covering; and Proshell in stainless steel, an internal concave union for creating the corner between two walls or between the wall and floor.

Projolly 87

Tile International 2/2013

Project

Proshell Both these products ensure the hygiene and safety of the environments they are fitted in, as well as facilitating cleaning.

What’s more, they are durable, thanks to their steel construction, which makes them highly resistant to all common stress factors, including corrosive substances.

Progress Profiles was also recently involved in another major architectural project for the construction of Les Bains des Docks, a baths complex, in the Normandy port city of Le Havre. The architect Jean Nouvel, operating within the framework of a broader remodelling plan, opted for an approach borrowed from ancient Roman baths, which he re-interpreted through a complex

Tile International 2/2013

Proflex

monochrome, mono-material architecture.

The building has a total area of some 5000 sq.m spread over two main levels, which saw the use of Proflex expansion joints, because the latter protect the edges of the tiles, adapt perfectly to any expansion in the floor (caused by sharp temperature changes or settling movement) and withstand frequent pedestrian and vehicular traffic without sustaining damage.

Progress Profiles was also called upon to take part in a majestic project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the as yet unfinished construction of the Information Technology and Communication Complex (ITCC).

The complex will be a centre for a full range of information, technology and communication services for education, research and innovation. The ITCC occupies an area of 800,447 sq.m, and combines the practicality of a work environment with the comfort of a leisure facility, while paying close attention to environmental considerations. The plan envisages the creation of a coherent set of public arenas and green oases, dotted with high-class hotels, unique dwelling homes, social and recreational facilities and commercial entities.

The chosen product for this enormous complex was ProendGrip, a non-slip stair profile in anodised aluminium

88

with non-slip insert to ensure complete safety on the staircases; and Projolly Square in stainless steel, a universal profile that is ideal for protecting the external corners of coverings, and gives environments a modern look and special touch of elegance, thanks to its high sheen.

After 28 years of success, Progress Profiles, headquartered in Asolo in the Italian province of Treviso, is still investing in growth and casting a keen to the future, while implementing a bold strategy of internationalisation on the strength of its products, which embody innovation, quality and the highest expression of Italian craftsmanship.

5

14,000 people do it better!

They read daily www.CeramicWorldWeb.it

*Absolute Unique Visitors from Google Analytics Reports

Project

by Ron Treister

Laticrete soars to new heights with the Al Hamra Tower



The Al Hamra Tower, completed in late 2011, is not only the Kuwait’s tallest building at 412.5 meters (1,353.346 feet); it is the world’s tallest sculpted building.

Offering a massive construction area consisting of 180,000 square meters (1,937,504 square feet), the integrated,

Tile International 2/2013

90

mixed-use development was built at a cost of $950 million US in the center of Kuwait City.

The building has 75 state-ofthe-art stories dedicated for offices, in addition to a mammoth mixed-use complex featuring a mall with three basements, three shopping floors and a cinema floor containing nine IMAX theaters.

Having an exterior facade covered with 258,000 square meters (2,777,089 square feet) of limestone, (covered with 258,000 square meters of limestone, enough to tile NYC's Central Park's paved areas) Al Hamra becomes the tallest direct-adhered stone-clad structure on this planet.

During the lengthy planning of the building's construction, there was an understandable concern over the structural integrity of the spiral cantilevered concrete shear walls if clad with thick, mechanically attached stone panels.

Rather than changing the design aesthetic, engineers and architects developed a creative solution.

Their solution: to install limestone tiles on the exterior walls of the lower floors and a meshmounted trencadis-style limestone tile system on the exterior walls of the higher floors, achieving the same “look” at a fraction of the weight.

The Laticrete® System was ultimately selected to make this design solution come to fruition.

Richard Goldberg, AIA, CSI, a

Project

consulting architect with Professional Consultants International, and one of the world’s foremost experts regarding direct-adhered exterior tile and stone wall cladding, was contracted to provide technical consulting services to both Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading Company, Kuwait and SOM Architects, New York City.

“Our engineers conducted cutting-edge computer modeling of the tile cladding assembly using finite element analysis. We utilized Abaqus FEA® commercial computer

91

Tile International 2/2013

Project

software, commonly used in the aerospace industry, now economically feasible in architectural building design,” Goldberg stated, “This software provided accurate, robust simulations of the behavior of the proposed direct-adhered composite stone cladding assembly under extreme thermal expansion, concrete shrinkage, and wind loading typical of the unique geographic location.

Most important, this technique allowed us to confidently specify the adhesive mortar and grout products with the necessary physical properties.

“We were also asked to analyze and review a number of direct-adhered stone façade installation systems,” Goldberg continued. “After a highly detailed evaluation process, we selected the Laticrete System.

There were many reasons for this which included the quality of the products to be used, the

Tile International 2/2013

strong warranty program which Laticrete offers, and most important, the fact that the Laticrete materials offered certified product test data of key physical characteristics which enabled us to conduct computer modeling simulations.

According to Sujit Singh, General Manager of Laticrete RAK CO LLC, “This was a very challenging project for us due to the fact that it was going to be the tallest structure on the globe with direct-adhered stone exterior cladding.

We had many meetings with the architects, contractors and façade specialists.

The finite element analysis was conducted before a final decision on the Laticrete products was announced… there were many other competitive product manufacturers vying to get this unique project.

One key to Laticrete being awarded the contract was our

commitment in assuring the quality by training and inspection during installation.

There were many challenges on this project including the building’s extraordinary height and also, having installation occur during hot weather where the mercury reached as high as 50° C (122° F)!”

The Trencadis Gaudi limestone was bonded to the exterior concrete walls of Al Hamra Tower with Laticrete® 254 Platinum (white), a one-step, polymer fortified, thin-set mortar.

“We selected this product for many reasons, one being its high shear-bond strength and balanced shear modulus properties,” added Goldberg.

Once the thin-set cured, the subsequent grouting process on the Al Hamra Tower’s exterior was implemented with Laticrete 1500 Sanded Grout, a premium, factory-prepared product designed to be mixed with water.

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Formulated from a blend of high-strength Portland cement, graded aggregates, polymers and color-fast pigments, Laticrete 1500 Sanded Grout provided The Tower’s outside walls with grout joints that were dense, hard and highly durable… made from a product that could withstand the incredibly high heat index existing in Kuwait City.

Singh commented that Laticrete 1776 Grout Enhancer was used in this project, as well. “Laticrete 1776 Grout Enhancer is used in place of water to provide a dense, colorfast grout joint that inhibits stain causing bacteria, mold and mildew growth with Microban®.

This was necessary for the Al Hamra Tower’s limestone cladding, as it works perfectly with Laticrete 1500 Sanded Grout.”

The Al Hamra Tower is without question, a world-class, signature architectural project.

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Hamra Tower,” stated Erno de Bruijn, President, Laticrete International. “Some of the world’s premier architects, engineers, consultants and contractors were called upon to make this construction dream a reality.

We know it will stand tall as a major architectural statement for decades to come.

Because of that, we are very confident that the Laticrete products which were specified for The Al Hamra Tower will perform at optimal levels as long as the building is in use.”

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Visitors and tenants are welcomed by a soaring, 20-plus meter high lobby, which frankly, has to be seen firsthand for one to experience its awesome, futuristic designs.

The Tower’s facilities include six levels of retail; a rooftop garden positioned atop the retail sector; the largest business center in Kuwait; the very posh, Sky Lounge restaurant; 40 rapid elevators to reach those very high floors; two “refuge floors” designed to be used in case of an emergency… and, a multi-story parking facility, as well.

All of this, housed within a building that has an exterior professionally covered via the largest and quite possibly the most spectacular direct-adhered limestone-cladding project found to date on this earth.

“We at Laticrete are proud to be able to contribute to a project as ambitious as the Al

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23-27 SePTeMBeR 2013 www.cersaie.it

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ASEAN Ceramics 2013 11 – 13 September 2013 | BITEC | Bangkok | Thailand

South East Asia’s 1st international technology and materials exhibition for ceramic manufacturing

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Available also in 12mm thickness

standard laying

raised laying

laying on sand and gravel

laying on grass

wire natural in.out