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Companies,News & Markets

Tile International 2/2018 16

LAPITEC® SINTERED STONE WINS THREE 'PLUS X' AWARDS

Lapitec® through-body sintered stone has won three Seals of Approval in the German Plus X Awards for product inno-vation in the world of technology and lifestyle.The jury – an independent panel of journalists, designers and experts – as-sessed the material in the colour Bian-co Crema and endorsed its excellence in the Quality, Design and Functionality categories, for its ability to combine the physical and mechanical properties of porcelain tile with the elegance of nat-ural stone. Lapitec® also has solid environmental credentials because it is free from resin-based binders and hydrocarbons.The jury took a particularly positive view of the delicate, Mediterranean hue of Bianco Crema, which is available in seven different finishes for a wide range of customisable solutions. Lastly, the technical properties of Lapitec® earned it a Seal of Approval in the Functionality category, because of its resistance to high temperatures, UV rays, acids, alka-lis and bacteria, plus the fact that it is self-cleaning.

ry was the "New Prysmian Group Headquarters" in Milan (pictured), by the architect Maurizio Varratta, which used 16,000 sq.m of Marazzi ceram-ics. With a scale approaching that of an urban development project, the complex fosters close communica-tion between the indoor and outdoor environments.

- The winner of the Residential catego-ry was "Bernini2 La Villa e La Torre" in Turin, by +Studio Architetti, which used Caesar, Keope, Kronos and Atlas Con-corde tiles. This new building within a Turin cityscape dating back to the 1950s creates a sensitive link between past and future.

"CERAMIC AND DESIGN": WINNERS OF THE 7TH EDITION

The 7th edition of Ceramic and Design has just come to a close. The competi-tion is run by Confindustria Ceramica for architects and interior designers, and its aim is to award prizes to the best archi-tectural projects involving significant use of Italian ceramic.The panel of judges, made up of Mario Cucinella, Fulvio Irace, Aldo Colonetti and Confindustria Ceramica, assessed a total of 78 projects and selected the winners on the basis of their creativity, functionality and aesthetics, taking ac-count of the design, use of tiles, quality of installation and environmental sus-tainability of the material.- The Commercial category was won

by the project "Rosalia Salad Gour-met" in Florence, designed by S+S Stu-dio with the use of large-format pan-els by Ceramica Sant'Agostino.

The project represents a fresh new take on interior design culture and the organisation of space, and the choice of floor and wall tiles remains in full harmony with the high visual im-pact of the design language.

- The winner of the Institutional catego-

NEOLITH ACCLAIMED BY TOP-END RESTAURANTS

Neolith by TheSize, a sintered stone prod-uct, whose specific technical and aes-thetic properties make it suitable for a wide range of applications, is winning a growing following in the restaurant sec-tor.Recent developments involving the use of the product include the futuristic ENIGMA owned by the chef Albert Adrià and the Miramar owned by Paco Pérez,

both in Spain; Il lusso della semplicità owned by Alessandro Borghese and Confusion owned by Italo Bassi (pic-tured), both in Italy; and KUTCHiiN owned by Holger Stromberg, in Germa-ny. Mar Esteve Cortes, Director of Neolith, explains: "The pleasure of eating out goes beyond gastronomy. Whether it's an informal or an exclusive occasion, people love discovering places that are worth coming back to, such as person-alised environments in which every de-tail has been carefully formulated. From classical to contemporary; natural to in-dustrial, and featuring contrasting or complementary tones, our wide range of colours offer a broad spectrum of ef-fects that help create memorable din-ing experiences."On the styling front, the light marble ef-fect is a favourite in many venues, in-cluding Ricarda's restaurant in Toronto (Canada), which is dominated by Cala-catta Polished, and Beluga Loves You, wich focuses on the broad vein patterns of Neolith Estatuario, which is a faithful interpretation of Carrara Marble that brings a classic look to contemporary spaces.

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17 Tile International 2/2018

COLMEF WINS AWARD FOR GEODRY SYSTEMAT JORDAN BUILD

The Geodry waterproofing system by the Geodry division of Colmef won the most innovative product award from the Jor-danian Construction Contractors Asso-ciation at the international Jordan Build exhibition. The award was presented by Ahamed Al Yacoub, Chairman of the JCCA, and collected by Colmef's Export Area Manager, Alberto El Arabi (pic-tured).Colmef's participation in Jordan Build was made possible by a project sup-ported by the AICS (the Italian Agency for International Development Coopera-tion), the Municipality of Gubbio, ANCE, Confindustria Perugia, CESF (the Build-ing Centre for Safety and Training), the ancient guild of the University of Ma-sons, and of course the PCU (Palestinian Contractors Union) and JCCA."Product innovation must encompass functional and performance character-istics, and integrate the latest technolo-gy with ease of installation. The aim is to provide designers with tailored solutions that prevent construction problems at the design stage," explained Colmef's

Sales Director Remo Fioroni. "This is the philosophy we adhered to in the devel-opment of the Geodry Division, and the JCCA's members have chosen to rec-ognise these strength by giving us this award."Geodry Systems consist of prefabricat-ed geo-membranes (so do not require any mixing of products on site) that en-sure uniformity and continuity across the entire substrate and greatly reduce the margin for error. What's more, they can be installed using standard, every-day tools. Geodry solves the main prob-lems that arise during installation, and provides designers with flexible, tailored solutions. Polymeric geo-membranes are made up of multiple thin layers, and are waterproof, elastic and hyper-flexi-ble. Specific adhesives have been for-mulated for fixing them, along with spe-cial pieces to ensure continuity and uniformity at critical points (drains, vents, corners, connections with drainage sys-tems, etc.).Geodry is recommended for all types of substrate: existing flooring, with no need for any demolition work; cracked sub-strates, substrates subject to vapour-generated stresses, without compres-sion layers, under technical or floating floors, interposed between different ma-terials, over radiant systems, for green roofs, for walls in direct contact with the soil, and for structures built below ground level. Once installed, ceramic or other coverings can be laid directly over the system, without additional compres-sion layers, thanks to specific sealants.

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Tile International 2/2018 18

CERRAD OPENS A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACTORY IN STARACHOWICE

Cerrad has completed the construction of a new, fully automated factory in Sta-rachowice which will be used to pro-duce the biggest large-format tiles in Po-land, 160x320 cm.The 28 million euro (120 million PLN) in-vestment involved the construction of one of the most modern tile production plants in the world. This is Cerrad’s third production plant lo-cated in Starachowice. The factory cov-ers an area of 32 000 sq.m and will have a workforce of 80 employees and a pro-duction output of 4 million sq.m of tiles per year. The technological solutions adopted will enable the company to ex-pand its product portfolio. “Our production plant is the result of a development strategy focused on in-vestments in infrastructure and technol-ogy with the aim of supplying innovative products and setting new trends in inte-rior design. I have no doubt that the UL-TIME 160x320 cm large format tiles set such a trend, enabling us to offer prod-ucts that were not previously available on the market. We make designers’ and investors’ dreams come true,” says Cer-

rad’s Chairman Paweł Bak (pictured).The cutting-edge technology used to create these unique designs will rein-force the company’s position as an in-dustry innovator, and the introduction of new lines of products with outstanding technical and aesthetic quality will ena-ble it to enter new market segments. The new ULTIME premium brand redefines the concept of large format tiles and will open up new design opportunities, par-ticularly for construction projects. The tiles are pressed in a 160x480 cm size and then cut before firing, making it possible to choose their final size. This method allows for the production of smaller sizes so as to expand the collec-tion and offer customers a wider range of products. The tiles will be available in three versions: matt, polished and lap-pato. The new plant has already begun production of porcelain tiles. The mod-ern production line complete with dry pressing technology is capable of pro-ducing high-quality products with thick-nesses ranging from 3 to 20 mm. Along with the ULTIME brand, this also includes much more affordable products cater-ing for a wider group of customers, such as coloured-body porcelain for indoor and outdoor use and weatherproof tiles suitable for terraces and gardens.

The large-format ULTIME slabs are al-ready available on the Polish market and later this year will reach customers in Europe, Asia and the USA.

RUBINETTERIE STELLA FOR LA MAISON BRÉGUET, PARIS

Situated a stone's throw from the Marais, one of the most authentically Parisian districts, La Maison Bréguet hotel stands out for its atmosphere and the close at-tention it pays to the well-being of its guests. For the recent remodelling of the building, its welcoming rooms and their luxurious bathrooms, the architects opt-ed for the Eccelsa Series of taps with protected brass finish - the greatest clas-sic of the Rubinetterie Stella range, which has been in production since the 1930s.

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Tile International 2/2018 20

MATICAD IS READY TO PRESENT THE PREVIEW OF DOMUS3D 2019 AT CERSAIE 2018.

Maticad’s DomuS3D could be consid-ered the leading 3D interior design soft-ware made for ceramic tile and sanitary ware industry.As every year, Maticad is attending CER-SAIE in September 2018. The exhibition is the perfect opportunity to be in touch with the public and customers, to talk with them about where is the market heading, to take stock of the situation on their work and their daily needs, to collect comments and suggestions.It is also the ideal showcase for the pre-view of DomuS3D's new version. The 2019 version is expected to introduce new and crucial functionalities that will ease and speed up the work of thou-sands of users all over the world. The company will also show what’s new about Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality (so talked-about these days) and online

designing tools, which are all considered very important and expect-ed to bring a lot of heat in the coverings and interior decorat-ing market.

Pros, curious and enthusiasts will find Maticad at booth H16, hall 15/A.

Compasso d'Oro Awards run by the ADI. Held on 20 June, the awards ceremony was attended by a host of top names from the world of Italian design, plus nu-merous representatives of public institu-tions. In the days that followed, the event attracted a big influx of visitors, thanks to the vital collaboration of the Municipali-ty of Milan and the body that manages the Castle's events, paying particular at-tention to the interests of all visitors. "We're very pleased with these figures," explained Luciano Galimberti, Chair-man of the ADI. "At this edition of the ADI Compasso d'Oro awards, we wanted to emphasise how design is now a part of everyday life for everyone, and not just a specialist discipline for designers and manufacturers. The fact that the event was attended by so many people who take a general interest in cultural events but have no specific connection with the world of design, confirms that de-sign not only represents a building block for development, but also forms a living part of contempo-rary culture. In con-junction with tech-nology, design has a role to play in the customs and ethics of our time."

Dot Award for the superior quality of its design.The jury of experts awards the interna-tionally recognised Red Dot quality mark exclusively to products that stand out for the excellence of their design.Ideal Standard extended its Idealrain collection in 2018 with the launch of two new lines of high-performance shower products, Idealrain Evo and Idealrain Evo Jet. They are a perfect synthesis of advanced technology and attractive design, which offers a truly unique user experience.Available in the classic round version and a sophisticated diamond-shaped version, both with three jet modes, the new models offer an extended range of shower heads.The Idealrain collection includes com-plete shower sets available in lots of dif-ferent compositions, thanks to the possi-bility of combining the secondary shower heads with a selection of slide rails, main shower heads and combined systems, to create a shower that pro-vides state-of-the-art performance and a refined image.

25TH COMPASSO D'ORO AWARDS: A FEAST OF DESIGN Over 18,000 people visited the exhibi-tion held in the Cortile della Rocchetta del Castello Sforzesco in Milan, from 21 to 26 June, in conjunction with the 25th

IDEAL STANDARD WINSRED DOT DESIGN AWARD

After several days of individual testing and examination of all the products tak-ing part in the competition, the panel of judges of the Red Dot Award picked "Idealrain Evo Jet", designed by ARTE-FAKT design for Ideal Standard, for a Red

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Tile International 2/2018

MAPEI COMES TO O. BOTTECCHIA VELODROME IN PORDENONE

Mapei took part in the recent remodel-ling of the Pordenone velodrome, which is one of the world's most important open-air facilities of its kind and also hosts the "City of Pordenone - 3 Interna-tional Evenings" event, the latest edition of which was held from 24 to 27 July.Mapei's work focused on the renovation of the surface of the 4,000 sq.m oval cir-cuit. After removing the existing cover-ing (applied 20 years earlier), the con-tractors sealed the cracks with EPORIP, a solvent-free, dual-component epoxy ad-hesive for monolithic sealing of cracks in screeds, and PRIMER SN, a dual-com-ponent epoxy primer with fillers. The next step was to seal the joints of the rein-forced concrete structure with MAPE-FOAM, a closed-cell extruded polyethyl-ene foam, and MAPEFLEX PU 45 FT, a paintable, high-elasticity, quick-setting polyurethane adhesive and sealant, de-signed to absorb movements of up to 20%. To finish off, the contractors resurfaced the track, using MAPECOAT TNS CYCLE TRACK, a multilayer system comprising acrylic resins specifically developed for the construction of outdoor cycle tracks on substrates in bituminous or cement-based conglomerate. The system's outstanding abrasion- re-sistance and mechanical strength, plus the excellent balance its strikes be-tween rolling resistance and tyre stabili-ty, ensure the ideal conditions for top

athletes to perform in. This system has been fine-tuned on the basis of the ex-perience gained in recent years in the construction of velodromes in Dalmine, Ferrara, Kiev and Guadalupe.Since 1976, Mapei products and sys-tems have been used in indoor and out-door sports facilities built to host the world's most important sporting events. Founded in Milan in 1937, Mapei now has 85 subsidiaries, including the parent company, and 81 production plants in 34 countries across five continents, with estimated revenues of € 2.5 billion in 2018 and 10,000 employees worldwide.The company owes its success to three core principles: specialisation in the world of construction, to which its sup-plies certified products and systems that meet customer requirements and mar-ket demand; internationalisation, to give the business an intimate view of local needs and minimise transport costs; and Research & Development, in which the company makes its most substantial investments, both in monetary terms and in terms of human resources.

TWO RED DOT AWARDS FOR DURAVIT

Two series of Duravit products - the C.1 taps and Luv complete bathroom fur-nishing collection - recently won Red Dot Awards.The C.1 series by Kurt Merki Jr. is a per-fect reflection of Duravit's design lan-guage. The ergonomic lever has a groove at the bottom that improves grip and facilitates precise movement. Me-ticulously designed details, such as the minimal gap between body and lever, complete the look.

The outstanding design of Luv, by the Danish designer Cecilie Manz, com-bines Nordic purity with timeless, emo-tive elegance. Soft shapes blend with rigorous geometry. The choice of materials and colours re-veals an acute sense of tactility and a taste for nuance. The oval washbasins made of DuraCer-am® strike a convincing note with their refined lines, large capacity and clearly defined borders. As an option, customers can specify matt enamelled outer surfaces in White, Grey or Sand. The under-basin bases have height-adjustable feet. The recon-stituted quartz consoles in three perfect-ly coordinated colour variants, plus one version in solid American Walnut, can be freely paired with the finishes used on the bases.Established in 1955, the Red Dot Award identifies the year's best products every year. Over 6,300 products by designers and manufacturers from 59 countries took part in the 2018 edition.

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Tile International 2/2018 24

SHACKERLEY’S SURECLAD® FAÇADES REJUVENATE BRACKNELL HIGH STREET

Ventilated façade specialist, Shacker-ley, has played an essential role in cre-ating a cohesive new high street for Bracknell in Berkshire.Part of a major regeneration project for the Greater London town centre, the cladding specification played a pivotal role in giving a more uniform look to a disparate arcade of retail units and cre-ating ‘The Lexicon’; a re-branded local shopping centre with a single, high quality aesthetic.Shackerley’s SureClad® ceramic granite ventilated cladding system was speci-fied for the project and façade panels in three complementary colourways - cream, mushroom/beige and mink – have been installed on the exteriors of the stores on both sides of the street. With their subtle grain and natural finish the SureClad® panels have delivered a high quality, timeless aesthetic that pro-vides an ideal blank canvas for individ-ual store branding whilst blending ef-fortlessly with the public realm landscaping elements of the project.

Around 400sq.m of SureClad® façade cladding was supplied by Shackerley, including bracketed one-piece window returns and details. The panels were fully pre-fabricated to order at Shackerley’s ISO9001-accredit-ed production facility in Lancashire, with the company’s proprietary Sure-Clad® Access System providing an in-stallation-ready solution for the team on site.Comments Brian G Newell, founder and chief executive of Shackerley: "This project demonstrates just how transfor-mational a high quality retro-fit clad-ding installation can be because The Lexicon has totally lifted the retail land-scape in Bracknell."Our SureClad® ceramic granite system is ideal for over-cladding projects like this because it’s easy to install, availa-ble in a wide range of colourways and finishes and provides a robust, graffiti-re-sistant durable finish that complies with either class A1 or A2 to EN13501-1." As local retail facilities continue to com-pete against out of town and online competition, enhancing the shopper experience with projects like this can be an important part of local authori-ties’ high street strategies."

CEDIT WINS GOOD DESIGN AWARD FOR “STORIE”

The "Storie" collection by CEDIT - Ce-ramiche d'Italia earned first prize in the floor and wall coverings category of the prestigious, international Good De-sign Award."Storie" – by the design firm Zanellato/Bortotto – is a collection of large-format ceramic panels featuring unprece-dented effects. Its visual expressiveness draws inspira-tion from the way plasterwork and wall decorations found in traditional Italian architecture slowly and beautifully fade with the passing of time.Run by the Chicago Athenaeum-Mu-seum of Architecture and Design, the Good Design Award was established in Chicago in 1950 by the world-fa-mous designers and architects Edgar Kaufmann Jr., Eero Saarinen, Charles Eames and Ray Eames.This award for the Storie collection for CEDIT is the second international award won by Giorgia Zanellato and Daniele Bortotto (pictured), who also won the "Best of the Best" category in Germany's Red Dot Design Award in 2017.

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26Tile International 2/2018

AWARD WINNERS PICKED AT COVERINGS 2018

The Ceramics of Italy press conference at Coverings in Atlanta, USA, hosted the awards ceremony for the 28th Confin-dustria Ceramica North American Dis-tributor Award, which provides an annu-al opportunity for Italian manufacturers to recognise the contribution made by their North American distribution part-ners. This year, the sought-after award was won by Cancos Tile and Stone, and collected by the company's President Mark Valva. Cancos Tile and Stone is a distribution company that has been sell-ing range-topping products by the world's best manufacturers for over 60 years. It has 12 stores in New York and New Jersey, with combined floorspace of 400,000 sq.m. During the same evening, the judges announced the winners of the 25th Ce-ramics of Italy Tile Competition, which singles out the best architectural devel-opments built in North America, making use of Italian ceramic tiles. The winners of the various categories are listed be-low:- The winner of the Residential catego-

ry was a project called “Baltimore Slate House” in Baltimore, by Ziger/Snead Architects, involving the use of tiles by Imola Ceramica.

An honourable mention was award-ed to the project “Norwich” in West Hollywood, by DI Group, with the use of Refin tiles (first picture).

- First prize in the Commercial catego-ry went to “Sapphire”, a development in Berlin by Studio Libeskind, featuring tiles by Casalgrande-Padana (sec-ond picture). The “Venetian Isle Club-house” in Florida, by Kay Green De-

sign and involving Provenza and Er-gon tiles, earned a special mention.

- The winner of the Institutional catego-ry was "Bergeron Centre for Engineer-ing Excellence at York University" in the State of Ontario, by ZAS Architects + Interiors, which made use of ABK tiles.

A special mention went to "Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral" in Raleigh, by O’Brien & Keane, which also made use of Provenza and Ergon products.

- Lastly, the winner of the new Student category was "Dover Street Market" in Miami, by Raquel Raney and Brennan Broome of Florida International Uni-versity, which featured tiles by Atlas Concorde, Ceramica Vogue and Or-namenta.

PANARIAGROUP COURTS CONTRACT SECTOR

In a bid to boost business in the major works and architectural projects sector, Panariagroup has set up a new Con-tract & Key-Account division. It's an ef-fective, dedicated channel designed to meet the specific needs of architects and specifiers working on major pro-jects. The division stands out for the compre-hensive range of services it offers, span-ning design consulting, coordination and logistics during the course of works, technical support, project plans drawn up to client specification and after-sales support.Panariagroup also has a range of over 1000 products manufactured with state-of-the-art technologies, to meet the wid-est imaginable variety of design require-ments.

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Tile International 2/2018 28

ADESITAL CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY

2018 marks a new milestone in the histo-ry of Adesital, as the company cele-brates its 50th anniversary. Founded in 1968 in Fiorano Modenese in the heart of Italy's ceramic cluster, the company has always specialised in the produc-tion of ceramic tile installation systems, and joined the Mapei Group - the sec-tor's leading player - in 2000.Building on years of experience and an ongoing commitment to researching and developing new solutions, Adesital now offers a wide range of premixed products to meet an equally wide range

of needs.The logo de-signed to mark this important anniversary rep-resents the com-pany's solidity and its proximity to its customers, by means of two geometrically in-terwoven circles

- an image that will be associated with the brand throughout 2018.

DEL CONCA ON TRACK IN MOTO3

The official presentation of the Del Con-ca Gresini Moto3 team preparing to take part in the world championships was held at the Del Conca Logistics Centre in Solignano, in the Italian prov-ince of Modena, at the end of February.The event was attended by Fausto Gres-ini, together with the riders Jorge Martin and Fabio di Giannantonio, and saw

the unveiling of the new Honda NS-F250RWs, numbers 88 and 21, with which the team will make its bid for the world ti-tle.The evening provided an ideal opportu-nity for the Group to look back at its his-tory of involvement in the world of motor-cycling: "Del Conca's passion for motorcycling started off with Poggiali and is still burning bright with the Gresini team," explained Davide Mularoni, Man-aging Director of Del Conca. "Our pas-sion has grown over the years and rep-resents an ever stronger bond, because it involves two families: ours, the Mularo-ni family, and the family of Fausto Gresini with its riders. What's more, we're surer than ever that in a global market, it's not just our product that we have to posi-tion, but our entire brand identity.”

SAXA GRES ACQUIRES TAGINA

On 13 April, Tagina, the historic ceramic brand, was acquired by Saxa Gres, a manufacturer of porcelain tile and cob-blestones for urban furnishing, based in Anagni in the Italian province of Frosinone and headed by Francesco Borgomeo. Saxa Gres also took over the Ideal Standard plant in Frosinone from Roccasecca in February.

The sale was announced by the Chair-man of Tagina, Mario Moriconi, at a press conference attended by Roberto Barberini and the top management of Saxa Gres, represented by Francesco Borgomeo and Stefano Donati, the May-or of Gualdo Tadino, Massimiliano Presciutti, and various union representa-tives.According to statements made by the new owners, the company will be re-launched as soon as possible and em-ployment will be kept at current levels. The industrial plan announced by Borgo-meo involves bringing Tagina into Saxa Gres's project for the production of urban furnishing materials from recycled ash from the waste incinerators operated by Acea. To achieve this goal, investments will be made to equip Tagina with a spray-dryer and a biogas system for fuelling two kilns. According to Borgomeo, once Tagina gets up to speed, it will be able to manu-facture 2 million sq.m of porcelain tile per year, in thicknesses of 2 and 3 cm, with a view to achieving turnover of 30 to 40 mil-lion euros.

Bora Celik Italy SRL

24-28 September 2018

Hall 44 - Stand 35

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Tile International 2/2018

WINNERS OF THE 11TH

PORCELANOSA AWARDS

The 11th Porcelanosa Architecture & Inte-rior Design Awards, a competition aimed at singling out ground-breaking projects involving the use of Porcelanosa Group products, culminated in the awards cer-emony for the three winning projects, at-tended by 330 professionals on 26 April in Madrid.The awards were divided into three cat-egories. - The winner of the Projects of the Fu-

ture - Students category was “TheO-rigami” by Orbaiceta de Navascués, Rubén Aldaba and Santiago de Pa-blo, who are students on the Master BIM Manager at CICE in Madrid.

- The winner of the Projects of the Fu-ture - Professionals category was "Watercourse" by Miguel Ángel Mayo Sáez, Silvia Díaz, Carmen Cór-coles and Borja Cuevas, of the archi-tecture firm Kiga.

- The Project of the Year Award went to César Frías Enciso and Miguel Pradillo of Morph Studio, for “Terrazas del Lago”.

The winners were selected and an-nounced by a panel of judges made up of leading professionals such as Daniel Libeskind, Francesc Rifé, Lázaro Rosa-Violán, Mark Fenwick, Rafael de La-Hoz, Clodagh, Fermín Vázquez, Sandra Tarruella, Teresa Sapey, Julio Touza, Fran Silvestre, Carlos Lamela, Íñigo Ortiz, Hem-bert Peñaranda, Ramón Esteve, Taba Rasti, Pascua Ortega and Benedetta Tagliabue.As usual, the professional career and

lifetime achievement awards were also given at the event. These awards went to three firms: RCR, Conran & Partners and Fenwick Iribarren Architects.

ENTRIES OPEN FOR 11TH CASALGRANDE PADANA GRAND PRIX

Entries are now officially open for the 11th Casalgrande Padana Grand Prix, for projects completed during the period 2016-2018. The aim of this international architecture competition - which was the first conceived and held by an Ital-ian ceramic manufacturer - is to identify and promote the best architecture pro-jects that have made the most effective use of the technical and aesthetic char-acteristics of Casalgrande Padana cov-erings. As before, the awards will be di-vided into 5 categories - Shopping centres and office buildings; Public, in-dustrial and service buildings; Residen-tial building; Façade coverings; Outdoor and swimming pool coverings – and the winners will be selected by an interna-tional panel of judges made up of well-known professionals.As well as receiving a cash prize, the winning projects will be featured in "Cre-ative Book", which is published by Ca-salgrande Padana and has worldwide distribution of over 60,000 copies.In the course of over 20 years, the com-petition has attracted the participation of more than 12,000 professionals, result-ing in the collection of over 1,700 archi-

PANARIAGROUP PRODUCTS USED IN HOLY SEE PAVILION AT VENICE BIENNALE

Panariagroup took part in the develop-ment of the Holy See Pavilion built for the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, which runs until 25 November 2018. Slim-gauge, large-format laminated gres porcelain panels from the Cotto d’Este, Lea Ceramiche and Panaria Ceramica collections were used to tile the interior and exterior of the chapel designed by the architect Francesco Cellini."Our collaboration with the Holy See for this 16th edition of the Venice Architec-ture Biennale," explains Emilio Mussini, Chairman of Panariagroup, "gives us a truly unique opportunity to showcase the properties of our materials, which single-handedly lend the project a sol-emn but weightless tone that's entirely in keeping with the spirituality of the

tecture projects from five continents. Over 250 designers took part in the 2013-2015 edition, spread across the various categories.

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chapel. So we're proud to continue our ongoing relationship with the world of architecture against a backdrop of such unsurpassed excellence.” The Holy See Pavilion, entitled Vatican Chapels and curated by Professor Francesco Dal Co and Micol Forti, draws inspiration from the “Woodland Chapel”, built in Stockholm cemetery in 1920 by the famous architect Gunnar Asplund. Made up of 11 chapels designed by 11 internationally renowned architects, it forms a single complex in the garden of the Fondazione Cini on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.

FUSTECMA: TAILOR MADE SOLUTIONS FOR SHOWROOMS

Specialist in showroom’s design, Fustec-ma match the shop harmony with the customer’s taste and the current trends of the ceramic market to provide a total customization of the projects. Fustecma’s strength is being designers and manufacturers, specialist in com-prehensive refurbishment and innova-tion with a wide I+D+i program. The Span-

ish company, which has recently collaborated with major brands such as Grespania and Ape Grupo, offers cus-tom made solutions for every type of en-vironment, from exhibition booths to commercial spaces. Among the lead-ing products, for example, are listed re-sistant and high quality displays for ce-ramics, in different styles and materials, result of the constant research to adapt the range to the new market trends, big sizes, sliding, gyratory, technical areas, etc. Fustecma’s team of professionals, specialised in 3D and interior design, can advise and always provide the cus-

tomer with a cus-tomized solution, according to dif-ferent needs.Information: ex-port@fustecma.com or jmatas@fustecma.com.

8TH WIENERBERGER BRICK AWARD: THE GRAND PRIZE WINNERS

1. Westkaai Towers 5 and 6, in Belgium, by Tony Fretton Architects (pictured).

2. Kunstmuseum Basel Extension, in Swit-zerland, by Christ & Gantenbeinkkk.

These two projects won the Grand Prize at the 8th Wienerberger Brick Award, a competition held every two years to cel-ebrate the most innovative examples of brick-built architecture.The projects were selected by a panel of judges made up of five internationally renowned architects, from a short-list of 50 finalists chosen from 600 candidates from 44 different countries. Far-sighted vi-sion, boldness and creativity are the common denomi-nators of all the award-winning works across the five categories: Feeling at Home, Living To-gether, Working To-gether, Sharing Pub-lic Spaces and Building Outside. Two of these works were then also picked for the Grand Prize and Special Prizes.

Tile International 2/2018

Tilenews

Tile International 2/2018 32

MOHAWK INDUSTRIES: REVENUES REACH 9.5 BILLION DOLLARS IN 2017

The 2017 results of Mohawk Industries (Calhoun, Georgia) have exceeded ex-pectations, enabling the US-based floor coverings colossus to beat its previous year's record once again.The company's revenues were up 5.9% to 9.5 billion dollars (from 8 billion in 2015 and 9 billion in 2016). The percent-age increase in margins was higher still. EBITDA rose to 1,859 million dollars (+8.6% on the 1,711 million reported in 2016), amounting to 19.6% of revenues and marking a significant increase on 2016. Operating profit was up 9% to 1,416 million dollars, equating to 15% of turnover; and net profit (excluding reno-vation work, acquisitions and other charges) rose from 940 to 1,019 million dollars (+8.4%).In geographical terms, the company generated 63% of its revenues in the United States, 25% in Europe, 3% in Rus-sia and 8% in other international mar-kets. The results of the Global Ceramics divi-sion (encompassing the American Olean, Dal-Tile, Emilgroup, KAI, Kerama Marazzi, Marazzi, Ragno and Ceramica Marconi brands, with plants in the USA, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland and Russia) were outstanding: sales rose from 3,175 million dollars in 2016 to

3,405 million (+7% and accounting for 36% of total earnings), while operating profit reached 545 million dollars (16% of earnings), representing a rise of 13.3% on the 481 million dollars reported in 2016. These figures strengthen the Amer-ican multinational's position as the world's largest manufacturer and distrib-utor of ceramic tiles, and market leader in North America, Western and Eastern Europe and Russia. The results for the first quarter of 2018 were similarly positive. Sales were up 12% (+8% at exchange rate parity) com-pared with the first quarter of 2017, and operating profit reached approximately 13%, down slightly on the first quarter of 2017 due to start-up costs, inflation and a different product mix.When presenting these enviable results to shareholders and the market, Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum, President and CEO of the American multinational, empha-sised that they were attributable to the solid organisation and long-term strate-gies adopted over the past five years, backed up by investments amounting to 6.6 billion dollars.

ZUCCHETTI: CLOSER WINS RED DOT AWARD PRODUCT DESIGN 2018

The Zucchetti. Kos Group is proud to an-nounce that its Closer line of mixer taps has been selected for a Red Dot Award Product Design 2018. This prestigious award celebrates the innovative spirit of the collection designed by Diego Gran-di, which has already won numerous in-ternational prizes, including the GOOD DESIGN™ Award 2017. This win for Closer testifies to the leading

role played by the Italian company in the bathroom design sector, which is the result of its continuous commitment to Research & Development in conjunc-tion with the most famous contempo-rary designers. The panel of judges at the Red Dot Award singled out Closer in the Product Design category “for its characteristic form that ingeniously re-defines the bathroom environment, and sets new standards in style and func-tionality.” Designed by Diego Grandi, the mixer tap is a harmony of shapes, punc-tuated by rounded corners for a simple, ergonomic grip, while the joints are spe-cifically designed to afford unprece-dented freedom of movement. The dynamism, freedom and flexibility that were already the hallmark of the iconic shower head from the same col-lection, are now reprised in the taps and fittings, through a unique and unmistak-able pattern of rotation. Designers and manufacturers from 59 countries took part in this year's Red Dot Design Award, and the over 6,300 items competing for the award were assessed on the basis of rigorous criteria such as innovation, quality of form, ergonomics and durabil-ity. As well as being featured in the Red Dot Award Year-book published in July 2018, Closer will also go on display at an exhibition entitled “Design on Stage – Win-ners Red Dot Award: Product Design” at the Red Dot Design Museum in Es-sen, Germany.

DISCOVER REBEL COLLECTION @ CERSAIE 2018 24/28 SEPTEMBER PAV 18 STAND A20-B19