Lapitec is the first manufacturer to meet EU sintered-stone guidelines; Caesarstone posts large loss for second quarter 2023; natural stone beats man-made in green comparison; more.
0:00 Intro
0:32 Lapitec is First EU Sintered Stone
2:05 A Word From Quantra
3:17 Large Loss in Second Quarter '23 for Caesarstone
5:11 Natural Stone Beats Man-made in Green Comparison
6:47 Hydrogen to Power New Iris Ceramica Factory
8:34 Laminam to Open 5 North American Facilities
10:20 Park Industries® to Hold ParkFest on Oct. 3-4
11:57 Prodim International Celebrates 25th at Marmomac
12:47 Outro
Radio Stone Update is presented on the first and third Wednesdays every month at 9 a.m. everywhere on Earth with the latest news and insights in hard surfaces. Check our archives at www.radiostoneupdate.com.
Lapitec is the first manufacturer to meet EU sintered-stone guidelines; Caesarstone posts large loss for second quarter 2023; natural stone beats man-made in green comparison; more.
0:00 Intro
0:32 Lapitec is First EU Sintered Stone
2:05 A Word From Quantra
3:17 Large Loss in Second Quarter '23 for Caesarstone
5:11 Natural Stone Beats Man-made in Green Comparison
6:47 Hydrogen to Power New Iris Ceramica Factory
8:34 Laminam to Open 5 North American Facilities
10:20 Park Industries® to Hold ParkFest on Oct. 3-4
11:57 Prodim International Celebrates 25th at Marmomac
12:47 Outro
Radio Stone Update is presented on the first and third Wednesdays every month at 9 a.m. everywhere on Earth with the latest news and insights in hard surfaces. Check our archives at www.radiostoneupdate.com.
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
0:32
Lapitec is the first surface product in Europe to be officially designated as sintered stone. The product now carries the CE – for Conformite Europeene – mark after meeting requirements set by the European Commission.
At this point, Lapitec surfaces are the only materials recognized as sintered stone under the European guidelines. The designation came shortly after the commission on the European Organisation for Technical Assessment adopted a new European Assessment Document – or EAD -- that defines the sintered-stone product category.
Lapitec representative Francesco Giannini called the designation a great milestone for the company. He added, “While the CE mark certifies the truth of Lapitec’s performance claims that we have always shared, it also defines once and for all when a surface can be called sintered stone.”
Under the EAD, sintered stone is a 100-percent-mineral ecological core that does not use petroleum derivatives and features a formula free of crystalline silica. The process of manufacturing also requires refining minerals at 1,500 degrees C and compacting them under vacuum, followed by sintering at 1,200 degrees C to produce large, full body slabs.
Giannini notes that all too often, other materials are promoted as sintered stone, and this new evaluation process will shed light on a long-standing problem that undermines that market niche.
3:17
This is Emerson Schwartzkopf. Weaker North American revenues and several major one-time financial write-offs led to a $46.9 million operating loss for Caesarstone Ltd. in this year’s second quarter. However, company officials told Wall Street analysts last week that the Israeli-based surfacing company is maintaining a strong cash flow and is moving back to profitability.
U.S. revenues of $69.4 million in this year’s second quarter marked a 25.4% year-on-year decrease, with Canada falling by 19.4% with its $20.4 million. Total revenues of $143.6 million worldwide represented a 20.3% decrease overall.
The majority of this year’s second-quarter operating loss came with a collection of one-time charge-offs and short-term changes. The closing of one quartz-surface factory in Israel included $23.6 million in associated costs, mostly in writing off the value of long-term property leases.
The company also reduced inventories by 18% to $173 million during the second quarter. Since the beginning of the year, the company cut products on hand from a 180-day supply to a 120-day surplus.
Caesarstone also spent an undisclosed amount reformulating products with reduced silica content exclusively for the Australian market.
Caesarstone CEO Yos Shiran noted that the company also paid down short-term bank debt and holds $49 million in cash. He said the company will gradually increase its profitability in the second half of this year.
5:11
The Natural Stone Institute reminds those in the industry that whether it’s granite or marble, natural stone is, well, natural … and sustainable.
The sustainable message has been told for years, highlighting its durability and its lack of VOCs or added ingredients. However, with the release of NSI’s industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations – or EPDs – last fall, it’s helped the industry quantify the embodied carbon of natural stone, and its cradle-to-grave life-cycle impacts for cladding, flooring and countertops.
The bottom line: natural stone has a lower global-warming impact and lower embodied carbon than many manmade materials, including precast concrete, terrazzo and engineered stone.
How much? Well, in a comparison of embodied carbon, precast concrete had almost three times the amount of natural stone. When comparing terrazzo with natural stone, the terrazzo had more than three times that of natural stone. And, when it comes to countertops, an engineered quartz countertop has more than twice the embodied carbon of natural stone.
Particularly with larger commercial projects, the embodied carbon savings with natural stone can reduce metric tons of carbon dioxide. If you want to talk to your clients about Environmental Product Declarations and how they can help build a greener world, contact the Natural Stone Institute at www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/sustainability.
6:47
Hydrogen will be the power source for a new ceramic-slab factory in Castellarano, Italy. The new 50 million euro plant from Iris Ceramica Group will use green hydrogen to produce renewable energy with a pioneering custom-build system from Milan-based Edison Next.
The project marks the start of a new journey for the company which is looking to decarbonize this energy-intensive industrial sector, which is a crucial contribution to achieving the energy transition objectives of both Italy and the ceramic district.
Plans from Iris for the facility involved engineering a kiln powered by a 50-50 blend of hydrogen and natural gas. Edison Next will build a new 1 MW green hydrogen production system based on electrolysis, powered by renewable energy. The electrolyzer uses rainwater from collection tanks, which fosters water management following the circular economy’s principles.
The expected annual production of approximately 132 tons of green hydrogen will replace about 500,000 cubic meters of methane gas. From the start, the blend will significantly reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, saving an estimated 900 tons of CO2 per year. A kiln fully powered by hydrogen is under study.
The factory, which will be powered by hydrogen starting in 2025, will produce large slabs in 4D Ceramics – the fourth dimension refers to sustainability – with large full-body technical porcelain stoneware surfaces in thicknesses of 1.2- and 2-cm.
Iris Ceramica will work with Edison Next toward a goal of achieving carbon neutrality companywide in production of ceramic slabs by 2030.
8:34
Laminam announced it will open five new state-of-the-art showrooms with adjoining distribution centers across key locations in Canada and the United States before the end of 2023. The expansion is part of the sintered-slab company’s plan to increase its presence in the retail market as it enters its thirteenth 13th year in North America.
Currently, Laminam surfaces are distributed in North America through a network of distributors, select fabricators and retail showrooms. Four of the new showrooms and warehouses will be in Canada’s major cities – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary, Alberta. The first U.S. location is set for Houston. The new locations will range in size from 16,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet.
Philip Eeles, president of Laminam for North America, the U.K. and Ireland, says because of the product’s easy of fabrication and the elimination of the need for relief cuts, Laminam has become a preferred surface for many fabricators.
He adds, “Our R&D team has developed over 120 colors and the largest variety of surface finishes in the industry, with an array of smooth, polished and textured effects. Each surface is carefully crafted to achieve a unique touch and feel experience and maximizes the differentiation of our product from our competitors.”
Laminam, based in Fiorano Modenese, Italy, has a long history in large-panel production. The company also continues to develop sustainable production, transitioning away from traditional energy sources to renewable solar energy, reducing waste and promoting recovery.
10:20
Park Industries turns 70 this year, and it’s inviting everyone to the celebration in early October. Billed as ParkFest, the first of its kind event is scheduled for Oct. 3-4 at the company’s headquarters in St. Cloud, Minn., and stone fabricators from across North America are invited to attend.
The event will include product launches that provide a glimpse of the future of stone fabrication, live machine demonstrations and interactive demonstrations to provide new skills and knowledge to participants.
Joan Schatz, Park Industries CEO, says the event is dedicated to providing an engaging platform that celebrates education, machinery and camaraderie. She adds, “ParkFest 2023 is designed to be an immersive and enriching experience for all stone fabricators, and we are eager to share our passion for innovation and excellence.”
Activities start Oct. 3 with an early-evening welcome reception. Oct. 4 will begin with a mini Digital Stoneworking Expo in the morning, followed by a choice of tours. One focuses on two digital shops, while the other includes a fabricator and a visit to Coldspring’s local quarry.
The company will launch new machines in a mid-afternoon event, followed by a cookout at Park’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. One of the other highlights of ParkFest will be a Sponsor Pavilion featuring more than 15 industry partners. To secure a spot and learn more about the event, go to www.parkindustries.com/parkfest.
11:57
And, Prodim International will hold its 25th anniversary during Marmomac 2023 in Verona, Italy. Over those 25 years, Prodim International has been at the forefront of innovation, offering cutting-edge solutions that transform the way stone fabricators approach templating.
At Marmomac, which runs from Sept. 26-29, Prodim will showcase its flagship product, the Proliner, a measuring device that enables accurate digital templating of various surfaces across many industries, including the stone industry.
Rene Teune, CEO of Prodim International, says the company is thrilled to celebrate its 25th anniversary at Marmomac. As part of the celebration, Teune will be present at the Prodim booth on Sept. 26.
Remember, the July/August. issue of Stone Update Magazine is now available at www.magazine.stonemag.com/julyaug23. Our online newsletter, Slab & Sheet, comes out on alternate Wednesdays. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com
For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper, and we’ll see you here again soon.