[ News ] British Gypsum Wins AMEC Sustainability Award
British Gypsum¡¯s commitment to waste reduction and recycling has won them top place in the sustainability category of the 2006 AMEC ¡®Supplier of the Year Awards¡¯.
The award, presented to British Gypsum at a special awards dinner at Old Trafford on 10th October, was for plasterboard system supply and product recycling at Gateshead¡¯s Queen Elizabeth Hospital Treatment Centre, an NHS Estates Procure 21 project.
Working closely with AMEC and specialist drylining contractor, G.T. Contracts, British Gypsum¡¯s team of design, site support and recycling specialists, implemented a range of waste reduction and recycling measures for the project, which supported AMEC¡¯s sustainability programme and 10% year-on-year target for landfill waste reduction.
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[ News ] Saint-Gobain Acquires Jans, Belgium's Leading Specialist Merchant in Interior Fittings Solutions
A family business founded in 1939 by Mr Josef Jans, grand-father of the current managing director Guy Jans, Jans should record a turnover of around 33 million euros in 2006. Its network comprises 6 branches covering the whole of Belgium. It has 83 employees.
Saint-Gobain Building Distribution is already located in Belgium through two brands: Lapeyre, the durable home improvements specialist and Binje Ackermans, a generalist merchant. By acquiring Jans, the Sector strengthens its presence in Belgium and enters, as a leading specialist, the interior fittings solutions market, one of its strategic markets.
Saint-Gobain¡¯s Building Distribution Sector recorded a turnover of 15.5 billion euros in 2005. Its 66,000 employees operate in a network of over 3,700 sales outlets located in 24 countries. Today, it is Europe¡¯s number one distributor of building materials and the world¡¯s leading tiles distributor. Its main brands are Point.P, Jewson, Raab Karcher, Dahl, Lapeyre la maison¡­ and La Plateforme du Batiment....More...

[ News ] Quaker Chemical Corporation Creating Global Business Unit for Front-to-back Supply and Service for the Tube and Pipe Industry
April, 2005-CONSHOHOCKEN, PA (NYSE:KWR) -- The Tube and Pipe Industry is undergoing significant changes, from increasing pressure for cost efficiencies, to consolidation and globalization, to ever-evolving technologies. In response, Quaker, a committed supplier to the industry is creating a new Global Tube and Pipe business unit. ¡°The idea,¡± says Quaker¡¯s Karl Kunkel, Global Tube & Pipe Director, ¡°is to serve every part of the tube and pipe manufacturing process, in every part of the world. We believe that Quaker can create real value for our tube and pipe customers ¡ª starting now, and delivering even more value in the future.¡±
The change Quaker is making is a strategic one, moving from supplying the market with traditional products and Quaker¡¯s specialty coatings, to become a ¡°front to-back¡± supplier of products and services. This is a unique position for which Quaker has many of the necessary resources already in place, including a broad tube and pipe product line, a global business infrastructure, and a depth of experience from long-term involvement with the industry. In the front end, Quaker has leveraged its proven metalworking coolant technologies to develop a new line of global products to serve the industry efficiently.
This complements their already established line of cleaners and FERROCOTE? rust preventives. Additionally, Quaker¡¯s acquisition of the Italian supplier Eural in 2003 helps complete the offering with an extended portfolio of products and expertise for forming, pilgering, and drawing. For the back end, Quaker is developing a global range of final coating products based on advanced technologies to meet the specific needs of customers. Current markets served include producers of tubular goods for the oil and gas industries, construction markets, structural products, office furniture, and many other specialty applications. ...More...

[ News ] FBC Announces the Addition of QuarryStone Tile
Florida Brick & Clay Company Inc. is pleased to announce the launching of a new Product line entitled QuarryStone Series. The QuarryStone Series is a specialty tile that has been intentionally made with a rustic, antique, stone-like appearance. An engobe is applied to the undulated surface of the tile and the edges are distressed to enhance the stone-like qualities of the tile.
According to Bill Dodson, FBC's Vice President of Sales and Marketing, "Over the past few years there has been a growing trend in the tile industry to offer ceramic products with the look of natural stone. QuarryStone's color-on-color effect offers designers, specifiers and homebuilders a "stone-like" look in a natural clay quarry tile".
QuarryStone Series is available in two color blends in 8" x 8" x 1/2". The TUSCANY BLEND has a rich, red body with grayish-cream and black engobes applied to the surface. The VIZCAYA BLEND has an off white body with peach and putty colored engobes applied to the surface. When fired at high temperatures the engobe coloring becomes hard and durable....More...

[ News ] FBC Announces the Addition of Enhancement Tiles
Florida Brick & Clay Co. Inc. announces the addition of enhancement tiles to its Sunshine Pavers line. Medallions, Borders, Mini-Medallions and Decorative Inserts are now available to complement these product lines.
Bill Dodson, FBC£§s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, states, "Designers and specifiers will have an array of color combinations and styles to accentuate Sunshine Pavers installations".
Decorative Borders by FBC are available in four different pattern and color combinations in Sunshine Pavers. Each border is hand crafted from actual pieces of quarry tiles or brick pavers. The names Staccato, Diamonds, Harlequin and Rubble are indicative of the pattern designs. The borders offer a wide variation of style to accommodate almost every decor....More...

[ News ] GranitiFiandre Displays New TCL Brand at HD Expo
-Products Ideal for Hospitality and Design Applications-
Italian stone and tile manufacturer GranitiFiandre will feature a new made-in-the-USA brand of products at the HD 2006 Expo (booth #3232), to be held April 27-29 in Las Vegas, Nev. In its initial offering, the TCL brand includes the Native Stone and Gallery glazed series, which will be on display along with GranitiFiandre¡¯s latest and most innovative products.
http://www.tclbrandtile.com/TCL/news.htm