Totalook: interview with the designer
Italian-made porcelain stoneware: excellence in the world of interior design
We have often spoken here of how Emilgroup’s porcelain collections can be easily used for any interior design solution you might desire: the huge range of choices and enormous possibilities for customization are just some of the characteristics of this material, echoed by its safety, durability and reliability. They are traits which have been highlighted many times in this magazine, evidence of a productive drive whose history and tradition we will delve into today: Emilgroup indeed boasts decades of highly innovative production excellence in the production of Italian-made porcelain stoneware.
Emilgroup: history and tradition of porcelain stoneware
A high-quality product with made in Italy branding is a reason for pride, and an important recognition: it means offering the Italian and worldwide market the fruit of attentive research, which is not limited to evidence, but is rather constantly trying to outdo itself. The ensuing result is therefore distinctive and represents an impressive international achievement for the world to see. This is the goal with which Emilgroup has been designing, developing, manufacturing and distributing Italian-made porcelain stoneware tiles since 1961 for four commercial brands: Emilceramica, Ergon, Provenza and Viva. It is a volume of work which translates into successful collections distributed all around the world through an extensive sales network which has been developed over the years, with various sales offices and warehouses today located in the US, Russia, Germany and Hong Kong, as well as the company’s Italian headquarters. In addition to design values, synergy and collaboration are essential, because the driving force of each activity lies in the union of different visions and passionate strengths.
The innovative and unique elements of Italian-made porcelain stoneware
Emilgroup aims to be an important component part of the image of the high-level production system which Italy has constructed and maintains: the requirements are equally high, and all-encompassing. In order to maintain them, the company relies on its R&D department, which operates like a Creative Workshop where a specialized team weaves together culture and technique to create uniquely excellent products: producing, after all, means innovating. The professionals involved in this intellectual phase draw on knowledge and stimuli from all areas, placing them at the service of the porcelain slabs and then finally of professionals and customers: the design, the art, the history and the material must all be evident in the finished product. The key to Emilgroup’s creativity is a free, interdisciplinary and stimulating cultural environment which constantly reworks reality in a new way. This is for reasons of aesthetic refinement as much as physical functionality, which never takes second stage: consider, for example, a collection like Elegance Pro by Ergon.
Inspired by the natural veining of sandstone, its design incorporates not only versatility and creativity (5 formats and fully 7 colors to choose from, in addition to the 4 available finishes), but also innovation: this means not just the high level of realism of the material compared to the original material, but also important contributions to our day-to-day living. The most important of these is “Shield”, a proprietary Emilgroup technology able to inhibit bacterial growth on porcelain surfaces, for cleaner and more hygienic living. The active ingredient with silver ions in “Shield” prevents bacterial survival, reproduction and colonization in a continuous manner which remains constant over time: it does not degrade over time with normal cleaning, and complies with the requirements laid out by international regulatory authorities, as it does not represent any hazard to the environment. Yes, Italian porcelain stoneware can be this too: a secret weapon in protecting everybody’s health.
Production quality and the importance of the raw materials
Talking about the environment, Emilgroup’s commitment to environmental sustainability has always played a key role in its business, an aspect which affects society as a whole: the adoption of Italian porcelain stoneware must represent a virtuous thrust, benefiting the planet. The careful selection of the finest raw materials is not damaging to nature in the slightest: the quarries where the basic components of porcelain stoneware are extracted are regulated by environmental restoration plans in accordance with international regulations for protection of habitats, and the internal recovery and reuse of process materials allows Emilgroup to reduce the extraction of virgin materials, putting the company at an advantage compared to competing products – such as wood, which requires cutting down trees, or stone which must be quarried, with consequent erosion and exploitation of the soil. Also in light of this, in 1997 the company certified its quality management system according to the ISO 9001 standard. The company’s guiding principle is to create innovative products of reliable standards of quality through continuous improvements to its processes and products (constant reuse of energy which minimizes the environmental impact) which do not hinder respect for common health and safety. The choice to use Italian-made porcelain stoneware is therefore a well-informed and mature one.
Prices of Italian-made porcelain stoneware
But also an economical one. You need only think of the cost of the different materials, which is high because it is calculated on the basis of a more complex and delocalized supply chain; porcelain stoneware, on the other hand, is designed and manufactured without wastage, the fruit of an optimized and centralized process. Quarrying of marble, for instance, involves continuous movement and processing, until a finished product is achieved whose cost per square foot is particularly high. Porcelain stoneware naturally offers a lower cost compared to marble, as well as greater tolerance of mechanical stress, reduced sensitivity and reduced need for care and attention. Similar comparisons can also be made with wood and natural stone, but it might be interesting to also make a comparison with concrete, a material which is, on the contrary, very inexpensive, and is also used to a greater or lesser degree in virtually all houses. In this case, leaving concrete visible as a finished surface is an on-trend solution, however one which requires extra installation and finishing steps to reduce the risk of moisture and damage which can lead to permanent staining. A collection such as Re-Play Concrete by Provenza – which interprets the strong, contemporary personality of concrete to create a complete, versatile design with structured volumes and colors – combines the appeal of the raw material with the well-known advantages of Italian porcelain stoneware, eliminating any and all potential problems: it is impermeable, and when used as a wall covering it helps with insulation much more than visible concrete finishes, which have very poor thermal performance. In addition, the aesthetic possibilities are also much greater than the natural alternative, including not only five different colors (Sand, White, Grey, Dark Grey, Verdigris, Anthracite), but also a range of different finishes (Recupero, Cassaforma Flat, Cassaforma 3D).
16 November 2021
Magazine
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