CEMIX REVOLUTIONISES THE TILE ADHESIVE MARKET

Cemix has been a tried and trusted iconic kiwi brand serving the industry with NZ made construction products for the last 30 years. As a result of listening to customers and assessing the needs of the market, CEMIX has launched a flexible tile adhesive which is revolutionising the commercial tile adhesive industry.

HIGH YIELD TILE ADHESIVE

This product, called CEMIX Rubberflex, will spell the end of all other high yielding tile adhesives. This revolutionary light weight new tile adhesive for walls and floors, for most tile types, indoors and outdoors will provide, kilogram for kilogram, up to 20% more coverage/spreadrate than any other product available in the NZ market. This now means, metre for metre, applicators will be using LESS adhesive but, kilogram for kilogram, fixing more tiles per M2. To make this even more attractive, the price of a bag of CEMIX Rubberflex is also up to 20% less than most other equivalent flexible polymer modified adhesives. All this translates CEMIX Rubberflex into a truly path breaking product providing unmatched value and performance.

MORE M2 COVERAGE

Alan Polkinghorne, Business Development Manager at CEMIX, states that innovation and creative breakthrough thinking process is synonymous with Cemix. This product is based on a hi-tech rapid drying formula which will allow the Tilers to grout faster than conventional products available in the market.Tony Park, one of NZ’s most respected and experienced tiling professionals said: ” CEMIX RUBBERFLEX is one of the most revolutionary tile adhesive products in many years, it delivers everything that a Tiler expects, but using less product. The difference is that it spreads much further, kilogram for kilogram, thereby delivering up to 20 per cent more coverage than the standard tile adhesive.” Cemix Rubberflex offers a wide range of benefits, which are the result of an intensive research and development programme. In addition to all the characteristics of a flexible tile adhesive, CEMIX Rubberflex offers easier mixing with better consistency, easier and faster application, excellent bond strength and non-slip properties. Its high frost and water resistance makes it suitable for both interior and exterior use and it can be used with most tile types, including porcelain, in dry or wet environments.

COST SAVING

“Tilers will welcome a product which mixes to produce more adhesive,” said Tony Park, “and cost saving is only the start of the benefits, as It takes up less van or storage space, is cheaper to transport, less bags to carry about on site and less bags to mix, thus offering reduced wastage.”One of the key benefits for Tilers is the instant savings in real dollars this product provides – more money in the bank without compromising on quality and product performance.

VOC tested with LOW CARBON FOOTPRINT

Architects and specifiers seeking more environmentally sensitive builds will also welcome this eco-friendly VOC tested option, as 15 per cent of the raw materials have been recycled. Since this product is made in NZ and not imported from Australia or Europe, this surely has an industry best low Carbon Footprint. To add to all the above, Cemix products are manufactured in the state of the art computerised and robotic manufacturing facility in Onehunga Auckland. The company also has an unmatched nationwide overnight distribution network which is made possible by its own distribution warehouses in Auckland, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.

QUALITY ASSURED

With ISO9001 quality assured manufacturing process, Cemix has had a highly awarded 2011 with being a finalist of the annual Green Ribbon Awards by the NZ Government Ministry of Environment, finalist in the Annual Hardware Awards and featuring in the Deloittes Fast50 fastest growing companies index. For more info download the detailed Cemix Systems Tile Fixing guide at www.cemixtiling.co.nz . Specifications are also available at www.masterspec.co.nz

Mosaic Arts International 2010 will feature 48 extraordinary works of mosaic art, in 2D, 3D, and Architectural categories. The MAI exhibition offers more prize money than any other international mosaic arts exhibition, with awards totaling $5000. We are proud to announce those award winners as:

Best in Show, John Sollinger for Radiance
Best 2D, Diana Stevens for Indian Madonna
Best 3D, Kate Jessup for Cedar Stump
Best Architectural, Dianne Sonnenberg for Ocean(egg)graphy

Juror’s Choice Awards
Oliver Budd: Michael J. Kruzich for Corinthian
Juan Chavez: Connie Chantilis for Grotto
Janet Kozachek: Ilana Shafir for Temples

We are proud the show will this year be at The Smith Museum of Stained Glass at Chicago’s Navy Pier, where the exhibition is expected to attract approximately 80,000 visitors during the two month run. This is a different kind of a venue for MAI; it is not one of the traditional white-walled gallery spaces that have showcased mosaic works in the past. This exhibition will feature our work placed throughout the museum, presented in lighted, glass-walled cases. Although it would be our preference for visitors to experience the texture, color, and play of light directly, the security and preservation of the work is paramount. We are very grateful to the Smith Museum of Stained Glass and the Navy Pier for the opportunity to present the work of our member artists to an audience of this scope. This exhibition is an important milestone in SAMA’s history that will underscore SAMA’s 10 year legacy of dedication to educating, inspiring, and promoting excellence in fine mosaic art.

Jurors for MAI 2010 included esteemed British mosaicist Oliver Budd, currently president of the British Association for Modern Mosaic (BAMM); Juan Chavez, a noted public artist and faculty member at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; and Janet Kozachek, an Orangeburg, South Carolina artist and arts educator and a founding member and president of SAMA. Oliver Budd noted that he found the work to be of “consistently high quality” and was “really swayed by some of the fantastic abstract work.” Janet Kozachek also praised the field and reflected on the agonizing yet uplifting process of sorting through “so many incredible pieces of art.”

The jurors took great care in making their selections and the process went smoothly through our online jury contractor, Juried Arts Services. We would like to acknowledge their efforts in further advancing their technology to the needs of our process and the fairness of jurying artwork in the digital age. As a result of this technology, the MAI jurors were able to review the works multiple times via the internet from the comfort of their private environments, which spanned several thousand miles and the Atlantic Ocean. The work was scored using a point system and advanced through several rounds of scoring. The jurors cannot see artists’ statements or names; they can however retrieve size and material information for a piece if they choose. This blind-jury process, with the work being selected on merit alone, is fair and allows for the work to speak for itself. Jurors agree on the guidelines and requirements of eligibility that are on the prospectus and know that their selections are what they deem to be the most unique and exciting contemporary work in mosaics. It is indeed a difficult job and the jurors bring experience and understanding of art and mosaic, and a high level of excitement about the exhibition to the table. Every year a new pool of jurors contribute their unique aesthetics to the MAI show which keeps MAI a living, changing exhibition from year to year. We hope you make the trip to Chicago this spring to enjoy the spectacular views of Lake Michigan from Navy Pier, and more importantly the spectacular experience of viewing the exhibition in person.

We also invite you to attend the SAMA Conference, American Mosaic Summit 2010, in Chicago March 17-21st. We will feature a presentation and critical discussion about the MAI exhibition that will include one of the jurors and other members of the Chicago fine art community. On Friday, March 19th, Conference Attendees and their guests will honor the achievements of the MAI artists at a reception from 7:00pm – 10:00pm at the Museum. More information regarding the conference and its events can be found by clicking on Conference. See you there!

Click here for pdf of Press Release

This Year’s Winners
Best In Show : John Sollinger, Ashland, Oregon for Radiance
Best 2D : Diana Stevens, Bellgrade, Montana for Indian Madonna
Best 3D : Kate Jessup, Seattle, Washington for Cedar Stump
Best Architectural : Dianne Sonnenberg, Austin, Texas for Ocean(egg)graphy

Juror’s Choice Prizes
(Oliver Budd) Michael J. Kruzich, San Francisco, California for Corinthian
(Raul Chavez) Connie Chantilis, Dallas, Texas for Grotto
(Janet Kozachek) Ilana Shafir, Ashkelon, Israel for Temples

Here are the award winners from previous SAMA exhibitions. Click on the artist name to see the mosaic. Enjoy!

With 47 industry awards under its belt and 17 showrooms to its name, Ripples should have a pretty good idea of what we can expect in the way of bathroom trends in 2010

Recently a group of the senior designers at Ripples got together to discuss the major developments we could expect to see next year.

Exciting new changes to the bathroom for 2010 are promised, with black high gloss furniture teamed with grey tiles and warm hues of deep purple, violet, yellow and vivid lime green – using glass mosaic tiles to inject a splash of glamour and colour.

Furniture will become more curvaceous by design giving a softer finish with products taking on a more organic feel, with the chunky basin being replaced by slim line.

Colours: Rich sumptuous colours are becoming more popular as clients are starting to inject some serious personality into their bathrooms with splashes of plum and violet.

Style: Products will become more organic in shape, basins and baths will take on more natural forms to enhance the feeling of calm and well being

Brassware: Introduction of exciting new finishes matt black, chrome, champagne gold and white which will combine perfectly with vanity units in high gloss white, lime green and even black rubber!

Furniture: Luxurious high gloss lacquer in red, black and white, dark shades of wood with grain effect in Rosewood and Mahogany mixed with ceramics and deep rich natural stone.

Showering: Bathrooms will allow more space for showering with large square shower heads combined with minimalist glass and chrome screens.

Environment: Consumers will re-think water consumption and efficiency, with clients opting for fittings with thermostat technology and flow rate regulators to reduce water consumptio

Exciting new changes to the bathroom for 2010 are promised, with black high gloss furniture teamed with grey tiles and warm hues of deep purple, violet, yellow and vivid lime green – using glass mosaic tiles to inject a splash of glamour and colour.

TAU sets new design trends with its exclusive Mythos, Energy, and Night series and its ceramic tile proposals in an innovative 20×60 format
The Company will devote a specific space to S3-TAU, where it will showcase the Outdoor Waytecsystem, its innovative raised flooring system for the terraces of buildings

TAU is the leader in creative design, avant-garde trends, and ceramic solutions. In the 2010 Cevisama Trade Fair, the Company once again exhibits the creative potential offered by their ceramic materials. Thanks to one of the most extensive product lines available in the market, its personalised service, and expert customer guidance, TAU exemplifies its unmistakable quality seal. This essence is perfectly summarised in the motto: Always be TAU, an idea which illustrates their continual innovation and the difference of their outstanding designs to satisfy the latest market demands, to the extent that all the Company’s proposals cover all major spheres, ideal for new construction or refurbishment, interior or exterior, architecture or interior decoration projects. This dedication to excellence has allowed this trademark to become an undisputed market reference with its continual renovation.

The TAU stand in the 2010 Cevisama Trade Fair has over 600 m dedicated to display its latest novelties and it is divided into independent areas; whereby S3 (Smart Surface Systems)-TAU, (the business unit specialised in providing architectural and urban solutions by means of ceramic materials) has an exclusive zone to showcase its systems and products; accordingly it has created a ceramic setting in an urban hotel terrace thanks to its Outdoor Waytecsystem, a raised technical flooring system with large format which is ideal to refurbish irregular surfaces and variable slopes in attic apartments, terraces, and any exterior surface, with outstanding high resistance and thermal efficiency. On this occasion, it is proud to display its Galena model in 45×90 format.

In the TAU section, the Company exhibits its Energy and Night lines, the new generation from its successful Corten series, one of the most highly acclaimed aesthetic concepts worldwide and which best identifies the quality of the company’s craftsmanship. Corten Energy and Corten Night are two daring porcelain tile models, gracefully dynamic and inspired by metals in their pure state. Both series lend their own unique personality to the spaces with an aesthetic style which evokes fire, an effect which is completed with very smooth iridescent sparkles which have become its primary source of identity. Both models come in the formats: 45×45, 45×90, 60×60, and 30×60, and are available in two finishes: natural and polished.

The other star product in the TAU stand features: Mythos, a porcelain stoneware tile which is inspired by classic marble and is characterised by its graceful sophistication and elegance, not to mention the purity and austerity of its forms. It is available in the formats: 45×45, 45×90, and 60×60 with five chromatic shades.

Both Corten Energy and Mythos, the latter in a grey and black version, decorate the floor of TAU’s stand in Cevisama, which highlight the aesthetic options of these product lines.

Coinciding with Cevisama, TAU is also pleased to present its new tile line with 20×60 format, an exclusive and attractive proposal which was successfully launched in the last edition of the Cersaie Trade Fair in Italy, designed to satisfy the market’s new demands. Fiber and Point are two colourful proposals with playful geometric designs; TAU’s Arun and Luminia collection integrate the more classical, austere and sophisticated Alenda-Beires and Massa-Samaná series.

The Magma and Ombrone models deserve special mention with their 45×45 and 45×90 formats which were first launched on the market in the last edition of the Italian Cersaie Trade Fair, and now they make their official debut here in Cevisama. The two collections are directly inspired by nature; one specifically pays homage to limestone and the other to Rapolano marble. Their main feature consists in their meticulous treatment with new decoration techniques, whose result is a highly personal relief, refined with a warm touch. It is ideal for settings which emphasize comfort without sacrificing elegance.

TAU’s proposals for the 2010 Cevisama Trade Fair are completed with the floor tiles: Dessau, Gravel (micro-cement), Hammam (natural stone from the ancient Turkish baths) and the Hebra covering (textile finish available in three versions, Llovizna, Orvallo and Japan, whose finishes resemble rain drops on glass, to create a fresco effect).

In the framework of the 2010 Cevisama Trade Fair, TAU also wishes to emphasize its commitment to the environment by means of its TAU eco tile, the first ceramic tile models which include recycled materials in at least 45% of their content, which in some cases can represent up to 90% of its essence. All the TAU eco tile models have been officially certified by the Bureau Veritas firm.

Likewise, we feature the TAU fine series, a new concept in ultra-lightweight porcelain tile with large format which will revolutionise architectural design and home refurbishment. TAU fine is characterised by reducing the thickness of the floor tiles by over 50%, and even manufactures pieces with a minimum thickness of 5 mm. With its highly technical complexity, the product is available in two formats: 30×60 and above all, 45×90. The TAU fine technology has also been applied to its Corten, Corten Energy, Portland and Mythos models.

http://www.tauceramica.com

TAULELL, S.A.Ctra. Alcora, Quadra La Torta 2, 12006 Castellón, España

Tel. +34 964 25 01 05, tau@tauceramica.com

As usually at this stage of the year, DUNE has been presenting their new collections at the show Mosbuild, Moscow.

Among the novelties, DUNE showed new porcelain tile mosaics, belonging to the XtraDeco series, which offer an endless world of decorative possibilities: unbelievable colour blends that leave none indifferent.

Another surprising series by DUNE is Living, a range of wall and floor tiles in 30×60 cm. including the trendiest designs in 3D tiles and the most sophisticated decorative tiles with cashmeres and oversized plant patterns.

Be Natural is perhaps one of the most interesting new launchings, where natural wood teak products are the real main point to enhance any decorative project. One of the main features of Be Natural is the play of light and shadow caused by the difference in thickness and surfaces of the wood chips on each piece.

To produce Be Natural, DUNE make a rational and committed use of natural wood to ensure environmental sustainability. Besides, for the production process, DUNE cooperates with marginalized social groups and helps them to ensure a future.

Regarding the quantity and quality of visitors, we can consider the level as really remarkable, an issue that hopefully will become fruitful in the short to medium term and will bring a cosiderably major turnover.

The agreement solely includes the acquisition of the trade name, whose denomination is generically known as porcelain stoneware all over the world, and TAU is not bound to any other matters related to the former Company located in Borriol.

In this way, TAU has become the sole owner of the Porcelanatto trademark and has consequently added a valuable intangible asset which gives the Company a major competitive advantage due to several reasons: It represents the generic name for the ceramic tile-covering with the greatest added-value and prestige in the international market; its trade name has been registered worldwide, and it continues to be a trademark which has not lost its market value.

Consequently, TAU will subsequently inaugurate new business channels under the Porcelanatto trademark. This involves a process which is currently underway where the Company is conducting an exhaustive analysis of the specific factors, necessities, and potential of each market sector.

The acquisition and use of the Porcelanatto trademark is yet another TAU initiative to maintain its top-ranked leadership in the international Ceramics market; a strategy which will allow the company to improve its commercial positioning in today’s global market which is immersed in a process of continual change.

Accordingly, we also highlight that TAU is also making economic investments worth over 4 million euros with the aim to improve and optimise its installations, and thus in this way, increase their competitive edge and precisely adapt its activities to its customers’ requirements.

This strategy also encompasses the launch of highly innovative products such as: TAUfine, the finest and most lightweight porcelain tile available in the market; and TAU eco tile, a product range whose composition includes at least 45% recycled materials, which in some cases can represent up to 90% of its content.

TAULELL, S.A.Ctra. Alcora, Quadra La Torta 2, 12006 Castellón, España
      Tel. +34 964 25 01 05, tau@tauceramica.com
http://www.tauceramica.com

Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA),the government body responsible for attracting and
promoting investment in to the emirate, has announced that Ras Al Khaimah will be hosting the prestigious America’sCup sailing competition in February of 2010, marking the first time that the race will be held in the Middle East.RAK Investment Authority said that the Cup is the first of a series of upcoming prominent events that will reinforce RAK’s emerging status as a leading residential and tourist destination in the region. It added that the trend exposes the Emirate to a global audience of prospective investors and potential industry partners who stand to benefit significantly from the growing local portfolio of prime investment offerings as well as a pro-business environment.
H.H. Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, said: “We’ve made
critical improvements to our commercial and economic infra-structure that are paying off in terms of high tourist
footfall and rising numbers of investors and business organisations.We are directing our success towards the events sector as well, with the America’s Cup serving as a centrepiece addition.RAK’s association with prestigious global events will help further enhance its image as a rapidly evolving economy and a highly attractive investment and leisure destination in the Middle East.”

“Ras Al Khaimah continues to enjoy a rapid influx of regional and international investors, thus positioning it to
easily achieve its growth targets. Investors are impressed with the existing infrastructure, world-class facilities and
numerous development projects currently underway. The growing investor confidence in the RAK economy is opening up even more opportunities to extend the Emirate’s economic diversification program into niche areas
such as elite sporting events,” added Dr. Khater Massaad,CEO, RAKIA.Established in 2005, RAKIA is a pillar of the Emirate’s economic progress, generating billions of dollars in annual revenues through groundbreaking investment initiatives within the Emirate and across the international markets.Under RAKIA’s guidance, Ras Al Khaimah has been able to attract over 2,000 local and foreign investors representing over USD 2.3 billion in investments to the Industrial and Free Zones in Al Hamra and the Industrial Park in Al Ghail.

 POSTAL ADDRESS:
R.A.K. CERAMICS
P.O. BOX 4714
RAS AL KHAIMAH
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
http://www.rakceramics.com
TELEPHONE: + 971 – 7- 2445046
FAX : + 971 – 7- 2445270
E-Mail :