TheSize, the Spanish company that makes the Neolith sintered compact surfaces sold in the UK by Thomas Group and QF Distribution, has opened a third production line in Spain to accommodate the double digit growth it expects by the end of this year.
The new line enables it to offer even thicker versions of new format panels of Neolith.
At the same time it is introducing six new colours in two new finishes for 2017 – at least, there are supposed to be six new colours but one, called Marquina, is proving difficult to perfect and has not actually been seen yet.
It is supposed to be black with white veining, as you might expect from the name, and was first announced more than two years ago. TheSize said ahead of the Marmomacc exhibition in Verona at the end of September it would be shown there. But it wasn't. The company says it is coming soon.
The five new versions that have been launched are Blanco Carrara, resembling Carrara marble; Zaha, like a grey Iranian stone; Concrete Taupe, which follows on from one of the most popular Neolith designs, Beton, launched in 2015, but with an all over brown wash of colour and a warmer tone; Aspen Grey, inspired by natural Aspen stone; Taj Mahal, a traditional representation of Indian quartzite.
TheSize has also introduced a new range of natural granites, which it has branded as Granith. They are not being stocked by the UK distributors yet, but TheSize hopes they will be for 2017.
The Granith range includes Zimbabwe and Angola blacks and 10 figurative granites from Brazil on which it claims exclusivity.
TheSize came from the stone industry (it was formed out of a split with Levantina in 2006), so it says it should not be considered surprising that it has introduced a natural stone range.
Mar Esteve Cortes, the Marketing Director of Neolith, is optimistic for the future of TheSize and its products. “Last year ended on a very positive note, considerably better than expected. So far, 2016 is also on the right track and we are expecting a double-digit growth rate in comparison to 2015.
"And with the third production line we will be able to achieve an even faster growth rate in 2017, once it starts working at full capacity.” The first Neolith panels came off it in September.
He says the demand for Neolith sintered compact surfaces has grown exponentially since the opening of the first production line in Castellón, Spain, seven years ago.
That first line, still in use, produces 3600 x 1200mm slabs at 3mm thick. The new line produces slabs in a 3200 x 1600mm format at 12mm and 20mm thick (and theoretically up to 30mm, although none has yet been made at 30mm).
Assigning a special thickness to each of the lines will double the factory’s total production capacity. And with the implementation of a third production line a greater variety of material formats will be available.