CO2 neutral from cradle-to-grave

Natural stone reinvented

With Silestone, Cosentino has a nice market share in the world of interior applications. Since 2012, the Spanish company has also shone with the exclusive Dekton in which the time-honored natural stone has been reinvented, so to speak. It results in an extremely sustainable and multifunctional application, including cladding that is CO2 neutral from cradle-to-rave. And not unimportant in these times of scarcity: the delivery time for customization is only four to six weeks!

Dekton is a 100% natural product and is produced completely carbon-neutral at the factory in Spain. "The basic recipe consists of more than twenty minerals, including pieces of natural stone and elements of glass," explains Léon Veldhof, Facade Manager at Cosentino Netherlands. "These minerals are ground up, then water is added to them to create a porridge. This is poured into a mold in a measured dosage and then pressed under a huge press into a plate measuring 320 by 144 cm. Due to the pressing with an extremely high pressure force of 25,000 tons (!), a sintering process takes place in which the water flows out at lightning speed. In this way we imitate, as it were, the natural stone process that nature takes thousands of years to complete."

Extremely high density

After being pressed into an ultra-thin sheet, a color is printed on it and it goes into the oven where the last water residues disappear and the top layer fuses with the underlying layer. "The result is an element with a very high density and thus perfectly applicable to the facade," says Veldhof. "The product does not expand, does not shrink and because of the unique top layer, the 100% is Uv-resistant. Discoloration over time is not an issue at all. And because of the high density, no dirt or water will soak into the panel either, and green deposits have no chance to adhere. The panel rains clean, which means you need to wash the facade much less frequently. And should the facade be smeared with graffiti or paint by some miscreant, you can also remove that very easily. Even with an aggressive substance, should only water not provide relief." 

Cut-to-size factory

Cosentino has a so-called cut-to-size factory in Spain. "We make the elements to size in the factory. So on construction, the facade builder receives a ready-to-assemble element, including anchors for assembly. This means that (almost) anyone can assemble the façade panel," says Veldhof, who is also proud of the short delivery times. "After placing an order, we start production in advance. Then when the construction is almost ready to install the panels, the final measurements are passed on to us and we make sure we deliver within four to six weeks. Fully customized. What more could you want!" After several years of "seeding," the first projects with Dekton in the Netherlands have already been delivered. "Another five projects are already in the pipeline for early next year, including the new City Hall in Helmond. The city council deliberately made the choice for a CO2-neutral cladding."