Cosentino Launches Eco-Friendly Countertop

March, 2009 -- Cosentino, the world leader in quartz surfacing and one of the world's largest natural stone importers, announces the launch of ECO by Cosentino (www.ecobycosentino.com), a revolutionary new line of countertop and surfacing material composed of 75% recycled material. The launch of ECO by Cosentino sets an unprecedented standard for the green building and sustainable design industries.

The result of a six million dollar research and development investment, this innovative new product caters to the environmentally conscious and design-oriented architect, designer, and consumer by providing high performance, design and sustainability. ECO by Cosentino will enter the market in April 2009, and is available at all Lowe's stores nationwide as well as specialty kitchen and bath distributors and showrooms across the country.

"The launch of ECO by Cosentino is an exciting milestone for the company," said Roberto Contreras, Jr., President of Cosentino North America. "It marks the introduction of an entirely new category to the industry and sets a new standard that not only complies with environmental regulations but goes beyond and invests in innovative environmental and conservation practices and technologies."

ECO by Cosentino is composed of 75% post-industrial and post-consumer recycled raw material, including: mirrors salvaged from houses, building and factories; glass from windows and bottles; granulated glass from consumer recycling practices; porcelain from china, tiles, sinks, toilets and decorative elements; and industrial furnace residuals from factories in the form of crystallized ashes.

By utilizing these recycled materials, Cosentino is "upcycling" products that have reached the end of their lifecycle -- meaning that they cannot be incorporated in to any other industrial product and would otherwise collect in landfill sites. According to Cosentino, approximately 3000 glass bottles equals 1Tn of raw materials. The production of ECO by Cosentino is expected to re-use the equivalent of 11,150,000 glass bottles every year. Reutilizing this huge amount of material prevents it from building up at landfills year after year, and reduces the need to mine for new resources.
The recycled content is then mixed with 25% natural material including: stone scrap from mountains, quarries, manufacturing, and fabrication; and is bonded together with a proprietary eco-friendly 22% corn oil resin. This pioneering resin is the result of a major research and development initiative, and is unmatched in the market today.

Terra

ECO by Cosentino's unique make-up of recycled materials combined with natural elements is achieved through state-of-the-art technology and delivers a hard durable surface that has high stain, scratch and scorch performance. Unlike more traditional materials, it is non-porous and does not require sealers. At launch, ECO by Cosentino is available in two sophisticated color palettes - the Revive collection and the Green collection - totaling 10 individual designer colors, suitable for both commercial and residential projects. It is also available in both a polished and a matte Leather Texture finish.

ECO by Cosentino is available in jumbo slabs of 63"x 128" and standard tile sizes of 12"x 12", 18"x 18" and 24"x 24". The jumbo slabs allow for a higher square footage of material per container, therefore minimizing the product's carbon foot print, and provide a higher yield of material during fabrication, minimizing seams and waste. The slabs are available in 1.2cm, 2cm and 3cm thickness to respond to varying market needs. Architects and building teams will gain points toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for a building project that utilizes ECO by Cosentino surfacing. ECO by Cosentino is GREENGUARD certified for low chemical emissions.

"ECO by Cosentino closely matches the superior durability of quartz surfaces, exceeds the performance of more conventional materials such as granite and marble, and is dramatically less damaging to the environment. It is the ideal product for today's eco-minded consumer who seeks performance and sustainability, without sacrificing design," said Valentin Tijeras Garcia, Director of Product Innovation, Cosentino.

Commitment to the Environment

Cosentino is committed to the continuous improvement and development of eco-friendly processes through innovation and technology. As the market for green products grows exponentially, the growth of the company is directly linked to its green practices that respect, protect and rebuild the environment - from the early stages of mining and sourcing raw materials, through to product manufacturing, distribution, fabrication and installation.

In the creation of ECO, Cosentino has advanced its environmental standards to a new high, including: minimizing dust emissions in all phases of production; purifying 99% of Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) factory emissions; optimizing water usage through water reclamation processes that allows the company to use 94% recycled water in production processes; and pursuing quarry restoration and mountain reforestation under strict stewardship programs. In addition, all of the packaging and marketing materials created for the promotion of ECO are eco-friendly, made from recycled materials. As an industry world leader, Cosentino will apply these new standards across the board to all its full portfolio of existing products, including Silestone

About Cosentino North America
Cosentino, a global natural stone manufacturer, began harvesting precious stones from the finest quarries in Europe close to a century ago. The Spanish company currently distributes material in more than 80 countries. Cosentino North America was established in 1998 to distribute and market natural quartz products in the US, Canada and Mexico. With 11 manufacturing lines, Cosentino is the largest manufacturer of natural quartz surfaces in the world. The company covers the entire process of producing natural stone products including quarrying, fabricating and installing surfaces, such as kitchen and bathroom countertops, wall cladding and many other applications. For more information regarding Cosentino, visit www.cosentinonorthamerica.com.