Esmalglass-Itaca diversifies and launches Itaca Building Materials

The Spanish group is transferring its ceramic expertise to the building materials sector. It has already launched major projects involving the digital decoration of concrete and fibre cement.

The Esmalglass-Itaca group is pressing ahead with its business and market diversification strategy. The leading multinational producer of frits, glazes, digital inks and other raw materials for the ceramic industry has in recent years embarked on an expansion process aimed at transferring its innovations to other industrial sectors. One of these is the building materials sector, a project that was launched six years ago and has now been further consolidated with the creation of the new Itaca Building Materials brand headed by Juan Castells. “The biggest revolution we have brought to this sector is an ability to view construction products not just as functional materials but also as decorative elements,” explains Castells.

With its concrete paving slabs, concrete cladding and fibre cement, Itaca Building Materials has now been involved in about a dozen major industrial projects worldwide, providing solutions, services and technical assistance for the development and launch of totally new digitally decorated products. “In addition to the synergies that can be created with the ceramic industry, building materials is a sector with very high growth potential given the large volumes produced. At present, there are no other technologies or solutions capable of achieving such unique finishes,” notes Castells.

Moreover, the fact that these surfaces are not fired means that the decoration process is much simpler than in the case of ceramics, and the resultant materials are highly resistant to abrasion and wear, even in high-traffic environments. The products developed by Itaca Building Materials undergo extensive testing in laboratories and technological institutes and meet the most important international quality standards.