Incepa begins porcelain panel production

Incepa has been focusing on innovation ever since it was set up in 1952 by Laufen Group and has established itself over the years as one of the top ceramic companies in the Paraná state and indeed anywhere in Brazil.

Part of the Roca Group since 1999, the company now has three tile factories (two in Campo Largo and one in São Mateus do Sul in Paraná), 1,000 employees, a catalogue of 2,000 products and around 100 new products introduced each year.

"2014 was a very good year for the Brazilian tile market. - CEO Celso Cavalli told us. - Our sales grew by around 19% and the estimates for the first few months of 2015 appear to confirm the positive trend. Last year we consolidated the strategy launched several years earlier with the aim of repositioning the Incepa brand in the Premium segment."

The brand repositioning policy and the strengthening of the dollar against the Brazilian real have made the Incepa tile range more attractive in markets the world over. Today we export 20% of our output and command a growing presence in the United States. In 2014 our export volume grew by 15% and the forecasts for 2015 are even more positive

Part of the repositioning strategy is the installation and start up, in the first quarter of this year, of the new Continua+ line for the production of sizes up to 120x120 cm, raising our production capacity to 3.6 million sq.m/year.

"Solutions such as Continua+ and digital technology - Cavalli continued - allow for greater product customisation and higher levels of flexibility in the production of smaller series and batches in even the largest sizes, all with highly optimized production costs. [...] Incepa is the first and currently the only tile manufacturer in the American continent to use this technology. After the first few months of operation, we can confirm that our initial expectations have been fulfilled. We're now working to increase the efficiency and productivity of the line and to strengthen Incepa's role as a leading ceramic tile manufacturer."

Read the full interview with Celso Cavalli published on Ceramic World Review 113/2015