Vesco launches clay extraction operations in the EU

The Ukrainian ceramic raw material producer has commenced extraction from a clay quarry in the Spanish Province of Teruel.

The Ukrainian company Vesco, one of the global leaders in the production and supply of ceramic raw materials, announced in December 2023 that it has commenced extraction from a clay quarry in Spain, more precisely at the Encarnita deposit, in Berge (province of Teruel).

For years, Vesco clays have been an important ingredient of Spanish ceramic tiles formulations. With Spain accounting for over 25% of the group's total sales in 2022, the country became a priority site for launching raw material production in the European Union.

By putting this quarry in operation, the Group made its first step towards boosting the supply of regionally sourced ceramic clays to EU manufacturers. This will facilitate expanding the range of customized product solutions while minimizing logistics risks to ensure a reliable customer supply.

The output from Encarnita will be primarily intended for the local market of Spanish ceramic tile manufacturers. The targeted annual capacity of the new quarry is 100,000 tons of ceramic clay.

Recently, the Group has also opened an R&D hub to serve the partners of the Vesco worldwide. It operates on the basis of a modern research laboratory launched in 2022 in Andora (Teruel, Spain) as part of Vesco Clay Spain. The hub focuses on prospecting, qualitative analysis of raw materials, and pioneering new formulations for ceramic manufacturers.

Including the operation of the Encarnita deposit, the total Group's investments in the Spanish ceramic sector currently exceed 3 million Euro.

Aiming at geographical diversification, Vesco looks for mining opportunities across all high-potential markets and regularly invests in ceramic clay extraction, developing partnership and cooperation with a view to expanding its production network.

Today, the Group has companies in Ukraine, Spain, Romania, Italy, Poland, Serbia, and Turkey, and its total output of ceramic clays reaches 3.5 million tons per year. The products are exported to more than 20 countries.