Porcelain Tile Certification Agency The Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) and the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) will launch the Porcelain Tile Certification Agency (PTCA) to certify porcelain tile. The joint announcement was made at Coverings, with TCNA executive director Eric Astrachan saying: 'Under the PTCA certification program, manufacturers who want to prove that their tile is porcelain - meeting the 0.5 per cent water absorption criteria - can have their product tested to determine compliance with that requirement. They may then use the PTCA certification mark on their product packaging, marketing materials etc, as confirmation of that compliance.' Industry leaders believe certification is the best solution to continuing concerns over what is and what is not porcelain tile. Confusion, installation problems and liability concerns result when non-porcelain tile is misrepresented in the marketplace. US distributors are responsible for the products they sell and statements they make. If a distributor misrepresents the tile it sells as ‘porcelain’ because it does not clearly meet the US standard for porcelain tile, the distributor could be subject to liability. Manufacturers may apply for certification by submitting samples of each tile series for qualifying tests, with recertification required every three years. 'Eventually we hope that porcelain certification will be the standard that defines all porcelain tile sold in this country (USA),' said CTDA president Doug Miles. - Tile Today 56 Eureka Tiles donates water to Ballarat As Victoria continues to suffer from a lack of rain, Eureka Tiles has helped ease the pressure in Ballarat, its home town since 1910, by donating water from its three quarries to the local council. The donation was made over a local radio station after stage four water restrictions - meaning no water to be used outside including drip systems ? were declared. 'Everyone in the company is concerned about the lack of water,' said Eureka Tiles general manager Mark Ellenor. 'We were listening to talk back radio and had the idea to give the water away to the local community. We have three quarries, two and Enfield and another at Buninyong, and all have a significant quantity of water in them.' Mark estimates that there is 110 million litres of water available, or around 5000 tanker loads. The donated water is being used to irrigate trees on the historic ANZAC Avenue of Honour, for shrubs in the Botanic Gardens and for sporting fields in the southern part of the city. Eureka Tiles has also launched the Stonetek3 range incorporating a new logo. 'We wanted to reflect the warm charm and character of the new premium quality tile and it was clear that a decorative flourish should be utilised for the logo. It blends both the contemporary and traditional elements,? said Mark. ?The colours were chosen to compliment the warm, natural tones of the new tile range. The attraction of the new logo will be instant, pushing the product range to the forefront of customers? attention,' he said. - Tile Today 56 Tile Factory to launch Kale Sinterflex A revolutionary new flexible porcelain tile that can be flexed to a radius of 4.5 metres was launched to the Australian market on 29 August. Sinterflex is the Kale version of Kerlite, a ground-breaking product manufactured by Cotto d'Este and distributed by New South Wales-based wholesaler Trend Tiles. This exciting product is the brainchild of Franco Stefani, the principal of System SpA, who have licensed the manufacturing technology to several companies who each produce different colours and patterns. Kale Sinterflex porcelain sheets have a multitude of applications and can be used inside or out, on flat or curved surfaces. It can be drilled and cut as per normal porcelain tiles and is completely fire resistant and non-flammable. The tiles are a mere 3 mm thick and come in an extra large dimension of 1 x 3 metre, yet are extremely lightweight and flexible, are easy to clean and manufactured through an environmentally-friendly process using advanced technology that allows minimal CO2, gas and dust emission rates. 'Kale Sinterflex Ceramic drastically reduces construction cost and can be used as a composite element for exterior panels, interior separation, elevated floors and suspended ceilings, ground applications, furniture manufacturing such as bathroom and kitchen cabinets, doors, office furniture and interior partition panels,' said Tile Factory?s Mike Snare. Mike believes that the product?s potential as a timber or steel alternative for residential and commercial building exteriors was quickly being recognised, however its application potential was virtually unlimited. ?It is an extremely versatile and hard-wearing product. It's resistant to fire, acid, scratches and stains, and it's hygienic and easy to clean. While it is still very new to the market and predominantly a specifiers' product, we are keeping several colours in stock to give the industry a chance to 'get to know' the amazing product,' Mike said. Sinterflex is available in a matte or polished finish and in a range of colours and patterns, including wallpaper, to match plain colours. - Tile Today 56 Iranian tile production to increase Tile production in Iran is set to increase with three major players installing new machinery to improve the efficiency of their sorting lines. Isfahan Tile Industries has built a brand new plant in Iran that will produce wall tiles. The company installed three Nuova Fima Synthesis-90 sorting lines each with seven stackers, together with a CPK S5/60 automatic packaging machine and an Extrapack palletising robot. Leading floor tile manufacturer Nilou Tile, situated near the city of Esfahan, also recently bought two complete Synthesis sorting lines each with seven stackers, an automatic packaging machine and four Extrapack palletising robots. The installation will complete Nilou’s existing factory producing glazed or technical, natural and polished porcelain tiles. Meanwhile, the Marjan Tile Company has become one of the first companies in Iran to adopt the method of automatic inspection having purchased a Flawmaster 4G automatic tile inspection system. - Tile Today 56