Caesarstone Essay

There has been a recent excitement about the relatively new quartz-based surface known as Caesarstone, and in this article we will we answering some frequently asked questions about this engineered stone.
1 WHAT CAN I USE CAESARSTONE FOR?
Caesarstone is an engineered quartz surface, used as an attractive and adaptable surface for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Caesarstone can be used for countertops and backsplashes, shower and tub surrounds, lavatory and sinks, wall panelling, furniture, table and desk tops, wall bases, toilet compartment panels, fireplace mantles and surrounds, elevator cab walls, service counters, stair and mezzanine railing systems.
2 WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR CAESARSTONE?
The idea of Caesarstone
was first though up of by Amos Amir to replace the insufficient terrazzo tile factory in Kibbutz Sdot Yam in Israel, which in the 1980s was in a tragic financial situation. In 1987 the new Caesarstone factory began operating, however it encountered a series of problems with machinery and defective products, leading to it being shut down by authorities in 1988. Moshe Narkis, a Technion professor, finally found the right formula for properly manufacturing the quartz slabs. The factory restarted and in 1993 started to make a profit. Caesarstone is now sold in 42 different countries around the world.
3 WHAT IS CAESARSTONE MADE OF?
Caesarstone is 93 percent crushed quartz aggregates, which gives it its extreme hardness and strength. This is combined with enhanced polyester resins, which bind the materials together and increase its strength and stain resistance, and organic pigments (colours).
4 IS THERE ENOUGH QUARTZ IN THE EARTH? AND HOW IS IT MINED?
Quartz is one of nature's most durable materials, and is the world's most abundant mineral. It is found almost everywhere on the earth’s surface, making up around 12% of its crust. Its long-lasting durability, abundance, and the fact that it is entirely non-toxic means that Caesarstone products have a reasonably small eco-footprint, making it the ultimate eco-friendly choice. The quartz used in Caesarstone is mined in Brazil, India or Turkey, then crushed into different-size grains at the source and then shipped to Israel to be manufactured.
5 IS PROVIDING THIS COMBO ADVANTAGEOUS?
Caesarstone is an engineered stone which makes it less porous, more flexible, and harder than many types of natural stone. Because it is less porous, it is more resistant to mould and mildew than most natural stone types. Since it has a uniform internal structure, it does not have hidden cracks or flaws that may exist in natural stone. Its polyester resin binding agents allow some flexibility, preventing cracking under flexural pressure. It is also cost effective, as its superior strength and durability allows you to use thinner slabs to save weight. It is also essentially maintenance free. Its quartz aggregate makes Caesarstone harder and more impact, scratch and chip resistant than granite or marble, and its high-quality polymer binders make it non-porous and highly resistant to stains. It is resistant to many chemicals, acids and solvents, as well as being highly water resistant and, to a point, heat resistant.
6 IS CAESARSTONE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
It is very important to the Caesarstone Company to ‘preserve all aspects of the environment’. Their environment agenda includes ‘commitment to ecologically responsible production processes, the development of environmentally friendly products made with high levels of recycled materials, and the implementation of internationally recognized sustainable industrial standards and practices’.
Caesarstone is the world's first quartz surface company to have received the ISO 14001 certification recognizing competence in environmental management and performance. As part of their environmental management responsibility, Caesarstone recycles 97% of the water used in production processes, recycles excess industrial materials to reduce landfill burial and resultant soil pollution, operates a modern industrial waste recycling system, uses recyclable packaging materials, and minimizes the emission of pollutant materials that may endanger the environment. Caesarstone monitors and controls energy consumption for maximizing efficiency, and re-use industrial residues in our production processes to reduce the need for excessive new quartz quarrying and thus preserve precious natural resources. They operate air purification systems in the plant and its surroundings, collect dust throughout our manufacturing processes, and store raw materials in a safe, clean environment on sealed pallets to prevent possible leakage of ground polluting
substances.