Sustainable investments in our locations worldwide

On the other hand, to continue doing our part to ensure sustainable and optimal extraction, production and distribution. A look at innovations and investments in Poland, Italy, France and South Africa.

Optimization in Poland

Innovating, investing and optimizing is deeply woven into the DNA of Brachot and its Family Members. It is what we do to improve our natural stone and composite materials to demonstrate their added value every day. One such investment is taking place in our distribution center in Gdansk, Poland. At this strategic location, a new warehouse with showroom and offices will be built on a 7-acre site. The emphasis here is on sustainability. A vision we express at Brachot not only in our materials, but also in our way of producing. Our sites are constantly optimized with a low ecological footprint as our goal. This is how we lift our baseline Crafting Value for Future Generations to a higher level.
 
In Gdansk, this manifests itself in solar panels on the depot, which completely take care of electricity consumption. We also collect water for reuse. To reduce the optimize distribution process we are installing a 35-ton gantry crane and two 16-ton rolling bridges there. This is to actively manage our supply and ensure the smooth and flexible distribution of our materials worldwide. The works for the outdoor storage area are currently in full swing. The outdoor gantry will be installed at the end of February, in March we expect the first stock on site and early April the distribution center is operational. The warehouse, showroom and offices will be opened at the end of 2021.

All-in in Italy and France

Last year, we proudly announced the expansion of our distribution network with the opening of a site in Italy, the birthplace of the natural stone industry. These plans are translating into new, modern buildings that will be built against the summer of 2021 will be ready in the region around Verona. The new building will focus on sustainability with solar panels to fully self-generate energy and with a water collection system underground. The new building puts both our materials and our position as a international player strength. During Marmomac 2021 we welcome you to the grand opening of the new showroom, warehouse and block plaza. The eye-catcher will undoubtedly be the Stone Gallery of more than 3,000 square meters: a modern, clean setting in which our wide range of slabs of natural stone and composite materials are fully displayed. We leave enough space between the slabs so that they can be admired in their full glory and we exhibit different applications and finishes of the materials. In addition, the new building will also have an impressive 890-square-meter glass façade to highlight our materials from the street side as well.

We are also investing in our locations in France. In Paris are the commercial buildings renovated and expanded with a showroom. It is scheduled to open this spring. At newcomer and Family Member Granitarn we then invest again in the entire process. From quarry to customer. Thus, Brachot Sud will be housed on the Burlats site and we are renovating the machinery to optimize the production process and distribution of Tarn granite and other French natural stones. On the site, we also provide solar panels to generate our entire electricity consumption and produce in the most climate-neutral way possible. In addition to a water collection system, the water from production is also purified and reused. Several basins will be constructed, good for 6,000 cubic meters, eliminating the need to take water externally.

In the brand new factory hall of 5,000 square meters will include two new Multiwires, six Monowires on rail, two roller bridges, finishing machines for polishing and flaming, a water treatment plant, bridge saws, a tile and cobblestone production line, a sandblasting machine, and so on. This allows Granitarn to devote itself entirely to the production of Tarn and other French natural stones for tiles and cobblestones, furniture and finishes for the paving industry, on the one hand, and blocks, slabs and tiles for indoor and outdoor applications, on the other. There will also be a 1,500-square-meter slab hall, new offices and a 5,000-square-meter outdoor warehouse. In the autumn of 2021 the entire facility must be operational.

Additional production in South Africa

Our final stop takes us to South Africa, at Family Member Cameleon. There we expand our storage and production area out. That immediately offers additional production capabilities. Currently, blocks are cut into sheets there and they have several finishing lines for indoor and outdoor use. They are now adding a production line for the sawing sheets into dimensional tiles. This in its own material Nari Black and in other (African) natural stones.

In addition, Brachot also continues to invest in digitization. Like with new websites that inspire, inform and advise on our full range of natural stone and composite materials in blocks, slabs, tiles and finish projects. But also with a B2B online purchasing platform for the materials of the entire group, worldwide. You can find them at Family Member Stoneasy.com.
 
In 2021, a total of 20,000,000 euros invested by Brachot and its Family Members in the optimization, development, automation and digitization of the various sites. This further strengthens our vision of the future in which we always strive for valuable, sustainable materials that create added value. We go all out for the best quality: in natural stone and composite materials, in landscape and cladding materials and in our services. From quarrying and production to distribution and after-sales service.