Litokol has been a producer of installation materials in Italy for decades, and in fact is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In addition to its longevity, it has a special reason to party: it’s been invited to participate in Project Zero Environmental Risk, initiated by the EU government with research conducted through major universities.
Over two years ago, the EU government took a lead position to reduce the corrosive nature of installation material products manufactured in the tile-producing region of Italy. It enlisted major universities in that area to conduct research. As a major world provider of epoxy-based products, Litokol scored 100% with its submission, which earned it an exclusive place in the project.
This is a feat, since typically epoxy products are typically highly corrosive. Litokol products, however, are not corrosive and have very few irritants — posing such a minor environmental and health risk that disposing of product containers or residue as hazardous waste is not required. “The level of safety with these epoxy products is even higher than with cementitious products,” said Curt Rapp, of The Tile Doctor, which is the exclusive U.S. distributor for Litokol products such as Starlike grout products, and Jewels Crystal Glass Grout.
Even so, Litokol is making rolling changes in its formulation to further reduce the irritant component. Its goal is to market zero-risk formulations of current products and launch other zero risk products in 2019.
As a result of its environmental and health consciousness, Litokol was invited by the project to help develop Zero Environmental Risk products for various markets — representing a protection for lungs, liver, kidneys, skin and eyes that have not been seen in Italian tile sector installation products before.
One significant invention is an earthquake value improvement in cement mortars for masonry construction called Seismic Cement, said Rapp. Project Zero’s seismic mortar, developed by Litokol, will absorb and move with earthquakes, lessening the probability of failure in masonry wall systems, Rapp said. Silver Cornia, Tile Doctor’s Chief Technical Officer, said Litokol’s mortar bed for brick installs far outperforms anything currently on the market and confers sufficient flexibility to the mortar bed so building will resist earthquake damage.
Currently, world-proven products by Litokol are in stock in Atlanta, for distribution in the U.S. For more information, visit www.thetiledoctor.com.