Products

PRODUCTS

LOW-ENVIRONMENTAL
-IMPACT PORCELAIN STONEWARE

Porcelain stoneware by Coem is not only an excellent alternative to natural materials derived from increasingly impactful quarrying activities; it also offers innovative and technological design solutions to promote sustainable and cosy living.
Some years ago, Coem formally adopted an integrated policy for an effective Quality, Environmental and Safety Management System. Its commitment to social responsibility and continuous improvement, according to sustainability principles, is especially evident in the various environmental and safety certifications obtained over the years for compliance with reference standards, which have distinguished Coem among the leading companies in the sector that operate in this field. Since 2022, the company has obtained independent Certiquality assessment of compliance with the new standard of sustainability for ceramic surfaces for all the tiles produced. Today, thanks to years of experience, Coem is able to produce porcelain stoneware floor and wall tiles with excellent environmental performance and superb technical and aesthetic characteristics, ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications.

HEALTHY AND SAFE
CERAMIC SURFACES

Easy to clean and hygienic, Coem ceramic tiles contribute to improving the quality and safety of indoor spaces, as well as being stylish and attractive. They are composed of materials that can be categorised as “low-emission”, as they do not emit VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) that are harmful to human health. Up-to-date, high-performance production plants that adopt the best environmental technologies available, the use of digital technology and the development of automations in line with Industry 4.0 have enabled the company to keep its consumption under control, guaranteeing the ecological footprint of its porcelain stoneware products.

UP TO 99.9% ANTIBACTERIAL
PORCELAIN STONEWARE

SICURA is an innovative antibacterial technology based on the use of a special silver ion based biocide additive integrated into the production process, which performs a 24-hour antibacterial action on ceramic surfaces, inhibiting the proliferation of bacteria by up to 99.9% and effectively combatting the formation of unpleasant odours.
The antibacterial property of SICURA products remains effective for the entire useful life of the ceramic tiles and does not require exposure to UV rays for activation.

STONEWARE FLOOR AND
WALL TILES TO IMPROVE
THE QUALITY OF LIVING SPACES

Coem monitors the environmental impacts of its porcelain stoneware surfaces during all phases of their life cycle, from the quarrying of the raw materials through to disposal, including processing, distribution and use.

Coem porcelain stoneware tiles guarantee excellent energy performance and good thermal insulation, also thanks to their high light refraction index. This means that they can help reduce the ``heat island`` effect (the difference in the thermal gradient between urban and extra-urban areas), and consequently the impact on the microclimate, human living spaces and wildlife.

Coem's gresX2 outdoor porcelain stoneware surfaces, with a thickness of 2 cm, can be laid dry, which means the tiles can be applied directly to the ground without the use of screeds, mortar or adhesives. The use of advanced technologies also enables Coem to produce anti-slip ceramic surfaces to protect people in public and private spaces.

Coem research enables the production of outstanding porcelain stoneware with an impressively high content of pre-consumer recycled material, which varies from 40% to 60%, verified independently based on ISO17889 certification.

SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
IN TILE MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES

Reduction in the amount of raw materials used
Since 2022, we have reduced the use of raw materials in the design of new ceramic tile collections by reducing the thickness to 9 mm, while maintaining the same technical performance as for 10 mm thick porcelain stoneware surfaces. The gradual move from 10 mm to 9 mm for the large-size ranges reduces environmental impact without affecting the performance of the tiles.

Reduction of production waste

The creation of new ceramic tiles with slightly larger (+1.3%) sizes allows us to reduce swarf from the rectification process and optimise specific consumption.

CONTAINING CO2 EMISSIONS
AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR
PORCELAIN STONEWARE

2023 saw an 8% reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne of porcelain stoneware produced compared to 2022.

Keeping emissions to a minimum is a primary objective for Coem, pursued through constant maintenance and upgrading of its plants to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact in the production of porcelain stoneware that maintains excellent technical and aesthetic characteristics. We prefer to purchase electrical energy from renewable primary sources, part of which we produce ourselves.
Energy efficiency has been significantly boosted by the installation of a 5000-square-metre, 1.08 MWp photovoltaic plant in Fiorano Modenese, and the sourcing of electrical energy and heat for the Roteglia premises from a high-yield co-generation plant. For the production of thermal energy, Coem uses methane gas, the fossil fuel with the lowest environmental impact.

In order to comply with Directive 2003/87/EC (ETS - Emission Trading Scheme), Coem has annually reported, certified and declared the CO2 emissions of its production plants since 2013. Coem also monitors atmospheric emissions of other substances generated by its porcelain stoneware production activities and by the chemical reactions that take place during the firing process, such as Dust, Fluorine, Lead, Aldehydes, VOC, NOX. The company significantly reduces its emissions by using filtering systems that comply with the best available technology in the industry, and by servicing these systems regularly. Abatement systems not only limit emissions outdoors, but also keep indoor workplaces healthy and safe, and only 0.3%-14% of authorised emissions are emitted into the atmosphere.
Lead-free products and low-odour-impact inks are selected for the applications and decorations on our ceramic tiles. Depending on the pollutant, we discharge only 0.7%-20% of the authorised emissions into the atmosphere, further reducing total emissions by 99%-80% with respect to the authorised emissions.

SAFEGUARDING
ITALIAN TERRITORY
BY SOURCING LOCALLY
WHERE POSSIBLE

Coem porcelain stoneware is made from a blend of natural raw materials combined with a high recycled content. As a tile manufacturer, Coem sources its materials from quarries that follow a programme of morphological remediation and vegetation restoration, in compliance with environmental directives, with a view to safeguarding local biodiversity.
In compliance with the ISO 17889-1 standard, more than 97% of the raw materials used for our tile bodies have been verified as indigenous, i.e. sourced within an 800 km radius.
Coem porcelain stoneware is produced with as much used material as possible, for an efficient use of our planet’s finite resources. It endeavours to choose suppliers that apply environmentally and socially responsible procurement practices and practices that protect biodiversity and respect human rights.

WASTE MATERIAL
MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY

For its porcelain stoneware production, Coem uses “closed circuit” manufacturing processes, fully recycling unfired and fired scrap and wastewater. More than 95% of production process waste is recycled internally, and the rest is recycled externally by authorised companies, thus significantly reducing the use of virgin raw materials.
Coem plants, where the process for preparing the ceramic body also takes place, use dedicated systems to recover unfired and fired waste, aqueous suspensions, and sludge from its own stoneware production processes or from external suppliers.
The aqueous suspensions and sludge can be used as is and fed into the mills for ceramic body production, or be subjected to a purification process by separating the solid part from the liquid part through sedimentation and filter pressing.
The purified water is fed back into the production cycle, and can be reused several times for washing the premises and for recycling in the mills in the production of ceramic body.
Water use has decreased by 12.7% compared to 2022 and specific consumption by 0.6% compared to 2022.
98% of rainwater and wastewater is re-used in the porcelain stoneware manufacturing process, while the remaining 2% is recovered externally.

Waste management
Swarf produced during installation of Coem ceramic tiles is inert and can be delivered to authorised companies with the EWC code 101208. Finally, at the end of its life cycle, our porcelain stoneware can be delivered with EWC code 170103 to companies authorised to recover inert waste from excavation and demolition materials. Once treated, it can be used for:
· Backfilling trenches for laying pipelines;

· Creation of screed;

· Construction of roadbeds;

· Ground consolidation.

SAFE, HIGH-PERFORMANCE
PORCELAIN STONEWARE

All Coem tiles have CE certification, the safety mark that endorses their main characteristics:
• Coem tiles are fire-retardant and therefore especially suitable for public and private areas where potentially inflammable substances are present, such as hospitals, airports, enclosed car parks, and stations (A1FL Decree 94/611/CE).
• The ceramic tiles produced by Coem do not emit VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), either during installation or when in use. This makes them particularly suitable for use in environments where there may be people with respiratory issues or sensitive to certain chemical compounds, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes or kindergartens.
• The mechanical resistance of Coem porcelain stoneware is superior to the requisites established in the ISO 10545-4 standard, making it ideal even for industrial environments or public areas subject to heavy use, such as airports, stations, shopping centres, stadiums and hospitals.
• Coem produces porcelain stoneware flooring with high resistance to deep abrasion, superior to the requisites of ISO 10545-6. This certifies its suitability for use in environments subject to high footfall, such as shopping centres, stations, airports and hospitals.
• Many Coem porcelain stoneware tiles are non-slip, as defined in paragraph 8.2.2 of Italian Ministerial Decree no. 236 of 14/06/89, and contribute to overcoming architectural barriers, so they can also be used for public environments frequented by people with disabilities and mobility issues.

CERAMIC SURFACES
FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Coem tiles play a role in the construction of eco-sustainable buildings, and are certified as compliant with the requisites of the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) parameters, as a result of the excellent performance achieved thanks to the use of recycled materials, and the outstanding solar reflectance, which reduce the “heat island” effect (absorption of sunlight, which is subsequently released as heat, consequently raising the air temperature) and thus minimise the impact of buildings on the surrounding microclimate.
At the end of the manufacturing cycle, which involves firing at temperatures of over 1200°C, Coem porcelain stoneware contains no traces or any form of organic substances. It is chemically and physically inert, with zero contaminants released, and forms a hard, inert, compact and resistant surface that can be cleaned easily and effectively.
Dust, smells, smoke, germs and pollen cannot penetrate the surface of Coem ceramic tiles, which are highly vitrified and inert and thus require low maintenance. They are extremely hygienic and therefore ideal for environments frequented by people with respiratory difficulties.

Instructions for the installation of porcelain stoneware
We recommend wet cutting or the score and snap method for the installation process. Do not dry cut using power tools. Improper ceramic tile installation techniques could expose the installer to harmful dust.