Product: Large Quartz Slabs for Countertops and Cladding Developers: Members of Kibbutz Sdot Yam in collaboration with Professor Moshe Narkis Company: Caesarstone Start of Development: 1987
In the 1950s, a tile factory was established in Kibbutz Sdot Yam using sand as a raw material, and was one of the kibbutz’s sources of income. In the wake of development work performed jointly by kibbutz members and Professor Moshe Narkis from the Technion, it was decided that the raw material previously used in manufacturing tiles would be replaced by the mineral quartz. As a result of this change, in 1987, the Caesarstone company was founded, replacing the old factory.
Quartz was chosen due to its unique traits: strength, durability, flexibility – and beauty. Quartz is a relatively abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust. It ranks high on the scale of mineral hardness and it is resistant to water.
Caesarstone has successfully developed large quartz slabs made of approximately 90 percent natural quartz, with the rest made of pigments and polymers. These slabs have proven to be far stronger and more durable than surfaces made of natural stone or synthetic material, and are also easier to maintain and clean.
Quartz slabs are primarily used as kitchen surfaces, but were later expanded to be used for wall cladding, flooring, and staircases. Over the years, as a world pioneer in the field of natural quartz surfaces, Caesarstone has evolved into a leading company on a global scale.
Since 2008, Caesarstone has established five subsidiaries in key markets, and has a presence in over fifty other countries. In 2012, the company held an IPO and is listed on the NASDAQ. With annual revenues of over half a billion dollars, Caesarstone is one of the local economy’s largest exporters, providing employment to over 1,000 workers in Israel and across the globe.
Caesarstone is featured in billions of homes all over the world.
