New ceramic from Laufen stretches the imagination

With a single-piece basin spanning almost three metres in length, Laufen demonstrated just what can be achieved with its new ceramic technology when members of the press from around the world visited the manufacturer’s Swiss headquarters recently.

Laufen’s senior managing director, Alberto Magrans, explained that the basin on show for the journalists is not actually going into production but was made especially for the conference to show what Laufen’s new bathroom ceramic is capable of. He said: “We wanted to demonstrate our design expertise and the qualities of the new material in one piece. It would be impossible to make this with traditional ceramic material, the shrinkage in the kiln alone would prevent us from doing so.”

While retaining the company’s traditional production process, the new ceramic is up to 30 per cent lighter than fine fire clay, and leaves the furnace brilliant white, rather than with a yellowish tinge which has always been seen until now. Meanwhile the manufacturer’s innovative and award-winning Clean Coat glaze offers a superior surface finish which is able to withstand the toughest of stains and dirt.

Speaking to the press during their two-day visit to Laufen’s Forum, the company’s Vitreous China Research Director Dr Werner Fischer explained how this new ceramic opens up fresh design horizons in the contemporary bathroom. He said: “The new ceramic allows for new forms, largely dissolving the intrinsic limitations of the material. The formula of the basic material mix on which the new ceramic is based – a fiercely guarded company secret – permits more precise contours and smooth lavish surfaces.”

Able to achieve edge radii of just four millimetres where six has always been the minimum until now, Laufen’s new ceramics brings a whole new finesse to the bathroom at a time when contemporary design is pushing ceramic to its limits.