Tile International 2/2020

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Tennis star Dominic Thiem becomes brand ambassador for Duravit The tennis player Dominic Thiem recently signed a collaboration agreement with Duravit at the Duravit Design Centre in Hornberg: for the next five years, the world’s number three in the ATP rankings will act as ambassador for the well-known bathroom furnishing

NEWS

Schlüter-Systems opens third facility in USA Schlüter-Systems, a leading manufacturer of innovative systems for the installation of ceramic and natural stone coverings, recently opened a new facility in the heart of the United States, in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. This stateof-the-art site with 50,000m2 of floorspace houses a large warehouse, various offices and a modern training centre. Schlüter-Systems opened this new facility – its third in the United States – in order to improve its service levels in the central and southern US and provide more direct coverage of the local market. “We chose a strategic location,” explains Marco Ludwig, President and CEO of Schlüter-Systems NA. “We already have a site in Plattsburgh, NY and another in Reno, NV, so adding this third facility in

brand. The link between the two parties is strengthened by their shared interest in sustainability, their love of precision and the determination they show in pursuing their performance goals. “I’m really excited about this partnership with Duravit. It’s a company steeped in tradition with a really appealing range of products. It sets itself high standards and pays close attention to detail. These

the region’s nerve-centre will significantly improve our service levels and shorten our shipping times. According to our estimates, we’ll be able to reach the majority of our customers within a maximum of 72 hours, wherever they are in the US.” “In line with our company philosophy,” continues Ludwig, “we opted to make exclusive use of Schlüter-Systems solutions for the construction of this facility, as we have for all our previous facilities. For example, we installed over 2000 square metres of Schlüter-DITRAHEAT-DUO as part of an electric underfloor heating system managed by more than 140 thermostats. This will enable us to run the system mainly on solar energy, which is an increasingly important consideration in the United States. We feel it’s extremely important to provide our warehouse staff, office staff and customers with a comfortable and innovative environment to operate in.”

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qualities are the key to success in tennis too, and Duravit’s commitment to sustainability is another big plus. I think it’s going to be a really exciting partnership for me!” said Dominic Thiem. After Thomas Muster and Jürgen Melzer, Dominic Thiem is the third Austrian to make the top 10 in the world rankings. Furthermore, Thiem, who has been especially successful on clay, was also the first Austrian to win an ATP title on grass, and is currently the world number three. Duravit has a long-standing involvement in tennis. The company sponsored Alexander Popp, another tennis star, in the early 2000s. Backed by two centuries of history (it was founded in 1817), the German multinational now operates in 130 countries worldwide and is one of the leading international bathroom furnishing brands, thanks in part to collaborations with high-profile designers such as Philippe Starck, sieger design, Kurt Merki Jr., Christian Werner, Matteo Thun and Cecilie Manz. Duravit’s role as a worldwide leader is also underscored by its latest results, which showed record sales, operating profit and net earnings in 2019. Consistent profitability and solid financials are the foundations on which the Hornberg-based group now counts to continue the growth trend despite the Covid-19 crisis.


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