A Look Into Cosentino

We at Cabinets & Designs exclusively carry Cosentino Products.  Silestone, SensaGranite, ECO, Prexury, Scalea (natural marble), and Marlique (man-made marble) are displayed in our showroom.  We recently had the opportunity to interview Lorenzo Marques, VP of Marketing for Cosentino, and wanted to share his responses.

What is your background?  What interested you in working for Cosentino?  

 I studied Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston, and my background is in retail merchandising and marketing. Cosentino is a very entrepreneurial company and that is what interested me in joining it close to nine years ago.  Shortly after I started working here, I fell in love with our products and found a new passion in kitchen and bath design.

What new products did you showcase at KBIS?

This year at KBIS we showcased sixteen new colors, one new texture and our Integrity sink.  Among the colors we introduced are six colors in our Nebula and Galactic Series, respectively, which will give home owners interested in the quarried stone countertops a new perspective and wide array of options.  We also introduced a color named White Zeus Extreme, which has quickly become the top selling color world-wide for us because of its bold and solid white hue.

Are there any other products you are in the process of developing that you can share with us?

Our newest innovation comes with the Galactic and Nebula Series. Both of these color lines utilize state-of-the-art technology that helps us achieve colors that have not ever been seen in the quartz surfacing market before.  

How do you keep up with the color trends in the market?

Being a global company allows us to see and learn what is happening in very different markets, which gives us the ability to observe consumer trends, buying habits and obviously color and product tendencies.  We work closely with each local market to deliver products and colors that serve the needs of each market.

Can you describe how much effort your company puts into the research and development process?

We have a full team dedicated to the R&D side of our business.  In addition, Cosentino recently announced an investment of $180M EUROS in the development of plants to bring new products to market in 2013!

The integrity sink is one of your different applications of Silestone, can you describe that?  What are some other applications for Silestone or other materials?

Our Integrity Sink is unique in the sense that it is made out of one piece of Silestone without seams.  Now consumers can get the full benefit of our product in all kitchen surfaces, including flooring, sink, backsplash and of course countertops.  This year, we’re heavily focusing in bathroom design by developing a custom-piece program for shower walls, bath tubs, sink decks, shower plates and vanity sinks.

Do you find that ECO is more popular in different states or regions of the United States and why?

There are markets that are more eco-friendly as well as better educated on sustainability.  Socioeconomics and demographics have a lot to do with this movement.  Those markets with a higher income and education level tend to gravitate towards eco-friendly options in a more consistent basis.  

Will more colors be added to the ECO line or do the recycled materials limit the color options to naturals only?

Our goal is to have four new colors added to ECO by the end of 2011.

What is your most popular surface material?  And in which colors?

Silestone is our flagship brand.  In the United States, our Mountain Series has been the most popular for a few years now.  My prediction is that the new Galactic Series will very quickly become the best-selling series in history!

Do the most popular products differ in Europe and the United States?

Absolutely.  Solid colors are by far more popular in Europe than in the United States, where as the US consumer prefers colors with more movement and pattern.  

What is your opinion on mixing surface materials in the same area?  How about colors?

I believe design makes perfect sense to each individual when they pick it themselves!   I think that mixing materials and colors has to be done very tastefully and depending on space.

Was the Galactic Series in Silestone created to give customers the look of granite only with a quartz product?

The Galactic Series comes to life after many years of research, development and studies.  It has been inspired and designed for designers and home owners interested on a surface with movement and different color hues.  Granite is one option that offers that, along with others.  What we wanted to do was bring the performance attributes of Silestone to life in colors that offer more uniqueness and movement.

Why did Silestone create the Volcano Series?

We designed the Volcano Series after designers looking for a “matte or textured finish”.  

Is there anything we did not ask that you think is important to add?

Cosentino holds the largest manufacturing capacity for natural quartz that allows us to have a color offering of over 70 tones.  We also heavily focus on the distribution of natural stone and eco-recycled surfaces.

Come into the Cabinets & Designs showroom to see the Cosentino product lines.