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MAPEI
Some would say that MAPEI Corp., the leading manufacturer of flooring installation systems, and David Allen Co., a
leading tile, stone and terrazzo contractor for over 80 years, helped create Southpoint Mall into an ‘unusual’ mall.
In fact, what meets the eye is more than just the clothing stores and food stops normally found at local malls.
More precisely, RTKL Architects from Dallas, Texas, designed the mall (which also extends into an exterior
walkway) to simulate a ‘Euro village’ by creating different facades for each store front. French and Portuguese
limestone and German greenstone were chosen for the interior floor extending 145,000 square feet. Above, black
chimney tops and brick-faced store fronts enclose the mall, creating the feeling of a stroll through the narrow
streets of 18th century England. Continuing through the outside, walkways lead visitors to restaurants and other
stores that parallel numerous fountains and plazas.
Every interior floor application was done with MAPEI’s installation systems. Known for their lifetime warranty,
MAPEI’s systems are guaranteed to perform for the life of the installation. Included in this particular project,
the system involved MAPEI’s PRP 315, waterproofing membrane; Planipatchâ, a fast-setting, cement-based polymer-modified
patching compound; Ultraplanâ, a self-leveling fast-setting polymer-modified underlayment; Ultracontact; and
Ultracolor sanded grout, the most color consistent grout available to the industry. These systems were also used
in the installation of the ceramic and porcelain tiles found in JC Penny, the mall bathrooms, and various mall
locations.
The stone installation was a combination of honed and polished stones that were brought directly from the countries of
origin. The Portuguese and French limestone was honed to resemble a cobblestone street. The accents around
the honed stone were done with the German greenstone. This same stone was used on all the elevated platforms at
each of the mall’s intersections.
The six-month long project began in September of 2001 and had its inaugural opening on March 7, 2002. Three weeks
after opening, Southpoint welcomed its 1 millionth visitor through its doors. Today, the mall continues to host
an overwhelming amount of visitors.
MAPEI has been supplying systems for tile and stone installation, floor covering installation, and concrete restoration
for 65 years. Its products are distributed in over 80 countries, and the company is a single source supplier of
flooring installation systems for residential and major commercial projects. MAPEI offers technical assistance,
specification writing, and luncheon seminars designed to assist architects in specifying MAPEI products. It is a
registered provider to the AIA/CES program and offers training related to ceramic tile and floor covering
installations and concrete repair.
With the introduction of MBS* Ti1, a robust titanium carbide coating especially developed for grades of MBS 950 and below, GE expands its
highly successful coatings series into the medium and economy saw diamond grades. The proprietary coating design of Ti1 enables toolmakers to adjust their bonding
systems smoothly to the new MBS Ti1 diamonds. Although primarily developed for medium- to low-impact applications, the outstanding mechanical toughness of this new
coating allows use even in more demanding stone and construction applications. MBS Ti1 is the latest development in a long series of highly successful diamond
coatings from GE Superabrasives.
MBS Ti1 Rounds off the Most Comprehensive Coating Series on Today's Market
End users in the stone and construction business benefit from higher cutting parameters and still considerably longer tool life. Less power consumption is also a
direct benefit from the superior free- cutting capabilities of tools with coated MBS diamonds. Straighter cuts and cleaner drilling holes, as well as reduced edge
chipping, also help to achieve an overall cost optimization.
Tanya Fratto, Vice President and CEO of GE Superabrasives: "Our product philosophy is that high quality means optimum performance through the selection of the best
suited diamond grade for a given application. Expanding our coating technology into medium and economy grades is an essential part of this concept. We are
now able to offer our customers the most comprehensive coating series available on today's market.
MBS Si2 - Silicon Coatings: Huge Savings in Bond Raw Materials Costs Finally Possible
MBS Ti2 and MBS Cr2 Diamond
MBS CMD - Exclusively for Marble, Limestone, and Similar Materials
GE Superabrasives is the inventor and the world's leading supplier of manufactured diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN), and polycrystalline products used in the metalworking
, stone, concrete, petroleum, glass, woodworking, electronics, and mining industries.
*Trademark of General Electric Company, USA
MAPEI continues its leadership with changes to the grout program. Presently, with MAPEI Ultracolor, the industry's
first and only efflorescence-free grout and Kerapoxy, a stain-free grout that was recently re-formulated in 2001,
MAPEI has the deepest line of grouts in the industry. The KER 200/800 program is moving to new names this year with
Keracolor U (unsanded) and Keracolor S (sanded). This change will ensure that grout family names are similar to both
Europe and the Americas. Work is presently underway on the Keracolor S (KER 200) for a new formulation that is more
efficient with mixing and water clean up to be more jobsite-friendly.
MAPEI is proud to announce Mapelath, another innovative time saving technology product, for the tile and stone
industry. The plastic floor reinforcement lath (mesh) for wood floor construction is 1/8" thick and comes in a 27"x
75' roll (168 sq. ft) weighing in at 22 lbs. per roll.
Dave Hamilton, Product Manager for MAPEI's Tile and Stone Installation Systems explains: "Mapelath is similar to
wire lath, but Mapelath has ridges that allow mortar to evenly disperse and assist in superior bond and compressive
strength. Mapelath won't crush under traffic and fastening, nor will it damage walls or cabinets." Since Mapelath
can be trimmed easily with a razor knife and is quick to fit and fasten with a hammer-tacker, this innovative
MAPEI product saves the installer valuable time and money. In fact, Mapelath costs less than plywood, glass mesh or
fiber cement boards. Mapelath also comes with a warranty - wire lath does not. This warranty is available up to a
lifetime, depending on the tile setting mortar. MAPEI's Mapelath can be put over sub floors that have a minimum 5/8"
thickness, i.e. plywood or OSB, hardwood, plank, or parquet. Depending on the layout of the room and the amount of
cuts involved, an installer can average about 100 sq. ft. of installation per hour.
The user-friendly characteristics of MAPEI's time-saving technology can be found in all of its concrete restoration,
tile and stone installation, and floor covering installation systems. Now, MAPEI offers no-nonsense warranties that
guarantee every component of the systems, including curing and actual installation speeds.
HCT (High-Hydrated Cement Technology) is a special proprietary cement formulation that has been developed to set
ultra-fast for situations where time is critical. Remarkably MAPEI HCT products achieve tremendous strengths in a
matter of hours, allowing an installer to move quickly without any down time. HCT is found in MAPEI's self-leveling
decorative topping, Ultratop; its self-leveling high-performance underlayments of the Ultraplan series; its full
contact mortars like Ultra/Contact series and Grani/Rapid systems; and Ultra/Color grouts. It is also in the surface
preparation line through Plani/Patch. "With HCT, you can install a floor and walk on it that day - something that
other cement-based products cannot offer. Its user-friendly installation characteristics have been used all over the
world for projects that require a crew to get in and out fast like in the case of remodeling airports, malls and any
other high-traffic installations," explains Peter Golter, Product Manager for MAPEI's line of Concrete Restoration
Systems. "More importantly, when used as a system, our solutions offer the installer piece of mind that job will
get done on time and with guaranteed results, thanks to our no-nonsense warranty." Installation speed can be found
through advanced products such as Mapelastic SM and Ultra/Contact. Ultra/Contact, a full contact mortar also
guarantees installation speed as it eliminates the need for back-buttering or beating tile into mortar for 100%
coverage. Mapelastic SM, a peel-and-stick membrane, is virtuallyeffortless to install. Serving as part of an
anti-fracture and sound control system, it requires little or minimum application time.
On January 4, 2002, the MAPEI Group concluded the acquisition of Sopro, the third German manufacturer of adhesives
and products for the installation of ceramic and natural stones, from Dyckerhoff AG Cement Group. The total
number of Sopro employees is approximately 400 with a total turnover of approximately 85 million Euros. Sopro
has 6 production units in Germany, Austria, Portugal, Poland, Russia and Italy (Cercol). The acquisition
confirms the strategy of the MAPEI Group aim towards international growth and brings MAPEI to the position of
co-leader in the German market which is the biggest and most technologically advanced market in the world for
construction chemicals.
Giorgio Squinzi, CEO of MAPEI, expressed his satisfaction with the transaction: “With the acquisition of
Sopro Dyckerhoff, the most prestigious German trade mark with the oldest tradition, we reach the objective of
affirming our position as world-wide leader, even in Germany where we are since 1999, with a state-of-the-art
plant. ” This acquisition will also provide a strong managing group, particularly efficient in Research and
Development, the principle guideline of the MAPEI Group.
The transaction was concluded in a very short time, beating international competitors in a competitive auction.
The MAPEI Group was assisted during the whole transaction by the WEST LB PANMURE Bank, a business bank
specialized in growing companies that also organized the loan for the acquisition with the CREDITO ITALIANO
CORPORATE FINANCE.
The list is impressive; seventeen venues especially created and redone for the anticipated 2002 winter games in Salt
Lake City, Utah, have MAPEI etched in the ground work. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise – for an event where
winning is the goal, only a winning choice could be made in the preparation process. In fact, this is the
second consecutive Olympic venue where MAPEI is present; for the 2000 summer games in Sydney Australia, MAPEI was also
used for the pools, the tracks and other events.
In everything that is anything at the winter games, MAPEI is guaranteed to be there. MAPEI greets each guest at
the airport and its presence continues on to the Little America Grande Hotel in Salt Lake City Utah and the Historic
Heber Valley Railroad Train Station in Heber City, where MAPEI was the installation material of choice. Retail centers,
plazas, ice arenas, and the Rice Eccles Stadium, host of the opening and closing ceremonies, all have MAPEI’s
installation systems in place. Over 800,000 square feet of tile and stone were installed throughout the venues
with MAPEI’s tile and stone installation systems. Ultra/Contact and the Grani/Rapid systems, used for their
proven track record were the products of choice. MAPEI Kerapoxy and Ultra/Color, high quality grouts, were also used
nearly everywhere. Nearly 55,000 square feet of carpet, rubber and vinyl flooring were installed with MAPEI’s
floor covering installation systems. They exist in the speed skating oval, the judges tower, the race track, the
ice arena and the Rice Eccles Stadium. Ultra Bond G19, a universal, two component polyurethane adhesive was
chosen for the rubber flooring and astro turf found in the sport venues. The ecologically-friendly adhesives ECO
300 and ECO 185 were the carpet adhesives of choice for more nearly 10,000 square feet of installation.
The success of the projects can be measured through the responses from those who actually used them. Warren Lyngle, of
Lyngle Brothers Industries oversaw the Pquirrh Park Speed Skating Oval where 46,000 square feet of Mondo flooring were
installed. This venue holds one of the world’s finest skate floors and is considered the fastest skating oval
in the world. “The installation was wonderful,” states Lyngle, “we’ve used MAPEI for years and there have been zero
failures each time. “ Matt Dalton, of DesignTeam Inc., and who inspected the installation at the Judges Tower for
the 120 Meter Ski Jump agrees. “We’ve never had a bad MAPEI installation. We used MAPEI’s ECO 185 because its
has a proven track record with us, it is ecological, and we’ve never received a complaint.”
Mark Knaphus, of Caffall Tile & Marble was involved in many of the venues for the Winter Games. This included
the Little America Grande Hotel, The Gateway Retail Center, and the Historic Heber Valley Railroad Train Station,
among many others. Each installation was a success and not once did Knaphus find a problem with the MAPEI
products of choice. “We’ve had very good success with the service from MAPEI. Our questions get answered, the
products are available, and they always have the right product for the application. Most importantly, they
guarantee their products,” confirms Knaphus.
This isn’t the first time that MAPEI is used for high profile projects such as these. In addition to the 2000
Summer Games in Australia, MAPEI is seen around the world in projects like the Petronas Towers, the Vatican, and the
Pepsi Center. Yet every opportunity like this one is well appreciated. “Everyone is excited about being
part of the creation of these venues,” explains Bart Wilde, MAPEI technical representative. “Being part of
history like this really excited everyone involved and its wonderful that MAPEI was given the honor of being part of
such an important event.”
When he was approached by Leo Cordery, owner of Bicycle Generation, Nick Di Tempora, MAPEI CEO, saw a wonderful
opportunity to help the WTC victims’ families. Leo thought he could do his part in contributing to the WTC fund
by doing what he did best: cycling. His goal was for Florida’s cycling community to pledge themselves towards
the cause and donate their time for a day. The bulk of the money raised would come through proceeds from
registered participants yet there was a need for sponsors willing to soak up the costs of putting such an event
together. It was then when Leo decided to offer MAPEI the chance to become part of the benefit ride and of
course, MAPEI agreed.
Although it is known first and foremost as a leading adhesive and concrete repair manufacturer for the construction
industry, MAPEI has also been a leading contender in the cycling world with its team, MAPEI QUICKSTEP. The team
has won the Tour de France numerous times as well as other global cycling races held throughout the year. The
recent bicycle challenge was not a race, but MAPEI donated its two MAPEI vehicles for the day to trail the cyclists,
a photographer, and $2,000 towards the benefit.
On December 9, 2001 over 300 cyclists showed up at the starting point, The Cove Restaurant, in Deerfield Beach, FL,
which was also the finish line. People of all ages lined up; women, men, and children prepared to participate.
Their trip continued up the A1A alongside the ocean into Palm Beach, 32 miles away and back. Along the way,
rest stops were provided, manned by MAPEI volunteers and others eager to cheer the riders along. Once the race
was over, the Cove Restaurant, also a sponsor for the challenge, hosted a post ride celebration for everyone involved
in the event. MAPEI, Bicycle Generation, The Cove, TREK, iDENTI-T, Life-O2, and Art that Works!, the sponsors of
the event joined together to offer five great prizes to the top five fund raisers. First place was a Trek model
#2000 Road Bike valued at $1,350. MAPEI donated a Fred Rodriguez Cycling jersey. Rodriguez, a MAPEI Tour de France
champion, has his name printed on an American Flag jersey; an honor bestowed by the Tour de France to only a few
cycling champions around the world.
MAPEI and all the participants were successful in their cause; over $20,000 was raised, all of which went to the United
Way WTC fund. Leo Cordery was the most pleased of them all in seeing that his vision had become a reality.
“The American People have been united together by this horrific tragedy to fight this form of evil which threatens
our very own freedom. We must now join together to watch out for one another. It is this spirit that
gave birth to the WTC Bicycle Challenge.”
November 2002: MAPEI and David Allen Co. help
create Southpoint Mall into a European City
Martin Howard, Vice President of David Allen Company, was responsible for making the mall’s flooring installation a
success within the short time allotted. “It was important we use installation products that would reduce our
risk; the stone was in large pieces and we wanted assurance we’d get complete coverage under each stone application.”
In light of this, David Allen Co. chose MAPEI’s Ultracontactä, a full-contact mortar cement known for its
complete coverage on large, modular tile. “Within a short time of using the Ultracontact, we realized it was the
product we were looking for. ” It was successfully used in all of the mall’s stone installations, including
Nordstrom’s marble floor.
David Allen Company is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and has branches in South Carolina, Tennessee, and
Virginia. With over 80 years of experience in the contracting business, David Allen was founded by David G.
Allen in 1920 and is now regarded as one of the most capable and respected marble, granite, tile, and terrazzo
contractors in the US. For more information on David Allen Company visit
www.davidallen.com.
www.mapei.com
September 12, 2002: GE Superabrasives Introduces MBS* Ti1 Coated Diamonds High-Tech Coating
Technology Now Available for Medium and Economy Grades
Utilizing coated MBS Diamonds, toolmakers enjoy a new flexibility in manufacturing innovative, highly economical bond systems. GE coatings protect the diamond
crystal from aggressive bonding metals such as iron, steel, chromium, and tungsten. Unmatched free cutting properties, reduced diamond pull-outs, and the maximum
utilization of every single cutting crystal in the bond matrix are key quality factors for success in a highly competitive market.
Silicon carbide coated MBS Si2 enables toolmakers now to reduce their costs significantly by replacing more cobalt with iron in their bonding systems. Past attempts
to use bonds with high iron content were constrained by high reaction rates of diamond with iron. MBS Si2 diamond coatings enhance crystal retention extremely effect
ively in high Fe bonds. If a toolmaker purchases 60.000 kg of Co powder per year, the replacement of 70% of cobalt powder with iron, could result in an estimated
annual savings of nearly $ 2MM.
The first coated, premium saw diamond, developed for demanding applications such as hard granites and reinforced concrete. Field results from all over the world
prove both MBS Ti2 and CR2 to work superior to any other product on the market. In multiblade tile cutting of granites class IV to V, an improved tool life of over
130% is feasible.
Especially designed for soft stone applications, MBS CMD gives excellent retention in cobalt-bronze, bronze, and other alloy bonds. Due to its enhanced bond
retention, the pullout rate even in gang saw applications can be significantly reduced.
www.mapei.com
May 6, 2002: NEW YEAR BRINGS NEW COLORS
TO MAPEI, Deerfield Beach, FL
Lastly, MAPEI is re-vamping its colors for 2002. After extensive distributor and retail surveys, 10 colors have been
dropped and replaced. Production and implementation should be underway by May 2002. Dave Hamilton, Product Manager,
of MAPEI's Tile and Stone Installation Systems explains, "The 10 new colors will pick up voids in the present line
and be nice matches to today's tile and stone market. Rather than go to outside color agencies, we surveyed our
customers all over North America and took their recommendations seriously. They felt staying with 30 colors
was ideal, but having the right 30 was necessary." Along with the new colors comes a new grout kit and color chart.
Both are updated with new graphics and installation warranties. MAPEI has been supplying systems for tile and
stone installation, floor covering installation, and concrete restoration for 65 years. It is distributed in over
80 countries, and is a single source supplier of flooring installation systems for residential and major commercial
projects. MAPEI offers technical assistance, specification writing, and luncheon seminars designed to assist the
architect in specifying MAPEI products. It is a registered provider to the AIA/CES program and offers training
related to ceramic tile and floor covering installations and concrete repair.
www.mapei.com
May 6, 2002: ANOTHER TIME SAVING TOOL
FOR INSTALLERS MADE POSSIBLE BY MAPEI, Deerfield Beach, FL
MAPEI has been supplying systems for tile and stone installation, floor covering installation, and concrete
restoration for 65 years. It is distributed in over 80 countries, and is a single source supplier of flooring
installation systems for residential and major commercial projects. MAPEI offers technical assistance, specification
writing, and luncheon seminars designed to assist the architect in specifying MAPEI products. It is a registered
provider to the AIA/CES program and offers training related to ceramic tile and floor covering installations and
concrete repair.
www.mapei.com
May 6, 2002: GET IN AND GET OUT IN A
MATTER OF HOURS, MAPEI offers time saving-solutions for the time-conscious installer, Deerfield Beach, FL
www.mapei.com
January 23, 2002: MAPEI ACQUIRES SOPRO-
DYCKERHOFF, Milan - Italy
www.mapei.com
January 9, 2002: MAPEI CLAIMS THE GOLD
MEDAL IN 2002 WINTER GAMES, Salt Lake City, Utah
www.mapei.com
January 9, 2002: MAPEI CHALLENGES
CYCLISTS TO WTC RIDE - Deerfield Beach, FL
www.mapei.com
