Milestones

In 1968, when he was only 30 years old, Romano Sghedoni founded Kerakoll in Sassuolo, in the province of Modena.

The first single-component adhesives for ceramics, designed and produced in his garage, were the result of his passion for construction and chemistry, combined with a huge love of engineering.

The first production plant opened in Via Monginevro, Sassuolo and the business gained a foothold in the market with a range of adhesives specifically for laying ceramic tiles.

The company soon became a benchmark for the sector.

Invention of H40 Flex, the first single-component adhesive able to solve the problem of safely bonding single-fired and porcelain stoneware tiles in all domestic and commercial environments, overcoming the existing technical limits.

The eighties see a continuous and constant growth characterised by a flourishing demand for adhesives for laying.

The second Sassuolo plant opens in via dell’Artigianato.

Entry into the construction business: from a leading manufacturer of products for the preparation, laying and finishing of all kinds of floors, Kerakoll becomes a partner for builders.

The via dell’Artigianato plant is also up and running and it becomes necessary to increase production capacity: construction of the third production centre begins in Sassuolo again, in via Pedemontana.

Start of international growth. Opening of first commercial branches in Spain and Poland.

The new plant is opened, it will be expanded twice in the following years. In just 15 years, daily productivity goes from 700 to over 3,000 tons.

The first plant in Spain opens in Castellón de La Plana.

The investments made in Green Technology account now for 50% (up from 15%) of the entire budget devoted to Research and Development. Kerakoll acquires the reference shares of SLC and launches an industrial conversion plan, transforming itself from a chemical company to an eco-friendly company.

Its main objectives are: reduction in the first 5 years of 60% of the solvents used; development of new ecological and water-based products; development of new certified products with low VOC emissions.

Mi.Gra. headquartered in Minucciano (Lucca) and specialising in the recovery of the mineral residues resulting from marble processing in the Carrara quarries, becomes part of Kerakoll.

A new plant opens in Poland.

A new plant opens in Greece.

Introduction of Biocalce, a range of pure natural lime products able to offer a comprehensive solution for construction materials.

Acquisition by Kerakoll of Rankover, European leader in the formulation, manufacture and development of eco-friendly decorative paints made from lime putty and pure potassium silicate.

The Indian production plant opens.

A new plant is opened in Rubiera (Reggio Emilia), Italy.

Work began on the construction of Kerakoll GreenLab, one of the world’s most advanced technological hubs for the study and development of new materials for the construction industry.

Our second Spanish plant opened in Almazora, Castellón.

Kerakoll becomes The GreenBuilding Company, the world’s top provider of green building solutions, renowned internationally for its technological leadership.

Kerakoll is awarded by Italy’s Legambiente the “Green Life 2010” award, in the “Sustainable Living” category. The award, an initiative developed within the SEE (Sustainable Energy Europe) Campaign, is the most important national recognition in the environmental field; it rewards sustainable innovation that stands out for its originality and potential for development.

In January 2011, the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), the world’s most prominent body for system and certification control, awards Kerakoll the certification attesting that its GreenBuilding Rating is a “reliable, complete and essential measurement method to guarantee the environmental sustainability of its products”.

Kerakoll launches its new systems for structural and anti-seismic strengthening featuring the use of matrices made of mineral and natural geo-mortars based on geo-binder and natural NHL lime.

Official opening of the Kerakoll GreenLab, the centre dedicated to research and technological development in the field of building materials, and centralises the Group’s scientific laboratories in a single hub.
Kerakoll GreenLab, a perfect blend of leading-edge technologies and sustainable materials, was designed and built using exclusively sustainable solutions: an ecosystem constantly balanced with the surrounding environment, able to produce its own energy, recover rainwater and purify it naturally and guarantee the highest levels of indoor air quality and wellbeing.

The Kerakoll GreenLab research laboratories have created H40 No Limits, the first flexible and multi-purpose structural gel adhesive based on the exclusive Kerakoll geo-binder, for perfect fixing of all types of material, on all surfaces, even in extreme conditions.

Kerakoll launches a recruitment plan reserved for talented young graduates with high growth potential, through its innovative recruiting campaign, Kerakoll4talent. The goal is to hire and train young talented people for five years and launch their career as international managers.

Kerakoll Design House is launched: a new interior design project for the contemporary home: cements, resins, handcrafted wood, micro-coatings, paints and glazes, coordinated in the colours of the Warm Collection palette. Piero Lissoni is the project’s art director.

Entry into Kerakoll Group of the division of Olin – a French company located in Corbas, Lyon (France) – specialised in polyurethane products.

Acquisition by Kerakoll of Tilemaster Adhesive Ltd, a UK company that produces and sells ceramic tile and natural stone laying systems.

Kerakoll finalizes the acquisition of Cimentolit Industria e Comercio de Argamassas Ltda, a company active in the production and sale of materials for laying ceramic and natural stone, headquartered in Santa Barbara d’Oeste, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The Group also acquires a production plant in Charqueada, and completes the construction of a new production plant in Jundiaí, both located in the state of São Paulo as well.

Kerakoll purchases the majority shares of the Modena F.C. currently playing in Serie C, the third-highest division in the Italian professional football league system.

Once the Yellow and Blues’future is assured, Kerakoll transfers the entire shareholding in Modena F.C. to Revetex srl, a company owned by Carlo Rivetti’s family.

Introduction of Color Collection, decorative paints and resins for interior decoration, coordinated in a palette of 150 contemporary colours for interior decoration.

Kerakoll Spa becomes the first major player in the construction sector to adopt the status of Benefit Company, officially committing itself to the pursuit of goals with a positive impact on society and the planet as a whole.

The Rio Maior plant opens in Portugal (in the Santarém district, north of Lisbon), strengthening the Group’s presence in the Iberian Peninsula, where it is already operating two manufacturing sites in Spain.

Kerakoll continued its quest for innovation in self-levelling products: Planogel Rheo, the first self-levelling gel with variable rheology and viscosity, was introduced alongside the Flowtech range of special-purpose products.

With over sixty other Italian companies, Kerakoll subscribed to CO2alizione Italia, an initiative aimed at increasing industry’s commitment to climate neutrality.

Presentation of Kerakoll’s first “Impact Report” to measure sustainability results.

Kerakoll becomes the majority shareholder in Mi.Gra., acquiring a 74% stake.

Construction work begins on the new production hub in Sassuolo, in the province of Modena.

Kerakoll obtains B Corp certification, confirmation of our journey towards a new ESG business model.

Mi.Gra. becomes a Benefit Corporation, thus strengthening its responsible business approach.