holcim whiteboard 2013_eng

The information magazine about White Cement | 2013 – 1

Excellence in White

Changes in organization Creating a value Customer´s profi les Excellence in White

8 – 13Changes in organization

4 – 7 14 – 25 26 – 29

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Dear customers,

This year is the fi rst year following our 100 years celebration, but has already brought several changes. At the beginning of this year, Holcim restructured its regional organization by creating Holcim Central Eastern Europe. A new CEO and management were appointed.We have opened the second C³ Atelier, this time in Budapest. Our big thanks go to all of you who were involved in creating such a unique interior, full of specifi c applications using our white cement.

The opinion of you, our customers, is very important to us as it gives us the right feedback to improve and develop ourselves and to reach your expecta-tions. Most of you had the chance to evaluate us and I would like to thank you for your honest responses. You will fi nd the current data in a report about our Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey we completed last year.You can be sure that we’re taking these results very seriously and we’ve already implemented a number of measures in order to outperform our past years’ results.

On the following pages you can also fi nd a number of nice examples of our motto Excellence in White: On one hand, we’re presenting a selection of our customers from all over Europe. You can read about their successful and inter-esting projects and get inspired by their views of innovation, diff erentiation, or production processes.On the other hand we’re providing you with a vision of designers and artists who transformed our white cement into stylish objects and aesthetic sculp-tures.

And last but not least: I’m proud to inform you that we ranked 2nd in a prestigious Slovak PR competition “Corporate Media of the Year” with our last Whiteboard 2012 issue. It shows me that our reports are well prepared and this magazine provides content that our readers want to read.

I wish you happy reading,a successful year 2013, and thank youvery much for staying with us!

Changes in organization 4 – 7 New cluster Holcim Central Eastern Europe (HCEE) Patrick Stapfer, new CEO Holcim Central Eastern Europe

Creating a value 8 – 13 NPS/ Net promoter score results C3 atelier powered by Holcim now in Budapest

Custmer´s profi les 14 – 25 Concrete design with a soul / IVANKA Feelgood White Cement Stones / Weissenböck Industrial fl ooring and surfaces of exceptional quality / Densit s.r.o. Höfe am Brühl / HFB Engineering GmbH Terazzo- style fl oors in Lomma / Starka Polycon glass fi bre reinforced concrete / klocement plus s.r.o.

Excellence in White 26 – 29 We help create awe-inspiring works Our success in the competition „Corporate medium of the Year“

Contacts 30 – 31

ContentJosef Nowak

Sales Manager

White Cement CEE

Holcim Whiteboard 20132 Holcim Whiteboard 2013 3

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Ingrid Višňovská

Senior Marketing

& Communication

CoordinatorHolcim (Slovensko) a.s. has become a part of a new and expanded regional structure in Holcim Central Eastern Europe along with Holcim companies in the Czech Repub-lic, Austria, Hungary and Poland. This transformation within Holcim took eff ect on 1 January 2013, the same date on which the merger of Holcim Slovensko and VSH took eff ect.

All of these changes have brought our customers a range of benefi ts, all of which are generated thanks to coopera-tion with a strong and stable partner. Nothing at Holcim in terms of continuity with its long-term strategy of a pro-customer company has changed. The top priority and primary goal in the coming period is clear diff erentiation

in the segment by creating added value for you, our cus-tomers, with emphasis on providing complete solutions. One advantage of the fusion of selected Holcim compa-nies into the Holcim Central Eastern Europe cluster is the clearly improved sharing and development of the know-how in the individual countries that can be leveraged to continuously improve the range of products and services we off er.Last but not least the new and streamlined management structure creates an opportunity to optimize processes and to strengthen our customer focus thanks to better coordination in cross-border regions. The new Holcim Central Eastern Europe (HCEE) region has been led by Patrick Stapfer since 1.1.2013.

The formation of Holcim Central Eastern Europe in 2013 is one of the most important events for the European area of Holcim Group. The white cement managment & sales and marketing team, as an integral part of Holcim Slovakia, has become a part of this new HCEE cluster, too.

Holcim Slovensko is now a part of Holcim Central Eastern Europe


Patrick Stapfer, previously the CEO of Holcim Czech Republic, has ac-cepted the role of CEO for the newly-created Holcim Central Eastern Europe cluster. Patrick began working in Holcim in 2004 as a consultant for portfolio management at HGRS. In 2007 he moved on to accept a position as assistance EXCO member and was selected in 2008 to be the CEO of Sharr Cement in Kosovo. In 2010 Patrick was named the CEO of Holcim Czech Republic. Patrick received his engineering degree in In-dustrial Management and Production from the Swiss Federal Technical Institute in Zürich.

I'm pleased when peo-ple approach me with potential solutions and ideas to resolve an issue, rather than just the issue or problem itself.

Patrick Stapfer, new CEO of Holcim Central Eastern Europe (HCEE)

Patrick, can you tell us a little bit more about yourself? I've been working for Holcim for nearly nine years. I began as a consultant in the business services department and was responsible for a portfolio of products. My consul-tation work involved a huge number of companies from around the world and then I worked in Zürich as an assistant member of the ex-ecutive committee responsible for Europe. In 2008 I became the CEO of Sharr Cement in Kosovo. At the time I accepted the position of CEO of the newly created cluster I had been the head of Holcim Czech Republic for more than three years. I'm mar-ried to my wonderful wife Jennifer and in July 2011 I became the proud father of my beautiful daughter Elin Melija, who was born in Prague. I'm a big fan of winter sports, running and travelling. Whenever snow falls, I guarantee that you'll fi nd me somewhere on my skis as I'm looking for fresh powder. In my free time I try and spend as much time as possible with my family and friends over a good cup of tea.

What were the reasons for cre-ating the CEE regional cluster?Given the complex and demanding market conditions, it became neces-sary to consolidate production,

sales and management processes. As a result, the markets in Hungary, Austria and Poland will primarily be supplied by our plants in Rohožník, Turna and Prachovice. In Hungary, Holcim will be transformed into more or less a sales organization to secure sales for Rohožník and Alesd. The sales organizations will remain local in order to best focus on the individual markets. Our objective is to eff ectively organize support proc-ess functions. We have to ensure that all of the countries receive the same standard of support with respect to fi nancing and human resources for instance. As opposed to the former North Danube cluster structure, this time we are going to try and build out an organization without a specifi c headquarters to be more fl exible and responsive in market coordination.

Where do you see the HCEE cluster in 3 to 5 years? What's your strategy?We want to create a unifi ed team of individuals across borders who are proud to be a part of the CEE cluster while ensuring the cluster is active-ly engaged in pushing forward in the development of a pro-customer approach and employees and the creation of the best prices.

If people have the drive and are not afraid to take an untraditional ap-proach or go against common practic-es, I give them the space and freedom they need to develop their idea.

Our strategy is based on a continuous search for ways to increase the values that we create for our customers by focusing on the following aspects:

The central standing of the customer as the driving force behind an organization: After years of achieving excellent satisfaction results with our customers, we staked out an even higher goal: satisfaction is not enough; we want to create loyal customers. Thanks to the introduction of NPS (Net Promoter Score) we can now individually assess feed-back from customers, which helps us to better understand why they choose us, what their specifi c needs are and the issues that are critical to each customer. Our ultimate goal is to develop our services to become an organization that is primarily focused on customer satisfaction. Truly valuable feedback obtained from the fi rst round in the NPS program for cement motivated us to roll out the NPS program for other business segments including aggre-gates and transport concrete. Holcim as a premium brand: Our goal is to become the

most attractive and best known brand in our segment. Our partners expect a brand that is a guarantee of high performance and reliability. We are a leader in the fi eld of innovation and activities

focused on sustainable development. Thanks to the fact that our TCC (technical competency centre) employs elite professionals, we are able to off er a wide spectrum of services including cement application consulting, concrete technology consulting and lab services. Holcim is expand-ing the range of guides we published for the application of

our individual products while also expanding cooperation with universities. Enriching our services thanks to the C3 Atelier concept:

We created a specifi c space to present concrete and cement along with traditional and innovative solutions using these specifi c materials. C3 Atelier creates a platform for learning about the best from the entire industrial branch and puts our latest and modern innovations within reach. In addition, we also present the latest trends and news from sustainable construction. Partners of theC3 Atelier and individual entities playing a key role in this segment can present their products and services as well, making C3 Atelier a place where they can also reinforce and build their business relationships. We create value for customers: Our partners can profi t

from our innovative products, which include permeable concrete and embossed concrete. We are constantly devel-oping new services that help us to remain in front of the rest of the market. Last but not least we remain committed to rooting out

and combating corruption. With respect to this very issue, we have joined a partnership with Transparency Interna-tional, a leading global non-governmental organization focused on the fi ght against corruption, in the Czech Republic.

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Assessing the research

We began the research in October of the previous year among custom-ers who purchased white cement and related services from our Rohožník facility. A term of 21 days was provided to complete the questionnaires. Thanks to you, we managed to achieve a rate of return on the questionnaires of 54% and we then analysed the questionnaires we received together with the heads of the departments responsible for the individual areas covered. We prepared solutions for those areas you highlighted as problematic and some have already been rolled out with the remainder soon to come in the near future.

Primary fi ndings

Important information was obtained from the research and represents a major source of sug-gestions for directing more than just our supporting activities to you, our customers. We did receive a good deal of positive feedback in many of your answers. The quality of our products, speed at which we completed orders and our profes-sional approach were all evaluated in a very positive manner and we will continue eff orts to extend this

growing trend. We also received suggestions for improvements, which we carefully assessed in order to provide you with new and more eff ective solutions.

Up to 71% of customers asked would recommend Holcim to an acquaintance

Up to 75% of customers were very satisfi ed with products andservices provided by Holcim

Implementation of the fi ndings into practice

This research, of course, is about much more than numbers. It varies from other forms of research in that we are able to resolve each individual piece of feedback indi-vidually on a case by case basis. We are able to respond to some issues promptly, within 42 hours from when the questionnaire is returned, while other issues require solutions that must be implemented over a longer time frame. Based on your answers, we were able to identify and implement a number of pos-sible improvements. In terms of marketing support dur-ing sales support, we prepared a number of new materials this year that we are planning to roll out in local language versions as well.

This activity will include a profi le brochure for white cement along with an overview of the most inter-esting recent reference projects, a product brochure for white cement and updates to technical sheets in a practical and stylish solution known as White Binder. More up-to-date information will also be provided in more regular issues of the White-board* magazine, which provides an overview of the most interesting projects and latest news twice a year.

Steps moving forward

Based on the positive experience from surveying customers, we are planning to conduct customer satis-faction research again in September 2013. If you are interested in provid-ing us with feedback about our products and services, you can get involved by completing the on-line form provided to you via email at any time during the year. Customer satisfaction research provides you with a direct way to be heard and to send comments about our products and services, write your opinions, provide suggestions or make a complaint. Thank you in advance for any feed-back you provide as you will help us continue to improve our products and services.

Reasons to participate in ourcustomer satisfaction survey – NPS

Linda Tomková

Marketing Coordi-

nator

At the end of October 2012 we successfully launched our Net Promoting Score (NPS) initiative in the white cement segment to gather feedback from customers in vari-ous areas of our work activities including production, sales, marketing, logistics and customer services. Thanks to the valuable information you provided, we can con-tinue to work on making the improvements you want.We completed the first round of customer satisfaction surveys over the past year using an on-line questionnaire in 6 countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. We asked you about your satisfaction with the level of quality we provide in our products and services. In this issue we'll present the initial findings and an overview of new solutions that we have implemented thanks to your feedback.

*The last issue of

Whiteboard in 2012

received a prestigi-

ous award in the

Corporate Medium

2012 competition

(2nd place for exter-

nal communication)

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After the fi rst C³ Atelier in Vienna, which opened two years ago, we are continuing to develop and innovate the Atelier concept under the "C³ Atelier" brand. The brand expresses 2 fundamental aspects, a diff erent and creative approach to mutual communication ("Atelier") and our focus on cement, concrete and the importance of critical know-how and competencies. ("Cement, Concrete and Competence") The importance of opening the C³ Atelier in Budapest was underlined by the participation of 13 companies considered leaders in the construction industry in Hun-gary as well as the management of Holcim and the Swiss Ambassador to Hungary, Mr Jean-François Paroz, who came to highlight the need for innovation in the cement and concrete industry.

"At the C³ Atelier, visitors can get to know the latest methods for using cement and concrete," said Ottó Magera, CEO of Holcim Magyarország Kft.

The C³ Atelier concept has been initiated and coordinated by Holcim: on the one hand this step opens up new op-portunities for professionals in the construction industry to cooperate with the goal of enhancing their business and to make their brand more visible while it also serves to make an active contribution towards sharing the know-how and information available within the Holcim Group worldwide. Members of C³ Atelier have the opportunity to present their products, services and innovative ideas through exhibitions, conferences, workshops, round tables and other interesting events. At the same time, atelier partners can also become an integral part of the interior design used in C³ Atelier premises thanks to the incorpo-ration of their products and applications into the interior design itself. Of course, there are further opportunities to be seen and present thanks to selected exhibits in the Atelier's showroom. This opportunity is available at any time and is subject to an agreement between both parties.

On 13 February 2013 Holcim Mag-yarország Kft opened the new C³ Atelier, which offers space as a neutral platform for sharing information, experience and the latest technological processes and innovations for all entities active in the construction industry.

C³ Atelier powered by Holcim now in Budapest

Ingrid Višňovská

Senior Marketing

& Communication

Coordinator

At the C³ Atelier, visitors can get to know the latest methods for using cement and concreteOttó Magera

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A more detailed look at C³ Atelier in BudapestA total of 12 companies were involved in fi nishing the interior and furnishing the C3 Atelier in Buda-pest. Some of the more interesting aspects from this work are shared below. The idea was to make every single possible installation from exposed concrete as our goal is to present the expedience and the beauty of concrete in everyday appli-cations. This meant that every part of the Atelier had to be made from concrete.

Polished platinum concrete fl oor in cooperation with:Holcim = special recipe + concrete + pumping (3rd fl oor!) | Avers = high grade polymer fi ber | Verbau = instal-lation/work in | Epotrend = platinum polishing with the Swedish HTC technology + monthly fl oor mainte-nance using an ecological technol-

ogy (no chemicals, only water + diamond disc)Curiosity: 12-cm-thick concrete was laid on the 3rd fl oor (pumping), without a reinforcing grid (in order to maintain load-bearing capacity we used high grade polymer fi ber from Avers). Verbau laid this fi rst class industrial fl oor.

Concrete walls in cooperation with:IVANKA: 80 x 80 cm diff erent colours and textures | Fabrostone from Holcim cement | imitation wood by Csikós design

Statue Wall / Show Wall / Display Structure / Ikon Wall /Csikós design | Entity manufacturing by Fabrostone | Artistic placement of all Holcim cement types by CsikósCuriosity: The original aim was to present all of types of Holcim cement (Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia).

Glass-concrete chandelierIndustrial art design by Török Sára | Shutter by Doka | Concrete made by Hol-cim | Hand made glass by Török Sára.

ReceptionIVANKA walls | IVANKA concrete sofa | Losonczi Litracon lighting reception | Concrete lamps

Large conference roomIVANKA concrete tables | Concrete curtains by IVANKA

We are planning to have many more platinum mem-bers in the future to whom we intend to offer the opportunity to have a permanent installation in the ex-hibition hall. That's why a simple coat of grey paint has been applied to the walls, columns, ceiling and window sills in the space reserved for future platinum members and their installations. There is also additional space in the reception area where Csikós & Fabro are currently working on their joint and innovative 3D concrete wall with lighting effects.

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IVANKA was founded in 2002 by hus-band & wife duo Andras and Katalin Ivanka and it’s one of the world’s leading designer concrete manufac-turers. It seeks to create desire by envisaging distinctive designs and executing these designs with the background of an organized techno-logical drive. Their work is based on the versatile nature of CONCRETE, the primary material chosen for creative expression by discovering unexplored attributes. Through their creations with concrete, their affi n-ity for the material and a constant search for new technological solu-tions, their work speaks volumes about their country of origin, and also about their approach to design.

Since its inception IVANKA has made

a name for itself by adding a design perspective to what is otherwise widely viewed as an industrial mate-rial. They have taken concrete and created products that defy normal concrete capacities and rock our conventional image of this material today. IVANKA is best known for its unique wall panels, fl aster tiles, its special technology applied in solid exposed staircases, the concrete sound audiophile loudspeakers and small decorative objects.By joining forces with a pair of young Hungarian fashion designers, Katalin Ivanka invented a new textile based on the aesthetic qualities of concrete, and created a second seg-ment of the fi rst FASHION ’GENESIS’ Collection of Concrete wearables and accessories where real high perform-

ance concrete meets soft leather and textiles.In September 2012 IVANKA's ‘concrete house of fashion’ debuted at Paris Fashion Week as the latest addition to the ever-growing IVANKA portfolio. IVANKA is a constant ex-hibitor at Milan and London Design Weeks and regularly appears in in-ternational titles such as ELLE Decor, Living Etc. and Homes & Gardens and can boast prestigious clientele from as far away as Hong Kong and Australia.

IVANKA is more one of Holcim's white cement customers. It was also the fi rst Hungarian member of the C3 Atelier in Vienna and became a signifi cant founder member of the C3 Atelier in Budapest.

Why did you decide to use Hol-cim White Cement in your produc-tion activities & fi nished products?

Holcim is way more than a cement supplier off ering premium quality cement. We have built up a strategic partnership. IVANKA has member-ship in the C3 Atelier in Vienna and platinum membership in theC3 Atelier in Budapest. We are Hol-cim customers, and Holcim is our client as well; at the moment we are designing summer gifts for the company, and previously our studio had the honour of creating a celebra-tion collection for the “100 years of Holcim” representing strength, power and performance.

What makes Holcim White Ce-ment the best choice for you and for some of your specifi c applications? What does this cement enable you to achieve?White cement for us is like a blank canvas for an artist, that’s where you start from! IVANKA shapes, colours and textures all of its products. Regarding our palette, even the rest of our shades of grey are mixed from white!

What specifi c type of the cement type (within the Holcim white ce-ment portfolio) do you use in your applications? What are the key characteristics of this cement that

are the most valuable/ important for you?CEM I 52.5 White (Portland cement)

What sorts of applications or installations made using our white cement are parts of your product portfolio? Are you ready to launch or are you designing brand new prod-ucts for the upcoming season?Flaster tiles are one of our top-sell-ing products and we ship worldwide, therefore, spurred by a growing demand at the moment, our studio department is working on new designs of the ‘Flaster family’. We are also working on a basic furniture collection based on the aesthetics of thin concrete slabs with rebar struc-tures, and a new washbasin, which you'll be able to see fi rst at Solinfo Café by Tom Dixon, in Budapest.

What are some of the most in-teresting projects you've completed over the last couple of years using our white cement?Andaz Hyatt Amsterdam by Marcel Wanders - Amsterdam | Driving Camp – Zsámbék | Solinfo café by Tom Dixon – Budapest | ANS III. Hungarocontrol – Budapest | MGM (Metro Goldwyn Mayer) Skybox – Las Vegas | YSL (Saint Laurent Paris) – Istanbul | Liberty London – London | G-Star – Berlin, Maastricht, Istanbul | Concrete Genezis (the fi rst ready-to-wear collection by IVANKA) | Seeyou,

an international-award-winning, contemporary gravestone design

How are you/ or your fi nal cus-tomers satisfi ed with your fi nished products and installations based on our white cement?The premium and luxury segment of the market IVANKA works for demands the best available quality we can provide. Our visually sensi-tive international clientele is only satisfi ed with the highest standards but also understands the natural character of concrete, the perfect imperfection. We have received very good feedback. Our aim is perfection from the point of performance, with results that don’t look ‘overdone’.

Do you fi nd our technologi-cal consultancy & guidance? Does it bring you some added value or benefi ts? Could you describe some of these benefi ts?We learn something every day from working with concrete today in such diff erent fi elds like we do. This has drawn our attention to the importance of continuous research and development for the new ap-plications, Holcim as a huge global company delivers added value in terms of sharing and the transfer of the technological knowledge that exceeds our own scale, profi le and reach here at IVANKA.

We interviewed Mrs Katalin Ivanka (Founder, Co-owner and AD of IVANKA) to fi nd out more about the basis of our cooperation and current relationship:

White cement for us is like a blank canvas for an artist, that’s where you start from!

"GLAMOUR Women of the Year 2012"Katalin Ivanka (Founder, Co-owner and AD of IVANKA) has been nominated "Fashion Designer of the Year" 2012 by GLAMOUR Magazine

"Év Ékszere 2012-Jewel of the Year 2012 - Hungary"The jury has chosen nine awarded artists, and there has been a people’s choice award for the tenth. IVANKA stu-dio / Szabó Anna ORGEN JEWELRY collection was named an award-winning entry by the jury.

"Best Stand in Show Award at Tent London 2011"”The IVANKA stand at Tent London captured the very es-sence of what makes for a great stand; beautifully made products presented in an inspiring open format. The bold

stand design using very bright Tent blue allowed for com-pete interaction with visitors who were invited to create their own pieces in order to gain an understanding of the core material on display, concrete. IVANKA-selected products on display demonstrated the versatility of the material and included tableware, jewellery, fashion items and surface materials for interior projects. The IVANKA team also went to great lengths to promote their partici-pation and in so doing ensured they had a very success-ful event”, Jimmy MacDonald, Director, Tent London & Superbrands London.

"HG.hu Design Awards 2011"Award winner fi nalist in ‘Product’ category on HG Design Award 2011 for FLASTER Tiles More information: www.ivanka.hu

Concrete design with a soul IVANKA

Katalin Ivanka

Creative director

AWARDS and RECOGNITION within the last 2 years:

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Weissenböck company profi leFounded in 1946, the company Weis-senböck Baustoff werk Ges.m.b.H. quickly established itself as a reliable business partner with groundbreak-ing innovations and sound business management. Production of pre-fabricated steel reinforced concrete garages commenced in Lower Austria as early as 1968. By 1978, in a time when paving stones were being used predominantly for surface stabilisa-tion, Weissenböck had taken the decision to manufacture stones for design paving in the forms of circles and fan paving. Several paving systems, and subsequently also slab systems have since been introduced, with Tegula and Rialta paving stones and Carma antique slabs now counting amongst the leading products in their respective market sectors. Plantable retaining walls comprising of stone plant troughs were introduced in Austria in1980.

Weissenböck is now one of Europe's market leaders for facing masonry in the garden.The company has also been the recip-ient of numerous inventor awards: In October, 2012, it was acknowledged as the fi rst manufacturer of all-round gritting salt-resistant paving stones within the scope of the NÖ Innova-tion Award. As a member of the Austrian Forum of Quality Paving, the company is also active in the re-search and development for further optimisation of structural designs.

Close association between Weis-senböck and Holcim quality white cementHolcim white cement lends 4 of the 5 Weissenböck paving stones their brilliant colouration. The potential for warm and friendly colours was realised at an extremely early stage and was quickly introduced into the range. As a result, the now legen-

dary Muschelkalk (shell limestone) colour introduced by Weissenböck in 2002 is currently available in several diff erent shades. One factor, however, combines all shades of white cement building materials: the light-intensifi ed colour refl ection. Even on gloomy days or in shaded areas, best sellers such as melange, java brown or savanna from Weissen-böck radiate joyous emotionalities which endure. This is achieved with special techniques mixing pigment, water and sand to integrate colours permanently in the pristine white and immaculately colourable white cement lime. Robust colours require considerably higher qualities than would be required by the standard, for example. With its many-varied contrasts, the Austrian weather is a „merciless and torturous climate“ for concrete blocks, reducing many of the concrete blocks to a look of „washed out concrete“ once their col-

our has faded. Additional colouring procedures of particular importance include adherence to „purity require-ments“ throughout the entire white cement logistics, from raw material to the mixers. Only then can such brilliant colours be reliably attained over duller colours.

White cement stones and the envi-ronmentStone suppliers carry a tremen-dous responsibility with regard to the manipulation of colouring. An abundance of natural colour changes are often to be found in immediate proximity to paving stones, one only has to consider multicoloured plants or the colour of leaves in autumn. Fundamental research and develop-ment involves the harmonious inte-gration of stone colour combinations with nature's colours and regional colour traditions. For expansive open designs, compatibility with other

stone colours or the confi guration of appropriate stone sets is also of utmost importance. After all, the „all-embracing outdoor art form“ should still be admired and appreciated in another 20 years time. High-quality paving designs have been viewed as a symbol of „advanced civilisations“ and cultural heritage preservation in many countries around the world since Roman times. These days, the aesthetic eff ect of paving joints is enhanced with modern LED lighting concepts.White cement stones also play a sig-nifi cant role with regard to sunlight, however: Direct exposure to the sun's rays will cause the stones to become comfortably warm, but never too hot. This is especially important in the event of direct skin contact or when walking across the stones with bare feet, as well as under terrace awnings etc.: Nobody wants to sit down to dinner in a stifl ing hot air furnace.

Formulating and comparing ideas: The Weissenböck feelgood gardens and the range of paved areasA new type of advisory centre was opened in 2001 in Gerasdorf close to Vienna: The feelgood garden. Further feelgood gardens will follow in Neunkirchen and Hörsching near to Linz and the next site will open in Seiersberg near Graz in June, 2013. „Formulating and comparing ideas“ can be experienced live in these advi-sory centres, whereby an assortment of goods can be accessed in every sense of the word. With the amounts invested in gardens today, it is es-sential that the stones can be viewed practically prior to purchase. Weissenböck have been off ering their own range of paving designs as a downloadable freeware from their web portal www.Steine.at since 2008. The main advantage of this program: A realistic visualisation of

Feelgood White CementStones from WeissenböckCu

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Stefan Weissenböck

Owner

Weissenböck Baus-

toff werk Ges.m.b.H.

Close collaboration between the experts at the C3 Atelier of the Holcim whitecement group and the engineers at the Weissenböck offices is demonstrating enormous new potential for the futureof white cement stones.


possibilities for your private driveway at home with numerous variants of stone is immediately impressive. OutlookClose collaboration between the experts at the C3 Atelier of the Holcim white cement group and the engineers at the Weissenböck offi ces is demonstrating enormous new

potential for the future of white ce-ment stones. Architects and special-ist customers such as plasterers and garden designers apply precisely the same defi nition of form and colour specifi c to new mixes of materials with wood and natural stone, thus facilitating the actual research and development. The success story of „open space design“ with consistent

growth rates will continue through this customer dialogue. This has ensured a steady off set of revenue for dynamic development of these products in practically every country in the world over the last thirty years, even during the commercial construction crisis years. For more information, please visit our site at: www.steine.at

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Densit® is a high quality material based on natural materials and min-erals with no synthetic substances or solvents. The unique properties of Densit have made it a favourite solu-tion in a number of industries. The logical progression of the project was the creation of a range of products for applications in the industrial fl ooring segment where customers expect exceptional quality from the fi nished fl oor product. Given these high expectations for fi nal product quality, incredible importance is placed on the quality of the raw materials used in the product, in particular cement in our case.In selecting a cement supplier, there was a clear choice for us, Holcim (Slovensko) a.s., the leader on the market for construction materials and our partner since 2000. We use Holcim CEM I 52.5N white cement for our production needs.

Why CEM I 52.5NStylish fl oor top layers with strength ratings of up to 50 MPa for both in-terior and exterior environments and for industry, where there are higher wear demands, are created thanks to the high strength of this cement, its colour permanency and easy-to-colour properties using powder and liquid pigments.Homogeneity during processing and the stable Portland quality of CEM I 52.5N cement have a decisive impact on the fi nal quality of the fl oor top layer.Densit SK uses special equipment to wash the concrete resulting in styl-

ish fl at, vertical and curved fl ooring surfaces where the fi nal eff ect is the direct result of the skilled tradesmen and the colour, shape and type of ag-gregates used as well as the bonder, i.e. the cement, with respect to a long-term guarantee of quality. Our company went through a multi-year process of selecting and testing and is very satisfi ed with our selection of CEM I 52.5N white cement.Our company also uses the white cement for special screeds that are sanded and polished up to seven times, resulting in a glossy fi nish, and CEM I 52.5N has also proven to be a success in these products.

ReferencesOur references include a number of industrial fl oors installed for custom-ers and in facilities across Slovakia and abroad (see Photo 1). One of our largest orders in the re-cent past was an access road fi nished with washed concrete with a total surface area of 1700 m2, which used a total of 50 tonnes of white cement (see Photo 2). This truly successful project was relatively demanding as the top layer of white cement had to be installed on an existing rough base layer using the special Densit Primer product as the connector. The washed concrete surface had to be sealed and the expansion joints were meticulously fi nished by hand-fi tting stones into a fl exible bed.

Technical consultingDensit regularly consults on techni-cal issues related to the production

of special concrete mixtures with professionals from Holcim and is cur-rently considering making use of the services off ered by Holcim's Technical and Competency Centre in Bratislava.

Industrial fl ooring and surfaces of exceptional quality

Densit SK, s.r.o. was established in 1992 and specializes in the production of indus-trial Densit flooring. Flooring in industrial buildings plays an important role in the functionality of the entire building. Many industrial buildings have floors that are finished with bare concrete, which is sufficient for a number of industrial segments. Other industries place much higher requirements on flooring, which drives the need to add a protective top coat layer above the bare concrete.

Ronald Valentíny

Product Manager

Densit SK, s.r.o.

The unique properties of Densit have made it a favourite solution in a number of indus-tries.

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Höfe am Brühl is a shopping complex in Leipzig de-signed by the Grüntuch Ernst Architects Offi ce in Berlin. During its conception, the planners aspired to represent the buildings and the courtyards of Leipzig's city centre and incorporate the historical surroundings in the de-sign of the façade. They therefore opted for an interac-tion of various materials and structures.

Reminiscing on the history of the cityIn one section of the façade for example, they in-tegrated original curved aluminium elements as a representation of the so-called „tin can“. This refers to the appearance of Leipzig's erstwhile „consumer“ department store from the 1960's, pulled down to make way for the Höfe am Brühl. History of the site is also depicted in the design of other elements of the façade. For example, the planners pay homage to composer Richard Wagner who was born in the city. One side of the façade is decked out with concrete lamellas which portray musical notes on their surface relief as you step away from the building.

Glass fi bre reinforced concrete the material of choiceInitially, the authorities responsible wanted to use travertine. Proving considerably cheaper, they instead

opted for coloured glass fi bre reinforced concrete. HFB Engineering GmbH from Leipzig was contracted for construction of the lamellas. Established in 1991, this company specialises in the production of structural elements made of glass fi bre reinforced concrete and deliver to customers throughout Germany, the Neth-erlands and all German-speaking countries. The Höfe am Brühl would prove to be an immense challenge in such a short delivery period. Employees of the company had to produce 19 000 lamellas of a specifi c shade in only 10 months. To reach this target, the management introduced Holcim white cement (slow) CEM I 52,5N and mixed in the respective pigments. Polyurethane form liners fi xed within the shuttering provided the relief of the musical notes. Moreover, the lamellas from HFB Engineering allowed the cladding to be reduced to only 15 to 20 mm due to the skilful adoption of glass fi bres. As a result, the lamellas are approx. 50 % lighter than those made from regular concrete. The Höfe am Brühl now stands as a momentous reference object for HFB Engineering. Architects and planners continue to request prefabricated concrete elements and award contracts with similar requirements. A company could hardly be bestowed a greater accolade.

Höfe am Brühl

One side of the façade is decked out with concrete la-mellas which portray musical notes on their surface relief as you step away from the building.

Showcasing history with glass fi bre reinforced concrete

School fl oors must be capable of withstanding the eff ect of thousands of footsteps on a daily basis. Additionally, they should be aesthetic and easy to clean, char-acteristics which the terrazzo-style concrete fl oors in the primary school in Lomma, Sweden, pass with fl ying colours. The fl oor was prepared with white cement from the Holcim com-pany together with local aggregates and subsequently smoothed.

The Swedish city of Lomma is situ-ated roughly 20 km north-west of Malmö and is one of the fastest growing communities in the country. As more residents usually means an increased number of children, it was therefore necessary to build a new primary school. Undergoing construction between 2010 and 2012, the school was designed with such an attractive architecture that both teachers and pupils feel at

perfect ease within the building. Situated near to the city centre, the new construction is characterised by its idyllic setting on a piece of land reminiscent of a local park and its immediate proximity to water. A 4.500 m2 fl oor space accommodates a maximum 420 pupils and approxi-mately 55 staff .

Small-scale designThe building features an L-shaped layout comprising twelve class-rooms, as well as a dining hall for the pupils and the school's admin-istrative offi ces. With the majority of Lomma's population traditionally living in single-family houses, the architects opted to also refl ect this small-scale design in the façade. To achieve this eff ect, they selected bright, aesthetic prefabricated concrete slabs decentralised with novel contraction joints. To avoid a monolithic appearance, they pro-

vided these faced concrete façades with wooden panelled elements, or with brightly coloured painted wall panels. An added advantage of this playful colouring is to provide the building with a high recogni-tion factor, allowing an optimum orientation aid to even the smallest of the children. The cheerful design is also implemented inside the building. Large windows combined with bright materials create a pleas-ant room ambience which rouses a sense of comfort and safety in the attendees.

Bright, aesthetic, easy to cleanEven the corridors evoke a sense of homeliness, rather than just existing as part of the infrastructure of the building. This is enhanced by a fl oor which is not only aesthetic, but is at the same time extremely resistant. The fl oors are made up of a terrazzo-style layer of facing concrete 80

Terrazzo-style fl oors in a school

Aesthetically pleasing, easy to clean

Claudia El Ahwany

Round-about-you

agency

Claudia El Ahwany

Round-about-you

agency

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mm thick, in which the stones have been exposed by way of sanding. To achieve the bright appearance which was key to the architects' design, the project leaders opted for a white cement from the Holcim company (Slovakia), a product marketed under the name Holcim White Cement (slow) CEM I 52,5N. Produced from a limestone extremely low in iron and applying a complex technique, this Portland cement maintains the same technical properties as its grey counterpart. In compari-son, however, it off ers numerous aesthetic advantages: If the concrete is coloured - with the addition of pig-ments, for example -, the brilliance of the colours is considerably more striking when using Holcim White Cement as opposed to regular grey cement. In the event, however, the planners refrained from using colour pigments in the school in Lomma. All fl oors attained their attractive appearance from colourful additives which were then exposed mechani-cally. The concrete was produced and delivered by the company Starka Betongindustrier from Kristianstad, Swe den, and subsequently laid by Bygg-mästaren, Skäne. Working as a team the key to suc-cessFrom day one, it was immediately clear to the employees of Starka Betongindustrier that the techni-cal knowledge of all those involved would be best combined. A concrete team was thus established com-prising of architects, the respective contractors and the cement supplier, as well as the manufacturers of the additive being used in the concrete and the surface protection product.

Anders Olsson, onsite throughout the project to off er technological concrete expertise on behalf of the concrete supplier explains: „It was extremely important for us that all persons involved worked in close collaboration with one another at all times. This was essential if fl awless results for the facing concrete were to be guaranteed. The experience of the Holcim representative in particular proved invaluable on the building site. „He possessed an extremely broad knowledge which extended beyond his own specialist area, and is very well connected with other companies in the concrete sector.“ As a result, problems such as cracks in the fl oor or the wrong shades - factors at the root of disputes on so many building sites - were non-existent on the building site in Lomma. On the contrary, the architects specifi ed most explicitly the required consistency of the fl oor, and pointed out another building in the neighbourhood which the public could view quite freely as a reference - the reception area of the hospital in Malmö. Equipped with these specifi -cations, the parties involved created a sample recipe using the white cement from Holcim, regional addi-tives and various concrete chemicals which would subsequently be used to produce a sample plate onsite. This would then be reviewed to-gether with the architects and would provide an orientation aid, as well as an onsite reference object through-out the laying process. The results are evident, the fl oor emphasises the pleasant appearance of the school and, as confi rmed personally by the respective facility management, is extremely easy to clean.

SKLOCEMENT PLUS s.r.o. was established in 2000 on a foundation of many years of experience in the construc-tion industry and in construction materials research. Since the very beginning the company has focused on and specialized in the production and development of a glass fi bre reinforced concrete composite with applications in modern architecture and in particular in the design and construction of building cladding systems. The Polycon composite material formula is composed of a base of cement, fi ne aggregates, water, a solution of resistant glass fi bres and a mixture of other chemicals. In this form the Polycon preserves its unique physical and chemical properties, which ensures the highest quality of the fi nal product in terms of both aesthetics and function. The added fi bres increase tensile and compression resist-ance and the resulting material can be used to produce strong yet light weight components. CEM I 52.5 N quick white cement from Holcim (Sloven-sko) a.s. is used as the cement base, which enables quick forming, and form removal, and more cost eff ective use of sophisticated forms.Polycon (glass fi bre reinforced concrete) can easily be used in the design and production of building components for exterior use and with applications in interior design as

well. A huge variety of surface designs for panel cladding materials and panels and for shaping more complex archi-tectural elements, shaped and three-dimensional pieces and stand-alone design elements are all possible thanks to the wide range of applications for imprint texture moulds. Products made from Polycon are in no way size restricted, thereby completely resolving the issues of cut-off s and excess material, which are an excessive source of costs that drive project costs above and beyond usual cost calculations.Applications include use in façades, lining panels, mould-ings, chambranles, landscape architecture, public outdoor furniture, large-volume planters, utility conduits (cables, etc.), balcony panels and more.The company has been successful in winning and com-pleting an ever expanding number of projects thanks to technical developments, its focus on quality yet atypical construction components in terms of both form and fi nish and fi nally its orientation towards maximum service and customer satisfaction, evidence of which is its strong posi-tion on the construction markets in the Czech Republic and abroad in Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Benelux countries, France, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Canada and countries in the Middle East.

POLYCON glass fi bre reinforcedconcrete and modern architecture

The unique properties of Polycon (glass fibre reinforced concrete) have expanded the ability to meet technical requirements when resolving complex structures, allow for aesthetics to be considered as a funda-mental aspect and, last but not least, have made a major contribution towards cost savings efforts in the construction industry.

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Bc. Lubomír Šťáva

Owner

Sklocement Plus

s.r.o.


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White cement in the hands of young designers

Holcim White cement has become the inspiration and the primary material for creating stylish design works on the theme of "Innovation" within the Holcim Creative Work-shop at the Department of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Bratislava.

Holcim White cement, as the basic material used to produce cast con-crete items has also proven to be an excellent material, thanks to its excellent properties, for sculpters and designers looking for a high strength, resistant, aesthetic and malleable material that can be used to produce untraditional cast shapes and that can be used for the softest and fi nest of detail and structures in a work of art or a design installation.

A total of 10 students from the Department of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design Bratislava were able to try out these properties using their own hands at the workshop, which they saw as a challenge to master the actual

casting process and to achieve the desired level of quality in the fi nal product. The Holcim workshop over the course of a single semester became an optional supplement to course materials, providing the young sculpters the technical know-how they needed in cooperation with the AFAD casting shop and the Holcim Bratislava Technical Compe-tency Centre. Students led by the Department of Sculpture faculty were only limited in one aspect - the fi nal work had to be a 40 cm x 40 cm relief.

The authors created a number of perspectives on the theme of inno-vation and also presented a diverse range of working with concrete. The uniqueness of the authors' ap-proaches and the artistic treatment of the selected theme was directly connected to the vision and mission of Holcim White - to off er creative and original solutions, to support quality fi nished products and to fi nd a way to be diff erent. The completed works were exhibited at the Art Design Gallery in Bratis-lava and then became a permanent part of the C3 Atelier's collection.

We help createawe-inspiring works

Ingrid Višňovská

Senior Marketing

& Communication

Coordinator

Student work out of white cement: Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Bratislava

Art and design as the substantiation of inspiration and a platform for intangible experiences and new forms of cooperation


We saw the "Corporate Medium of the Year" competition as an oppor-tunity to gauge the quality of our redesigned corporate medium, the Whiteboard magazine, in competi-tion with other participants from across Slovakia. It is with great pleasure that we can announce that the Whiteboard magazine in the face of stiff competition from inter-national companies in the Corporate Magazine – External Communica-tion category took home 2nd place.

Category "Corporate Magazine – External Communication" 1 Mercedes - Benz Slovakia s.r.o.

Hviezdy ciest 2 Holcim Slovensko a.s.

Whiteboard 3 Allianz - Slovenská poisťovňa

ASPartnerBased on recent research conducted

by the Slovak Syndicate of Journal-ists, top management at companies is often insuffi ciently aware of the importance of corporate media. They need to comprehend the pow-er of words and images, regardless of if media is intended for internal consumption inside the company or is focused externally. It is also important to realize that such external mediums represent the company, help support exports, infl uence potential customers, increase demand and drive interest in products and services. Internally-focused communication media help to shape employees, give them more information about the company and upcoming goals while building loyalty to the em-ployer, thereby making a signifi cant contribution towards lowering fl uc-tuation, and building the employee's

relationship with the company that employs them.We are convinced that participat-ing in the competition has made a contribution towards increasing the level of corporate communication and the quality of corporate media in a country where we need to help support cultivate business and social relationships.

We believe that our success and the increased visibility of the Whiteboard magazine are proof that quality corporate media, such as magazines, fl yers, websites and even an ordinary calendar can help bring about positive exposure and help build the brands of the compa-nies that produce such materials.

Holcim

Excellence in white

On 03 May 2013, the Corporate Media Club and Slovak Syndicate of Journalists announced the results of the 10th annual corporate media communication competition Corporate Medium of the Year for 2012. The tenth year of this competition was the source of our inspiration to sign up our customer magazine for the very fi rst time at Holcim Slovensko.

Whiteboard 2012 succeeds in the pres-tigious "Corporate Medium of the Year" competition

Excellence in white

Bet-OM project

Holcim joined forces with top designers, including Patrik Illo in Slovakia, to create the limited edition bet-OM project, a pilot project to potentially support creative design and to spark cooperation with the best designers in the EMEA region. We want to open space for experi-mental, progressive and original implementations of design concepts utilizing and discovering a wide range of diff erent applications for concrete and its combinations

with other materials.

In cooperation with the Art Design Gallery, the project resulted in the creation of a series of objects combin-ing glass with concrete. Patrik Illo, the author of these works, is a major fi gure in Slovak glass design and the visual arts. He let the adventure of experimentation fl ow in his vase designs for bet-OM, where he employed and worked with concrete in addition to his more familiar glass. The series of functional objects were designed as an intersection of two geometric bodies, more specifi -cally cylinders. Concrete and glass come into immedi-ate contact with one another with the roughness and corporality of the concrete (and more than just sym-bolically) supports and complements the transparency, smoothness, openness and etherial nature of glass. The collection of vases with the strong visual atmosphere created by their shapes refl ect both modern architecture and design.The limited edition bet-OM collection was exhibited at the Art Design Festival of Křehký Mikulov, which for the fi rst time included a collector's market for design arts from across the Central European region, intended just for collectors of exceptional works of design, for the very fi rst time.

Student works out of white cement: Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Bratislava

Illustration photo

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Cont

acts

Cont

acts

Management Our White Team Technical Sales Center

Application Consultants

Sales Coordination Marketing

Patrick StapferChief Executive Offi cerHolcim Central Eastern Europe Phone +421 34 77 65 111(reception)[email protected]

Josef NowakSales Manager White CementSwitzerland, LithuaniaPhone: +43 1 889 03 03Fax: +43 1 889 03 03 30Mobile: +43 676 654 24 [email protected]

Beata KarpatiApplication ConsultantHungaryPhone: +36 46 561 616Fax: +36 46 561 608Mobile: +36 30 257 64 [email protected]

Stanislav BelanecApplication ConsultantSlovakia, Czech Republic,UkrainePhone: +421 34 77 65 135Fax: +421 34 77 65 526Mobile: +421 903 554 [email protected]

Adam StaruchCountry Sales ManagerPolandPhone: +48 22 548 00 82Fax: +48 22 548 01 85Mobile: +48 695 88 99 [email protected]

Ingrid VišňovskáSenior marketing &communication coordinatorPhone: + 421 34 77 65 250Fax: + 421 34 77 65 101Mobile: + 421 911 960 [email protected]

Zora VajdováSales Coordinator CEEPhone: +421 34 77 65 189Fax: +421 34 77 65 526Mobile: +421 903 401 [email protected]

Jürgen OecknickHead of Technical Sales CenterPhone: +41 58 850 61Fax: +41 58 850 61 60Mobile: +41 79 770 62 [email protected]

Josef NowakSales Manager White CementCentral & Eastern EuropePhone: +43 1 889 03 03Fax: +43 1 889 03 03 30Mobile: +43 676 654 24 [email protected]

Marco HaberhauerTCC for CEEPhone: +43 1 889 03 03Fax: +43 1 889 03 03 30Mobile: +43 676 654 24 [email protected]

Sven ThorenzApplication Consultant&Technical MarketingGermany, SwedenMobile: +49 173 7132 [email protected]

Agata Borowiec-PotępaSales Coordinator PolandPhone: +48 71 333 60 26Fax: +48 71 337 30 01Mobile: +48 695 88 99 [email protected]

Whiteboard is a dialogue-oriented customer information magazine published by Holcim (Slovensko) a.s. It focuses on providing open and helpful information about white cement and the activities of HCEE/Holcim (Slovensko) a.s. within Central and Eastern Europe. Whiteboard is published twice a year and is available in German and English.

Responsibility: Ingrid Višňovská, senior marketing & communication coordinatorPhone +421 34 7765 250, Fax +421 34 7765 149, [email protected]

Holcim White Europe

SE

LV

PL

SK

HURO

ATCH

DEBE

NL

SI HR

BA RS

CZUA

BLR

EE

Sonja MlinarSales Coordinator for Balkan and Assistant to Sales Manager Phone/Fax: +43 1 889 03 03 [email protected]

Martin KarasekApplication Consultant& Technical MarketingAustria, RomaniaPhone: +43 1 889 03 03Fax: +43 1 889 03 03 30Mobile: +43 676 654 24 [email protected]


Holcim Central Eastern EuropeHolcim (Slovensko) a.s.SK- 906 38 RohožníkSlovakiawww.holcim-white.sk

© 2013 Holcim Central Eastern EuropeHolcim (Slovensko) a.s.All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or used in any form without permission of HCEE/Holcim (Slovensko) a.s.

holcim whiteboard 2013_eng

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