Schwarzenfeld, Germany, 2020-10-08 -  Area Pro is the new tile programme for the project sector of Agrob Buchtal, one of the leading suppliers of architectural ceramics. The floor series offers an exceptionally comprehensive range of colours, formats and slip-resistant surfaces. The look, inspired by fine-grained limestone, with its warm earthy tones and finely nuanced shades of grey, conveys a timeless and yet unmistakable impression. In order to meet its own claim of combining high functionality with sophisticated design, Agrob Buchtal hired design shooting star Sebastian Herkner, who usually works for brands such as Thonet, Ligne Roset or Moroso. He created a completely new design for the surface of the highest slip-resistance class. The result: the Grid.

As a proven specialist in slip-resistant floor tiles for commercial and barefoot areas, Agrob Buchtal paid particular attention to the functional and aesthetic requirements to be met by floor coverings in areas such as, for example, commercial, catering or leisure facilities when designing the new Area Pro series. With seven different slip-resistance classes, Area Pro covers all relevant fields of application, while modern digital printing technology ensures a uniform design across all products. 

Area Pro is the first tile series on the market which also includes large-size tiles in 60x60 cm with slip-resistance class R12V4. Due to new building regulations, this attractive solution now can be used e.g. in commercial kitchens in combination with line drainage. Area Pro turns this rather technical topic into a visual highlight thanks to a special design of the internationally renowned product designer Sebastian Herkner: "Tiles are very functional elements - for me a great opportunity to work on a design which combines functionality and beauty, and this in areas where aesthetics is not necessarily the main focus", explains Herkner. "I was looking for a pattern which looks spontaneous and yet has a certain logic. That's how I came up with the repetitive, trapezoidal rectangles and the pattern which can be continued in all four directions. For the design, I had to use my math knowledge from school to calculate the depth of the relief and the size of the raised areas. The result is a symbiosis of creativity and physics."

The twelve colours of the Area Pro series are inspired by earthy tones such as sand, clay and basalt, complemented by dark nutmeg-brown and soft platinum-grey. The black, grey, brown and beige shades of the range can be combined with each other, but also harmonize particularly well with ChromaPlural, Agrob Buchtal's extensive mono-coloured tile collection. A further advantage which should not be underestimated is that the designs are directionless and thus also offer a high degree of freedom.

Other smart special features
In addition to the wide range of colours, formats and surfaces, Area Pro has a number of accessories and additions. These range from digitally printed cove skirtings, 135 cm wide treads and risers for stairs or ceramic channel covers for swimming pools to ceramic shower floors and washbasins. Agrob Buchtal uses the whole range of its competence and production possibilities. As an architectural ceramics specialist, systematically structured tile collections are part of the DNA of the brand, which is known for its comprehensive range. Recently, the already wide range of products has been enlarged by the DryTile system. These are ceramic floor tiles with a cork layer on the back, which can be laid "dry", i.e. without adhesive. This option is also available for Area Pro.

Valuable additional benefits thanks to Hytect
Just as many other series of Agrob Buchtal, Area Pro is already provided with the innovative Hytect technology ex-works (the only exception for production reasons is the format of 90x90 cm). This innovative coating is based on the effect of light and gives ceramic tiles revolutionary properties: they are extremely easy to clean, have an antibacterial effect without chemicals and decompose unwelcome odours as well as air pollutants. Hytect thus saves time and money and protects the environment thanks to the significantly reduced use of cleaning agents and disinfectants.

About AGROB BUCHTAL

As a specialist in architectural ceramics, AGROB BUCHTAL offers an extensive portfolio of products and services for contemporary and forward-looking building and design using ceramics. The company’s history dates back into the 18th century. Today, AGROB BUCHTAL is a global player firmly rooted in Germany. The richly varied tile collections and specially tailored solutions are used all over the world—on the facade of a prize-winning residential complex in London or on the roof of the Museum of Cultures in Basle, in a swimming pool in Shenzhen, on a promenade in Abu Dhabi or in Munich’s underground railway network.