Behind every (new) Diresco collection lies a continuous drive to innovate and experiment. At the heart of this process is our R&D department, where ideas and expertise come together every single day. We spoke with two key figures within the team: Danny and Tomas, each contributing from their own area of expertise to the future of our composite surfaces.
From laboratory to production: different roles, one vision
As Head of R&D, Danny is one of the driving forces behind our product development. With a background in chemistry, he focuses daily on developing new colours and materials. Optimising production parameters is also an important part of his role.
Danny: “We often start from concrete questions coming from the market. At the same time, we continuously research and test alternatives to traditional raw materials or compositions, such as resins, pigments and aggregates as alternatives to quartz. Our slabs with a significantly reduced crystalline silica content are also a direct result of our ongoing search for improvement.”
“We also test how the resins in our slabs react under certain conditions, such as high temperatures, mechanical stress, and exposure to specific powders or liquids. Everything has to be right: from colour and ease of maintenance to durability.”
At the other end of the process is Tomas, who is responsible for the entire production operation. He forms the bridge between innovation and industrial implementation.
Tomas: “When a new collection, design or upgrade is in the pipeline, it’s our job to make it reproducible on an industrial scale. That means fine-tuning processes, carrying out feasibility studies, and ensuring designs are truly market-ready.”
Tomas also plays an important role as a trend watcher. In collaboration with design agencies and through contact with customers and distributors, he helps translate market insights into concrete product innovations.
Tomas: “We follow global trend developments as closely as possible: what’s happening? What’s becoming the next big thing? And most importantly: where does our potential lie? We advise, weigh the options carefully together with our sales team and management, and then make decisions collectively.”
From uniform colours to bold designs
Where Diresco was once mainly associated with more uniform colours, things have changed completely today. According to Danny and Tomas, market perception has shifted dramatically.
Danny: “We used to stand mainly for uniform colours. At the time, the market largely looked like that too. Then the market suddenly started evolving. Customers began looking for designs with more character and variation in the slab material. Ceramics managed to make that transition quickly, so we had to elevate both our products and production processes rapidly.”
Tomas: “Around that period, roughly 2017-2018, we introduced our Noblesse, Terrazzo and Cava collections to the market. But the real gamechanger and accelerator turned out to be our Sublime range, built on a unique sublimation process. This technology suddenly made it possible to create more complex designs and scale them quickly and flexibly.”
Danny: “Sublime really made a difference indeed. Where customers previously had to choose between ceramics or natural stone for expressive designs, we can now offer the same in composite, combined with all the durability and maintenance advantages of our own material.”
A more complex supply chain, increased focus on local production
One of the biggest recent challenges, however, has been the impact of geopolitical developments.
Tomas: “Globally speaking, we’ve been living in a somewhat more sensitive period for some time now. Supply chains are more easily disrupted. As a result, the demand for local production has increased significantly. As a local manufacturer, we can offer — and continue to offer — both logistical and stock guarantees.”
Danny: “The ecological aspect is also becoming increasingly important. In addition to our ongoing low silica efforts, we are strongly committed to maximising material reuse. For example, how can we give waste from stone processors a second life in new slabs? And do so while maintaining the same high quality as today, lowering logistics costs and minimising CO₂ emissions? That’s one of the key focuses of our R&D team today.”
A look at Diresco’s future
Finally, what major plans are currently highlighted on the agenda of our R&D department, alongside all the developments mentioned above?
Danny: “Our fullbody solutions are our most recent innovation. It’s the first time we’ve been able to specifically compose the entire cross-section of our slabs so that it perfectly matches the pattern visible on the surface. This creates an even more natural and consistent appearance.”
Tomas: “Beyond that, we continue investing in improving our production technologies. If we find ways to make our designs even sharper and more detailed, we immediately take action to implement those improvements as quickly as possible. Our customers — and their customers — can therefore be confident that at Diresco, we stay fully on top of both technology and trends.”
Would you like to see with your own eyes what our R&D team is capable of?
Has Diresco recently appeared on your radar for the first time, or have you been a customer for years and would you like to dive deeper into our production processes together with us? We would be delighted to welcome you for a tour of our various departments, including R&D. Who knows — it might even lead to an interesting collaboration or perhaps a brand-new design variant? Get in touch with us and we’ll take care of the rest!
