Unique range of fashionable eco-friendly artificial stones

Our Correspondent / EMIRATES BUSINESS

FlexStone is a decorative concrete system with a unique technology developed for designers and the evolution of the construction industry. Inspired by nature and its splendid beauty, FlexStone offers a wide range of modern and classical cladding options suitable for both exterior and interior application.
With an endeavor to make a green product where stone mining for cladding purpose is reduced, FlexStone is an eco-friendly product where 80 percent of the raw materials used are from recycled products.
FlexStone is a recent initiative of Sailesh Iyer’s flagship brand Smart Konnect. It showcases an exclusive first of its kind B2B gallery displaying a unique range of chic, fashionable and eco-friendly artificial stones, murals and floors for interior and exterior application. It is a very futuristic go green product made out of recycled products and is fire rated which can withstand up to 650 C of heat till up to 6 hours without emitting smoke and fumes.
Civil Defense Authorities in the nation have been working on new fire safety regulations for buildings. As such, the artificial cladding provided by FlexStone not only provides improved aesthetics, but also meets the UAE safety codes for fire-resistant panels. In addition, the stone cladding solution is an environmentally-friendly, lightweight and weatherproof product. It offers a full suite of practical features, including fast installation, low maintenance and pre-fabrication options that can help buildings to optimise their thermal efficiency to achieve the high standards of modern building regulations.
Since its time of inception, FlexStone has been synonymous to a new culture associated with its brand — The cladding culture, and clusterstone patterns aptly signify the same. The founder is Devdutta Sharma who was inspired by India’s call for Make in India and moved from Canada to set up their first Plant in Ahmadabad Gujarat (India).
As the name suggests, clusterstone are selection of number of stones combined together to form a ‘cluster’ pattern. Each stone is carefully selected for size, shape, texture and colour to replicate natural stone appearance. Unlike natural stones, clusterstone are lightweight, easy to install and free from algae and fungus.
Clusterstone is designed for DIY and self-build customers. It can be applied to most surfaces effortlessly. Clusterstones are suitable for both interior and exterior application such as facade of an individual bungalow, high-rise buildings, garden walls, fireplaces, feature walls, etc. In order to provide a 360-degree cladding solution, FlexStone also offers polymer based Clusterstone adhesives. These matching colour adhesive blends with the colour of Clusterstone, making the wall look joint less. These adhesives also ensure the lifelong bonding of Clusterstone with the wall under any adverse weather conditions.
The artificial stone cladding is made from reclaimed and recycled sources, including expanded glass segregates, waste bottles and leftover glass materials. Due to the recycled nature of the product, each cladding is distinctive and original, and features variations in tone and color. The colours and finish change according to the light in the room and present a high-end distinctive look and style.
“At Smart Konnect, we understand the importance of keeping up to date with the latest technology to contribute to the enhancement of the building processes. As such we are honoured to provide architects, designers , builders, developers and engineers with this cutting-edge artificial stone cladding that will meet their ever growing demands,” said Sailesh Iyer, CEO of Smart Konnect.
“We look forward to offer end to end solutions to all the cladding needs of the customer,” he added.
The Middle East and Dubai in particular, is a key market for building materials as it strives to achieve its bold global ambitions. The run-up to Expo 2020 and the revived confidence in the market will see Smart Konnect launching another six to eight exclusive FlexStone galleries by 2018.
“Our sales results in the international market have been in line with our expectations and we remain confident that even in the UAE the one-of-its kind artificial cladding will strengthen our relationship with customers providing them a reliable platform for effective cladding options,” added Iyer.
In addition to cladding, FlexStone will also offer architectural grills and murals, deck floor, vertical stamping and decorative stamp concrete floor. The distinctive decorative products will be available at an affordable rate for easy use in residential, commercial as well architectural projects. “We are even considering setting up a manufacturing base in the UAE based on the response and acceptability in the market in the near future” said Devdutta, the founder of FlexStone.