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History of Sintered Stone Development
Compared to familiar materials in the Vietnamese market such as natural stone (marble, granite) or engineered quartz, sintered stone is a relatively new material. Its emergence and growth are closely tied to the global trend toward green, durable, and multifunctional products in the construction and interior design industries—meeting the demand for both aesthetics and sustainability, while ensuring user safety.
In the late 20th century to early 2000s, tile manufacturing in countries like Spain and Italy had reached an advanced technological level, particularly in producing large-format porcelain tiles with outstanding durability. Building on this foundation, manufacturers envisioned a material that would be as thin as tile but in much larger slabs, with a surface that could realistically replicate the beauty of natural stone, and offer heat resistance, scratch resistance, UV stability, and near-zero water absorption.
To bring this concept to life, they applied dry pressing under extremely high pressure combined with firing at around 1200–1250°C, replicating the mineral transformation of natural stone—a process that takes millions of years in nature—within just a few hours. This became the foundation of sintered stone manufacturing technology.
From 2006, several major brands began industrial-scale research and trials, going beyond the limits of traditional “porcelain tile.” Just a few years later, between 2010 and 2012, the first commercial sintered stone products entered the market, pioneered by NEOLITH (The Size – Spain) and Lapitec (Italy). These products stood out with extra-large slab sizes, varied thicknesses (from 3mm to over 20mm), and a wide range of surface finishes—from polished and satin to textured—meeting diverse design needs.
Soon after, other brands joined the market: DEKTON (Cosentino – Spain), Florim Stone (Italy), Sapienstone, Laminam, and more. Sintered stone quickly gained widespread applications—from kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, wall cladding, and columns to interior flooring and building façades—thanks to its ability to withstand harsh weather conditions.
In recent years, the sintered stone wave has spread rapidly to Asia, with China emerging as one of the leading producers and exporters. The entry of numerous large-scale factories has created intense market competition, significantly reducing costs and making the material more accessible to mainstream consumers.
This development comes at a time when the world is increasingly concerned about the overexploitation of natural stone resources—which impacts the environment—and health risks from high free-silica content in engineered quartz, linked to silicosis (an incurable lung disease). Thanks to its safety, environmental friendliness, and versatility, sintered stone is now seen as a breakthrough solution for a new era of construction and interior design—where functionality, beauty, and sustainability coexist in perfect harmony.