Laterlite s.p.a.

OUR COMPANY

Laterlite is an Italian company that manufactures and develops lightweight insulating products for construction, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, industrial uses, agriculture, and landscaping.

Our company history began in 1964 when we first introduced lightweight expanded clay aggregates into Italy. Today we have four Italian manufacturing plants, main offices in Milan, and a network that covers all of Italy. Later on during the 1990s we expanded internationally; we now have a structured presence in France, Switzerland, and Spain and we export to more than 20 countries in five continents.

Our research and development from the beginning was focused on creating innovative products based on the material in which we specialise: expanded clay. Currently our range includes lightweight granular materials of various types, special concretes for structural applications, a range of screeds and mortars, and a wide selection of lightweight insulating blocks that are manufactured by our sister company Lecasistemi.

Over these 50 years we have produced and sold more than 40,000,000 cubic metres of expanded clay products: long experience that has made Laterlite the leader in its field, helping designers and construction professionals to choose lightweight insulating products for use in construction, sustainable renovation projects, and complex engineering projects.

OUR PRODUCTS

Laterlite Expanded Clay

The core component of Laterlite products is expanded clay, a lightweight aggregate that has a cellular structure enclosed within a hard, strong vitrified outer shell that optimises the weight-to-strength relationship and gives outstanding thermal insulation characteristics.

Expanded clay is inalterable, recyclable, re-usable, durable, contains no organic materials, and is resistant to fire.

It is a sustainable, ecological product of natural origin that is certified for use in sustainable construction.

Laterlite can manufacture expanded clay that meets various different technical specifications, optimising the material for various uses: as the standard product, as Laterlite Agri with neutral pH for agricultural use, or as Laterlite Plus with extremely low water absorption.

Bagged pre-mixes

Laterlite has been commercialising and developing its Latermix range of lightweight insulating bagged pre-mixes, based on hydrorepellent Laterlite Plus expanded clay, for use as backfill or insulation or as a component of base layers, screeds, and structural concretes, since the 1990s.

These lightweight insulating pre-mixes all give guaranteed performance, are easy to lay, practical to work, and can be used in all types of construction, particularly in reconstruction.

The range includes a selection of non-lightweight screeds and other complementary products.

This constitutes an extensive range of certified products and solutions that address a great number of design requirements in respect of thermal and acoustic insulation, structural aspects, underfloor heating, etc..

Sustainability

Laterlite expanded clay, as well as the rest of our range, are manufactured using the Best Available Technology (BAT) that uses natural resources efficiently, obtaining more than 5 m³ of expanded clay from 1 m³ of our abundant natural local clay. We operate an environmental management system that complies with voluntary international standard ISO 14001:2004, and Health and Safety Management Best Practice that meets British Standard BS OHSAS 18001.

Whilst we are continuing to reduce emissions from our manufacturing plants, for some time we have also been implementing a long-term programme of further development to make them more energy-efficient. At all of our factories we have replaced fossil fuels with alternative recycled combustibles and/or biomass, whilst a significant part of the electrical energy we use is now generated on site from renewable sources.

Laterlite is a partner member of the CASA CLIMA energy certification agency and is actively involved in promoting energy efficiency as a member of the Green Building Council for Italy: promoting the retention and upgrading of existing buildings and encouraging sustainability throughout the construction Industry supply chain. Most of our products are certified by ANAB-ICEA, the Italian Accreditation Institute, for use in sustainable construction.