The Norwegian specialist quarries raw blocks of high-performing natural stone that’s quartz-free.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
Lundhs Real Stone, based in Norway, is expanding in North America with its versatile, high-performing, all-natural stone surfaces and countertops. It is the first Norwegian company to join NKBA’s Global Connect program, and it will be exhibiting at KBIS 2024 in February.
Lundhs produces raw blocks of Larvikite and Anorthosite, two unique natural stones found only in Norway, from its own quarries. The stones are extremely durable and exude a custom beauty found only in nature. They possess the best attributes of natural stone, yet contain no quartz and therefore are free of crystalline silica. As such, they are safe for the environment and for fabricators, emitting no harmful dust that can cause disease including silicosis.
The Natural Stone Institute says using healthier building materials with minimal amounts of processing helps reduce the embodied carbon of building projects. Natural stone is a single ingredient, all-natural material with zero VOCs. Since it is produced in nature, its embodied energy is inherently low.
Larvikite and Anorthosite surfaces are non-porous, heat-, stain- and scratch-resistant, and are not affected by food acids. They also hold up against water and UV rays, making them adaptable to indoor or outdoor environments, and they are extremely easy to clean and virtually maintenance-free, requiring no sealing. Slabs are cut from solid blocks of rock and fabricated by factory partners in Italy and Spain.
“It’s possible to use Lundhs Real Stone with many different color schemes and to add a personal touch, creating spaces that are visually appealing and at the same time reflect the calming feeling of nature,” said Line Moller Maersk, product marketing manager. “Lundhs Real Stone is great for water areas such as spas, backsplashes or steam showers, and it allows for the possibility of integrated sinks, in addition to countertops, due to its non-absorption properties.”
The company has made sustainability, minimal waste and low environmental impact key priorities in its sourcing and manufacturing processes, and exceeds Norway’s strict environmental rules with sustainable quarrying and business practices.
“Our zero-waste policy allows us to find new solutions to use every bit of surplus stone from the quarry production,” Moller Maersk explained. “We also have EPDs available, and we support and encourage sustainable mindsets and will continue to think creatively through collaborations with architects, designers and builders.”
Lundhs Real Stone is currently distributed in the U.S. through a network of authorized partners. Samples are also available through Material Bank. Lundhs aims to build brand awareness, inform customers about benefits and advantages of their Norwegian stones, and expand its partnerships across the North American market.
The Larvik, Norway-based company traces its roots back more than a century, when Alfred Lundh emigrated from Sweden to Norway to run a large quarrying company. In 1962, his grandson Thor Lundh started his own quarrying company, which became Lundhs AS. Today, the company is still family-owned and led by CEO Thor-Anders Lundh Haakestad, who is Thor’s grandson. With eight quarries in Norway, Lundhs is the largest producer and distributor of natural stone rough blocks in Northern Europe.
Visit Lundhs at KBIS 2024, Feb. 27 to 29, in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center in Booth N1671, and click to learn more about Lundhs Real Stone.
