‘At Kwantz, you get genuine, even-toned colours, and there is demand for that.’

Sometimes a new product comes your way in the most unexpected way. Tine Kellens from Philips Natuursteen in Hasselt was introduced to Kwantz in a somewhat unusual way. Not through a product presentation or a trade fair, but through a phone call from a customer. 'We had to admit that we had never heard of it before,“ she laughs. 'Look,” says Tine, stroking the surface of a Kwantz slab, “this is not a material that hides itself away. It has character, it has personality.” Tine knows the natural stone market like no other. That's why we asked her for her honest opinion about our product.

How did you get to know Kwantz?

"Actually, through a customer, namely Creneau, an architectural firm. They had a project for Foodmaker and had chosen to use Kwantz. Then they asked us if we distributed this product. We had to admit that we had never heard of it before.

Creneau provided us with Kwantz's contact details. We got in touch and prepared a quote. And that's how it all started."

What makes Kwantz such a special material?

‘With Kwantz, you get real, uniform colours – and there's a demand for that. With natural stone, you tend to see patterns or lines in marble, but with Kwantz, it's a really pure colour. Those colours are very bright: that green, that pink, the white...,’ says Tine. ‘The big advantage is that they are really uniform colours, which is what many people are looking for these days.’

How do customers respond to Kwantz?

"Many customers are not yet familiar with the product. Sometimes they come specifically for Kwantz, but it also happens that they end up with Kwantz even though they didn't know what they wanted.

I have samples of all colours here. If people are still unsure, I help them figure out what they need. Many people really like it, especially the smooth colours."

What is your personal opinion of Kwantz?

‘I think it's a very nice product. When people come in, I prefer them to choose Kwantz over terrazzo, for example. Their price is competitive with granite and marble. Compared to classic terrazzo, it is more expensive, but the quality is also better.’

What challenges does the material present?

‘Kwantz develops a natural patina over time. It behaves just like natural stone in terms of stains. At Kwantz, they treat the slabs with a permanent stain repellent before shipping. Now we don't have to reapply it during installation, which used to be the case. A positive development, that's for sure!’

How do you deal with that as a professional?

"I am always very honest and transparent. I give them 10x10 or 20x20 pieces to take home and say, “Have a coffee on it, put a glass of wine on it, spill something on it.” Then they can experience for themselves how the material reacts.

‘Usually, they quickly notice that the effect is minimal and confirm their order for Kwantz.’

And in terms of processing?

"For us as processors, the material also presents specific challenges. Sawing goes very well – nothing pops out like with other materials. What really fascinates me about a Kwantz sheet are the sides. You get a glimpse into the material and see the small air bubbles that are unique to Kwantz. The customer can choose to leave this visible as a characteristic of the material or to fill it in. Filling it in is new to us as processors, but it's nothing we can't do," says Tine.

‘The underside of the panels is sometimes more uneven than with other materials, but this can be easily adjusted by letting the CNC machine suck a little harder. That's an example of a small thing we've had to learn to deal with in our process.’

And in terms of installation?

‘In terms of installation, Kwantz is much more robust than quartzite, for example. The latter is very delicate and breaks easily. With Kwantz, you don't have that problem – the slabs are very sturdy. That's a big advantage.’

In terms of installation, this means fewer risks, but also less waste, fewer delays and fewer worries for the customer. Natural stone companies can thus do their work without stress during installation.

How is the collaboration with Kwantz going?

‘I mainly work with Jeroen from Kwantz and am very satisfied with that collaboration. He really tries to think along with us and act accordingly. Recently, we had a project where the order was placed a little late, and Jeroen did everything he could to get the slabs ready on time. That's a level of flexibility you rarely see in our market.’

‘Another advantage is that BMB delivers here regularly, so the panels can be delivered along with those deliveries. That's very practical for us,’ Tine continues.

What do you like so much about the collaboration?

‘What I really like is that it's still a small-scale company. Jeroen does everything himself – just like us. I prepare the quotes, receive the customers, and my father takes the measurements and does the installation. It's the same with them, and I find that very appealing. You have direct contact with the right person.’

Would you install it in your own home?

‘I would definitely install it in my own home. I really connect with that product because I think it's beautiful myself.’

How do you see the future of Kwantz?

‘It's a really nice product to work with. The collaboration with Kwantz is going very well, mainly thanks to Jeroen's personal approach. It's a new product that still needs to establish itself – people don't know it well enough yet, but I think it will definitely find its place in the market, especially among people who are looking for that smooth, characterful look.’

As we walk through the workshops, Tine pauses briefly at the Kwantz samples. ‘Look,’ she says, stroking the surface, ‘this is not a material that hides itself away. It has character, it has personality.’

Just like the collaboration between Kwantz and Philips Natuursteen itself: small-scale, personal, and built on trust. In a world of large corporations and anonymous suppliers, that is perhaps the best compliment you can get. Because sometimes it's not just about the material itself, but about the people behind it.

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