Industry Construction Headquarters Bethany | Founded 1956 Type of business Private, Family-Owned | |
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Key people Dr. Henry M. Rothberg, Founder; David Rothberg, CEO/Chairman; Henry B. Rothberg, Co-Owner/Senior Vice President Products LATICRETE, LATAPOXY, SPECTRALOCK, HYDRO BAN, DRYTEK, PERMACOLOR, L&M CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS, HP SPARTACOTE POLYASPARTIC COATINGS Profiles | ||
LATICRETE International is a family-owned, global manufacturer of construction supplies. With headquarters in Bethany, Connecticut, LATICRETE manufactures on six different continents, specializing in the development of latex-fortified Portland cement-based mortars, adhesives and grouts for the installation of ceramic and porcelain tile, glass mosaics, and stone. The LATICRETE product line also includes waterproofing, anti-fracture, sound deadening membranes, floor warming, surface preparation, and concrete construction chemicals.
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History
LATICRETE was founded in 1956 by Dr. Henry M. Rothberg, a chemical engineer. Realizing that the installation methods used for tile and stone were outdated, Dr. Rothberg began a research and development program in partnership with Uniroyal Chemical in Naugatuck, Connecticut. The program led to the introduction of latex to traditional Portland cement-based mortar, resulting in a lighter, more flexible system for installing tile and stone products. This research became the foundation for the "thin-bed" method of installing tile and stone. The thin-bed method involves the application of thin-set adhesive mortars, a product of the research, with a notched trowel. At the time, this was a new alternative to the thick, heavy mortar beds traditionally used by flooring contractors.
Production
The company's products are manufactured and distributed worldwide in the commercial and consumer channels. LATICRETE manufactures dry mortars, latex and epoxy products, which include tile and stone adhesives, grouts, pointing mortars, latex additives, self-leveling underlayments, as well as waterproofing, anti-fracture, and sound deadening membranes. Internationally, LATICRETE products are serviced by manufacturing facilities in Australia, Norway, India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, and China. Laticrete (Shanghai) Building Material Co. Ltd in the Songjiang District of Shanghai represents the first wholly owned LATICRETE manufacturing facility outside the United States.
LATICRETE has additional facilities in Mexico, Costa Rica, Italy, Netherlands, Cyprus, Israel and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, LATICRETE manufactures at seven locations in Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Indiana, California and Oregon.
Decorative products
Since 2011, LATICRETE has expanded its restoration and decorative product line through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. In January 2014, LATICRETE acquired L&M Construction Chemicals, Inc., a producer of a diverse line of concrete construction chemicals, including coatings, sealers, construction grouts, patch and repair mortars, and color hardeners for polished concrete. The L&M acquisition followed the 2011 acquisition of DRYTEK Flooring Solutions, LLC and formation of the LATICRETE SUPERCAP, LLC joint venture.
In addition to acquisitions, the company has engineered and produced in state-of-the-art ISO 9001:2008 certified facilities, a broad product portfolio including an extensive line of independently certified low VOC sustainable products. In early 2013, LATICRETE introduced the HYDRO BAN Shower System product line, including pre-sloped linear shower pans, preformed benches, preformed shelves, and a variety of drain options, providing a complete HYDRO BAN line of waterproofing products that allow for high quality rapid shower installations. LATICRETE also recently expanded its radiant heating offering by introducing LATICRETE® Floor HEAT Wire.
Clear Seas Research, an independent market research firm, gave LATICRETE top marks among manufacturers for service, support, training and product performance in its new 2013 CLEAReport on Tile and Stone Installation Contractor Market Survey.
Management
In the early days, LATICRETE was managed by Dr. Henry M. Rothberg and his wife Lillian. Dr. Rothberg has since passed on ownership and management responsibilities to two of his sons. As co-owners, David Rothberg, Chairman/CEO, and Henry B. Rothberg, Senior Vice President of Training, oversee the day-to-day operations.
Headquarters
On June 24, 2008, LATICRETE announced the grand opening of a new $24 million corporate campus in Bethany, CT, where the company has been headquartered for over 30 years. The campus features a new 32,000-square-foot (3,000 m2) office and training facility, as well as a 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) fitness facility for employees.