GranitiFiandre Partners with Jenkins Brick and Til

Chicago, IL, July 31, 2006--Italian stone and tile manufacturer GranitiFiandre has partnered with Jenkins Brick and Tile, headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., to exclusively market and distribute GranitiFiandre and TCL brand products in Alabama, Southern Georgia, Northern Florida, and Bluffton, South Carolina. This partnership with GranitiFiandre, a worldwide leader in the production and distribution of porcelain tile, will allow Jenkins to strengthen commercial tile sales throughout the Southeast. “Collaborating with GranitiFiandre enables us to further penetrate the ceramic tile market,” said Tony Whitfield, Jenkins’ ceramic tile product line manager. “Effectively promoting GranitiFiandre’s innovative products and solutions will be key to our growth within the industry.” GranitiFiandre presented a training workshop to the Jenkins operations and sales staff highlighting the company’s history, product offerings, and technical specifications. Moving forward, GranitiFiandre regional managers will work closely with Jenkins to guide their market strategies as they promote GranitiFiandre’s extensive product line in the Southeast. “Our companies share common values,” said Marcello Sassi, vice president of Trans Ceramica, GranitiFiandre’s U.S. sales and marketing company. “Both GranitiFiandre and Jenkins have reputations for integrity, commitment, and quality, and I am confident we will make a great team.” Dating back to the 1890s, Jenkins is a privately-owned manufacturer and distributor of building materials and ceramic tile products. Jenkins has branch locations in Birmingham, Florence, Madison, Albertville, Attala, Montgomery, Dothan, and Mobile, Alabama; Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville, Florida; Albany, Columbus, and Savannah Georgia; and Bluffton, South Carolina. Founded in 1961 in Castellarano, Italy, GranitiFiandre has for decades supplied global customers with the highest quality selection of fine architectural surfacing solutions. With international facilities in Italy, Germany and the United States, as well as a global distribution network, GranitiFiandre is equipped to address product needs for an array of architectural and design situations. The company’s United States operations are managed through TransCeramica, Ltd., with American headquarters based in Itasca, Ill. Dedication to a healthy and safe environment is an important part of GranitiFiandre’s history, and the company proudly continues the tradition of environmental leadership at its new United States facility. Significant investments in materials usage efficiency, air quality protection, water resource management and energy efficiency are the hallmarks of GranitiFiandre’s corporate stewardship.