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With these new materials, Irlbacher is responding to the wishes of many designers and architects who want to use materials other than glass in order to considerably expand the solution space for aesthetic and functional design and thus gain unimagined possibilities for the creation of distinctive products.

In order to provide designers with the best options possible, the experts at Irlbacher have done a lot of tinkering and testing. The have succeeded in transferring both the possibilities of mechanical glass processing, such as drilling, grinding and CNC free-form processing, as well as in functionalisation of surfaces with certain properties, integrated touch solutions, backlighting, etc. to the new materials.

The main aim was always to emphasise the "look and feel" of the natural material, its haptics etc., because a cover frame made of concrete not only looks more "real" than the best digital print on glass, it also feels like exposed concrete. It is also possible to combine different materials – such as slate with premium steel. After all, no one has yet been able to imitate the aesthetics, sparkle and feel of brushed stainless steel.

Further ideas for the application of this new technology could include the appliance panel of an elegant kitchen stove in naturally grown, medium-grained granite, which does not exist a second time in identical crystallisation. Or the controls of a sauna in marble.

The Bavarian specialists for the processing and functionalisation of surfaces will be bringing numerous application examples to their stand in Hall 8.0, Stand A19 at Light & Building and are looking forward to intensive discussions with developers, designers, and architects.

The Irlbacher Group has specialised in the processing of glass for almost 90 years and is regarded as the company with the widest range of options for processing and functionalising flat glass.