Tiles from Generation to Generation
Everything started for Théophile Winckelmans in 1894 when he opened an unglazed tile factory in Lomme, in Northern France.
Five generations have followed since then, sustaining the legacy and know-how of the founder whilst meeting the challenges specific to each era: the World Wars and bombing of the factory along with globalisation and the need to open up to export are some of the challenges successfully overcome which have allowed the factory to remain on its original site for so many years.
After the opening up to the world and rapid development of our exports initiated by Jacques Winckelmans in the 1990s, the beginning of the 2000s was a difficult time for the factory which had to make some radical changes. The fifth generation currently at the helm thus decided on a major change of gear, with major investment in production and a move upmarket for the product.
Our company has now achieved global recognition for the quality of its tiles and gained the trust of prestigious names in such diverse fields as haute couture and restoration as well as of known personalities.
Today, it is Barbara, Jacques daughter, who is carrying on with the legacy of our product and maintaining the family values that are key to the survival of our tiles.
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- Théophile Winckelmans
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- Georges Winckelmans
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- Théophile Winckelmans
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- Jacques Winckelmans
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- Barbara Winckelmans
A family factory between Tradition and Modernity
Our Lomme factory has been operational for over 120 years.
It now employs 120 people, most of whom have spent the bulk of their careers within the factory.These men and women, their full involvement and their knowledge of our product form the basis for our success and are the caretakers of the traditional know-how we have inherited and which we have a duty to preserve.
But preserving it is not enough: in an era of multiple challenges, it is essential that our factory moves with the times and finds a balance between respect for tradition and a modernised production tool.
We can therefore today use this atypical marriage of tradition and innovation to offer an authentic, quality product with nevertheless the flexibility of new technologies in terms of production times and customisation.
The porcelain stoneware at the heart of our product
A Natural and Authentic Product
Our fully vitrified unglazed fine tiles are made of natural materials (mainly clay) from France and Europe which produce a non-porous tile, the ideal, versatile product for all types of residential, commercial and industrial projects.
Easy maintenance and excellent stain resistance thanks to near-zero porosity
The absorption rate of under 0.5% of our fully vitrified tiles makes them stain-resistant and they can therefore be used in the dampest locations with no fear of them changing colour or appearance. This low porosity makes them easy to clean and renders any post-installation treatment or specific cleaning products superfluous. They can be used in such varied projects as professional kitchens, public swimming pools and so on.
Through-body colours and patterns
Our tiles are through-body, which gives them an identical colour throughout their thickness and a service life of several centuries thanks to the lasting shades and patterns.
A lasting, versatile product thanks to its exceptional technical characteristics
Fired at a temperature close to 1,200 degrees Celsius, our unglazed tiles are compact and have excellent technical characteristics. They are robust enough to be used commonly outside, they are heat- and frost-resistant and suitable for intensive use areas.
