Alexis Pina, Commercial Manager at Abrastone Diamant: “With the support of CDTI Innovation, we developed a new generation of abrasives that integrate polishing and protection in a single process”

Ceramic is valued for its design, but also for its strength, durability and ability to preserve the finish over time. In that final result, polishing plays a key role, especially in a market that demands increasingly bright, homogeneous and protected surfaces.

Abrastone Diamant, a third generation family company specializing in the development and manufacture of abrasives for surface treatment, works in this area. With more than fifty years of experience, facilities in Barcelona and an international presence through its subsidiary in Brazil, the company has accompanied the evolution of materials such as natural stone, ceramics, slate or artificial surfaces.

Its commercial manager, Alexis Pina, explains that this evolution has forced it to continuously adapt its products. “In the beginning, only natural stone surfaces were polished, and over the years new surfaces have emerged that need to be polished, such as slate, ceramics or artificial stone,” he says.

The abrasives themselves have also changed: from the first products based on magnesium oxide and silicon carbide binders, the sector has moved to solutions with technical resins and synthetic diamond, capable of offering greater durability and performance.

Polishing and protecting in one step

In this line and with the support of the CDTI Innovation, Abrastone Diamant develops a project that seeks to integrate in the same tool two functions that are usually performed separately: the polishing of ceramic surfaces and their protection by means of nanowaxes.

The initiative responds to a specific need of the sector: to achieve surfaces more protected against stains produced by substances such as oil, coffee, wine or vinegar. Currently, these treatments with nanowaxes help to seal the micropores of the enamel after polishing, but usually require an additional phase and specific machinery.

Abrastone Diamant proposes to incorporate the nanowaxes directly into the abrasive so that the protective effect occurs during the polishing process itself. As Pina summarizes, “we believe that it is a process that can be incorporated into the abrasives themselves in a way that avoids that extra cost in the process.” This approach not only seeks to improve the final surface result, but also to simplify industrial processes by eliminating subsequent processing steps and reducing the need for additional equipment.
 

Abrastone Diamant develops abrasives for the treatment and finishing of ceramic surfaces and natural stone
 

The objective of the project is that the surface can benefit, during the polishing process itself, both from the mechanical finishing of the abrasive and from the protection associated with the nanowaxes. Although polishing already reduces part of the porosity, there are very small pores to which the mechanical treatment does not reach. “Nanowaxes allow us to close those nanopores where mechanical polishing does not reach”, explains Pina.

With this development, Abrastone Diamant seeks to obtain surfaces better protected against stains and external agents, while improving the gloss, final finish and durability of the treated material. In addition, the integration of protection and polishing in a single phase could contribute to optimizing resources and reducing the impact associated with finishing processes.
 

The challenge of integrating nanowaxes into the abrasive

The innovation of the project lies not only in adding a new component, but in making the nanowaxes compatible with the rest of the materials without altering the properties that make the abrasive effective.

Abrastone Diamant’s experience with synthetic resins has been key to this line of work. “We believed that such nanowaxes could be compatible with the synthetic resins used to produce abrasives, thus allowing them to be added in the productive mixing phase,” says Pina.

From there, the technical challenge is to achieve the appropriate concentration of nanowaxes to achieve the protective effect without impairing the durability, cutting ability or mechanical strength of the abrasive. “The main challenge is to be able to apply the necessary concentrations of nanowaxes to achieve the desired effect, followed by the effect that such concentrations can have on the mechanical properties of the abrasive,” he explains.

The project also incorporates new formulations with more sustainable resins, in line with an industry that seeks to reduce waste, optimize processes and reduce their environmental impact. The combination of abrasives and nanowaxes in a single solution could further contribute to reducing consumptions associated with additional processing steps and improving the overall efficiency of the production process. In this context, Pina underlines that sustainability has become a priority shared by the entire industry: “There is widespread concern to minimize the environmental impact of waste generated in the industry.”

This commitment connects with the Sustainable Development Goals, especially with SDG 9, for its contribution to industrial innovation, and with SDG 12, by moving towards more efficient processes, with less waste generation and a more responsible use of resources.
 

The research focuses on developing abrasives capable of integrating protection and polishing into a single solution
 

Innovating to respond to new materials

Innovation is part of the daily life of Abrastone Diamant. The materials change, the surfaces evolve and each application requires adapting the abrasives to different conditions of hardness, texture or finish.

In the ceramic sector, the enamels are continuously modified. In natural stone, the appearance of materials of extreme hardness, such as some quartzites, also forces us to look for new solutions. “Abrastone Diamant is continuously developing new abrasives because we are in a very changing sector that forces us to constantly adapt our products to the needs of new surfaces,” explains Pina.

In this context, the support of CDTI Innovation has allowed the company to face a development with technological risk and specific needs of research, formulation and validation. Abrastone Diamant’s commercial manager also points to a common difficulty for many industrial SMEs: access to finance for innovation projects.

“Having the support of the CDTI has been a great push for the company in a way that allows us to continue offering solutions to the sector,” he says.

This support allows the company to continue developing new solutions for a constantly evolving sector and to face innovation projects that require investment, technical knowledge and adaptability.
 

Beyond the polishing

Abrastone Diamant wants to continue expanding its R&D capabilities and open new lines linked to surface treatment and protection. The company is guided by solutions that go beyond polishing and allow us to respond to specific problems of different materials.

One of these lines is related to treatments to protect materials against oxidation processes and other phenomena that especially affect certain natural stones. “We intend to continue increasing the R&D department with the aim of focusing more and more on surface treatment,” says Pina.

The company, however, is cautious. The current economic context requires measuring investments and prioritizing resources for innovation. Even so, Abrastone Diamant remains committed to developing solutions that respond to the real needs of the industry.

With this project, the company takes another step in a path marked by technological adaptation: from its first abrasives for natural stone to the development of solutions with integrated nanowaxes to achieve more efficient, durable and sustainable finishes. A commitment that reflects the role of the CDTI in promoting business R&D projects capable of improving industrial competitiveness and, at the same time, moving towards processes more efficient in the use of resources and more aligned with the current sustainability challenges.
 

CDTI Innovation

The Center for Technological Development and Innovation, CDTI E.P.E. It is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is the promotion of technological innovation in the business environment. The mission of the CDTI is to ensure that the Spanish business fabric generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2025, within the framework of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027, the CDTI provided 2,423 million euros of support to Spanish companies and startups.

 
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