INNOVATION

Innovation is the common thread that runs through all of the Cupa Group’s activities. To lead the way in the slate sector and successfully compete against other construction materials, the company founded Cupa Innovation in 2006, a multidisciplinary team made up of industrial engineers, mining, chemical, forestry and industrial design engineers, who worked together to drive the subsequent lines of research and development:

1. New applications for slate

In recent years, the group has developed two strategic, exclusive products which have broadened the traditional range of usage and applications of slate: the ventilated facade system Cupaclad, and the solar thermal panel Thermoslate.

2. More efficient construction systems

Stonepanel and Thermochip Housing are also a response to the new technical and environmental demands within the sector. Their international certifications, energy consumption benefits and design are a benchmark among installation technicians and architects, who have multiple solutions from the Cupa Group for their projects.

3. Industry 4.0

As part of the ERDF Operational Program for Galicia, 2014-2020, subsidized by the Galician Agency for Innovation and with the support of the Regional Ministry of Economy, Labor and Industry, the Cupa Group is carrying out the project CUPA 4.0, which aims to drive change in the model for slate production (extraction, transformation and storage), which currently involves barely any automation.
This change will come about due to developments in line with international trends in smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0, based on advanced automation, the use of ICT and support in the essential enabling technology to upgrade to a more flexible and efficient model.

4. Waste recovery

The Cupa Group is also working to make the most of raw materials. From recovered broken slate we have developed Stonetack, the first self-adhesive panel made from this material for interior spaces, sold by Cupa Stone.