Thorntree representatives Amber Reddick, Elizabeth Longstaff and Catherine Atkins flew to Clarksville, Tennessee along with a few clients in tow to visit the Milestone porcelain factory. The trip was planned for a behind the scenes look at our sustainable porcelain materials and how they’re made.
Made in America, Milestone chose Tennessee as its home base due to the natural resources prevalent in that area including feldspar, quartz, & clay. In addition, this manufacturing facility is a central hub near 5 major interstates, making it accessible and convenient for production. In this remarkable space, Milestone has been producing tile for more than 25 years by combining Italian expertise with quality American materials. Thorntree representatives were able to view firsthand how the latest technology produces and prints the newest designs in large scale to be stacked, packed, and shipped. Longstaff states that “the process from start to finish is truly impressive. From raw materials, to firing, to quality control and packaging, Milestone really has it down to a science”.
Milestone holds the record for the largest single sourced domestic porcelain factory at over one million square feet of space under one roof. It is also one of the first factories in America to begin producing outdoor tile as an alternative to pavers. We love working with the biggest and the best, but Milestone stands a head above its competitors due to their focus on sustainable processes and advanced technology. Their sustainable practices include reusing old or damaged materials by turning them into something new and exceptional. During the tour of the factory, Thorntree and company were able to provide input for the research and development lab onsite for products soon to be launched as well as products in their early stages.
Thorntree Insider: Milestone launched an all-new carbon neutral collection, which is the first of its kind, Plaster. This leads back to the company’s focus on sustainability and the future of our planet. Carbon neutral products are achieved when mindful companies “calculate their carbon emissions and compensate for what they have produced via carbon offsetting projects”. We are proud to supply products from a company that keeps the environment in mind when producing cutting-edge materials for your next interior or exterior project.
In the future, Thorntree is excited to tour many other facilities and to provide our team with the best knowledge surrounding the materials that we distribute.
