Claase Leibenodigdhede was established in October 1984, by Nols Claase.

Tiles were exported to oversee markets; mainly Germany and Australia. 

In 1990 an S.A.B.S. test report was obtained, tested against D.I.N and the A.S.T.M.

Nols’s oldest son, Mauritius joined him in January 1991. They participated in a National business competition lodged by Old Mutual and the A.H.I (South African Commerce Institute) and were nominated National winners (small business) in 1992.

Nols moved during 2004 to the Eastern Cape Province (South Africa) and opened a show room in Humansdorp.  Mauritius opened a show room in Zeerust (North West Province, Sout Africa) during February 2010.  Both show rooms are trading as “Slate Classics”.

SLATE:  THE STORY BEHIND THE PRODUCTS….

GEOLOGY:

Slate is a sedimentary succession laid down in a marine environment 2250 million years ago.  This succession compacted to become shale.  1900 Million years ago, volcanic eruptions in the surrounding area caused lava to spill over the shale.  This immense heat and pressure triggered metamorphosis and changed the shale to slate.  Different minerals (Iron, Manganese, Chrome, Copper…), “burnt” (oxidized) into the slate layers to cause the most beautiful and unique colour combinations.

Each layer of slate has its own unique colour and texture…

QUARRY:

These slate layers are excavated with a pinch bar, chisel and hammer.  Each piece of raw material are carefully checked (hit at back of slate with hammer to check density) and inspected to ensure that it has a usable (undamaged) surface.

LABOUR:

Indigenous people (mainly Setswana) are trained as quarrymen (to excavate the slate) and factory workers (to check quality, cut and process raw slate into final products).

Our labourers are the backbone of the company (Excavating, quality control, cutting and processing)..  Most labourers start unskilled of with little school education and are trained to perform different functions.  At least 40 labourers are constantly employed.  One of these trainees (Martiens Tsetse) was appointed manager last year, after 13 years training …

FACTORY:

Only good quality raw material are cut to tiles, hand selected to thickness, smooth and rough surfaces separated and loose chips are removed through a hand spilt process.

At a processing plant different final products are manufactured:  Table tops, mosaics (combination with sandstone), slate décor (clocks, uplighters, coasters, vases, paintings, bathroom accessories…)