FLORIDA TILE COMMITS 50,000 SQUARE FEET OF CERAMIC TILE TO REBUILD COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY TORNADOES IN EASTERN KENTUCKY

LEXINGTON, KY (March 12, 2012) –  Florida Tile has responded to the call for building materials by donating five truckloads of ceramic tile to help rebuild communities devastated by tornadoes in Eastern Kentucky 10 days ago.

Florida Tile will make the donation to Mountain Re-Source Center (MRC), an organization that supports nonprofit partners through distribution of donated materials in local communities. MRC will work with Christian Appalachian Project, an organization based in Corbin and Hagerhill that works exclusively in Appalachia. CAP has already been on the ground in the hardest-hit communities of West Liberty and Salyersville addressing their immediate needs and will continue to be there when the rebuilding begins.

“As soon as the storms abated, Florida Tile knew the right thing to do was to step up immediately to help our neighbors rebuild. It is part of who we are and the kind of US corporate citizen we promised to continue to be when we relocated to Lexington, Kentucky,” said Michael Franceschelli, CEO of Florida Tile.

Through its manufacturing facility in Lawrenceburg, Florida Tile has supported community efforts in Kentucky and around the country for several years. The company has donated hundreds of loads of tile to MRC and Tile Partners for Humanity, a division of MRC representing the partnership of tile industry members supporting community improvement through donations of tile materials.  

Herb Miller, executive director of Mountain Re-Source Center, said the generous donation will go a long way toward helping these Kentucky communities rebuild.

“Florida Tile understands the importance of supporting local communities through donations of tile and this contribution will truly make a difference in Kentucky,” he said. “Through the work of Christian Appalachian Project, the tile will directly impact these devastated communities and we are grateful to Florida Tile for their generous and ongoing donations.”

The Florida Tile donation will include about 50,000 square feet of tile valued at approximately $65,000.

About Florida Tile

Florida Tile is a fully owned subsidiary of Panariagroup, a publicly owned company traded on the Milan Stock Exchange (MILAN: PAN IM). Panariagroup is a leading manufacturer and distributor in over 60 countries around the world with six manufacturing sites in Italy, Portugal and the USA and eight brands positioned in the high-end of the market. www.panariagroup.it.

About Mountain Re-Source Center

MRC welcomes donations of all types of building materials as well as disaster relief supplies, educational resources, household necessities, and medical supplies. To donate or for more information on MRC or Tile Partners for Humanity, contact MRC Executive Director Herb Miller at 304-678-4229/ hmiller@mountainre-source.org or Networking Director Ally Venugopal at 425-242-0374/ allyv@mountainre-source.org. MRC provides a donation receipt for tax purposes. For more information, visit www.mountainre-source.org or www.tpfh.com.