New Name for Tile Council of North America’s Lab

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) is changing the name of its laboratory.

Transition to the new name, International Product Assurance Laboratories from Product Performance Testing Laboratory, has begun. A full branding reveal will take place at Coverings in Orlando, Fla., April 18-21.

“Our broad growth in services initiated the search for better ways to communicate our diverse range of international testing services,” says TCNA’s director of laboratory services, Katelyn Simpson. “The new name and branding will be our first steps in a comprehensive communications plan.”

The TCNA lab has provided independent internationally-trusted testing services for more than 60 years.

Today, these services encompass testing all surface coverings, installation materials, tile substrates, sustainable building materials and raw materials to U.S. and international standards.

The lab also has a long history of microbiological testing and research on ceramic tiles and other floor and wall coverings, including groundbreaking research on photocatalytic antimicrobial surfaces and the antimicrobial effects of various metal oxides in glazes. In response to concerns from the Covid-19 pandemic, antiviral testing was added to the lab’s services to determine the survival rates/duration of viruses on different surface materials and the efficacy of common household cleaners to disinfect these surfaces. The lab’s expansion into antiviral and microbiological testing has led to new opportunities outside the ceramic tile and hard surface industry, as well as more growth in custom testing and research for any product.

“As consumers and specifiers continue to seek safe, durable and healthy products, International Product Assurance Laboratories will continue to provide the independent and trusted testing needed to evaluate these products and support our clients worldwide,” says TCNA executive director Eric Astrachan.