Concrete Board Company: Saudi Arabia MCM Training Workshops

Release time : December 23 2025

Bridging innovation and expertise—how COLORIA GROUP is empowering Saudi's construction industry through hands-on MCM technology sharing

When Saudi's Construction Vision Meets MCM Innovation

In the heart of Riyadh, where modern skyscrapers rise beside historic mud-brick structures, a quiet revolution is unfolding in the construction sector. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its urban development under Vision 2030, architects and contractors are no longer just looking for building materials—they're seeking partners who can turn bold design dreams into tangible, sustainable reality. That's where COLORIA GROUP stepped in last month, hosting its first-ever MCM Training Workshops in Jeddah, a three-day event that felt less like a corporate seminar and more like a collective journey into the future of building.

"We didn't just come to sell products," said Fatima Al-Mansoori, COLORIA's Middle East Regional Director, during the opening ceremony. "We came to build relationships. When local designers understand what MCM can do—its flexibility, its strength, its ability to mimic natural stone without the environmental cost—they stop seeing limitations and start seeing possibilities."

Over 150 attendees, including architects from top firms like Zaha Hadid Architects' Riyadh office, contractors specializing in luxury hospitality projects, and government procurement officers, gathered to explore the world of Modified Cementitious Material. For many, it was their first up-close encounter with a material that's been quietly reshaping global construction for decades.

Inside the Workshop: Where Technology Meets Touch

The workshop floor was a sensory experience from the moment you walked in. Sunlight streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows, catching the subtle textures of MCM panels displayed on custom-built walls. There were no glossy brochures here—just raw, tactile proof of what modified cement can achieve. Attendees wandered from station to station, hands running over surfaces that looked like rough-hewn granite one minute, delicate travertine the next, all while learning these were not natural stones but engineered marvels.

The Four Pillars of MCM: A Closer Look

MCM Project Board Series

Imagine a material built for the chaos of construction sites—tough enough to handle extreme temperatures (Saudi's summer heat is no match) yet precise enough to fit perfectly into prefab systems. The Project Board Series stole the show for contractors, who marveled at its 12mm thin profile that cuts installation time by 40%. "We just finished a hospital project where we spent weeks cutting and fitting traditional stone," said Mohammed Hassan, a site engineer from Jeddah. "This? This would've shaved a month off our timeline."

MCM 3D Printing Series

The 3D printing station drew the biggest crowds, and for good reason. A small-scale printer hummed in the corner, extruding layers of MCM to form a wave-like panel that would've taken days to carve from stone. "It's not just about speed," explained Dr. Li Wei, COLORIA's Chief Technology Officer. "It's about freedom. Last year, a client wanted a facade that looked like desert sand dunes—curves, peaks, every detail unique. With 3D printing, we delivered exactly that, no molds, no waste." Architects lingered here, sketching ideas on tablets, already reimagining their upcoming projects.

MCM Flexible Stone

If the Project Board is the workhorse, Flexible Stone is the artist. Rolled out like a thick fabric, this material bends up to 90 degrees without cracking, making it perfect for curved walls or statement ceilings. "I designed a boutique hotel lobby with a circular reception desk," said Lama Al-Zahrani, an interior designer from Riyadh. "Traditional stone would've required dozens of small, uneven pieces. This? I can wrap it around the curve in one piece. It's like dressing the building in a tailored suit instead of a patchwork quilt."

MCM Big Slab Board Series

For those who crave grandeur, the Big Slab Board Series delivered. Standing 3 meters tall, these panels (up to 1200x2400mm) created seamless walls that felt more like art installations than cladding. "We're working on a mall project where the client wants a 'canyon effect' in the atrium," said Khalid Omar, a senior architect. "These slabs let us mimic the scale of natural rock formations without the weight—our structural engineers are already thanking us."

Product Series	Key Advantage	Standout Feature	Most Loved By
Project Board	High durability, fast installation	Fire-resistant (up to 1200°C)	Contractors, industrial projects
3D Printing	Custom shapes, zero waste	Can print up to 2m tall in one piece	Designers, luxury hospitality
Flexible Stone	Bendable, lightweight	Weighs 6kg/m² (50% lighter than natural stone)	Interior designers, curved structures
Big Slab Board	Seamless aesthetics	Joint-free up to 2400mm length	Commercial architects, large facades

From Theory to Practice: The Workshop's Hands-On Magic

Day two shifted from observation to action. In the "MCM Lab" corner, attendees traded business cards for gloves and trowels, getting hands-on with installation demos. A team from a Riyadh-based contracting firm competed to install a small section of Flexible Stone on a curved mock wall—laughing as they fumbled at first, then cheering when the panel clicked into place perfectly.

"The best part wasn't the demo itself," said Sarah Ahmed, a junior architect. "It was the engineer standing next to me saying, 'Don't worry if it wrinkles—just heat it gently with a hairdryer and it'll smooth out.' These are the little tricks you don't get from a catalog."

"We've been importing stone from Italy for years, paying shipping costs, dealing with breakage, waiting months for delivery," said Ali Abdullah, CEO of a Riyadh construction company. "Now here's a material made with local sand (COLORIA sources 60% of raw materials regionally), manufactured in Dubai, delivered in two weeks. And it looks better than half the natural stone we've used. The numbers just make sense."

Environmental sustainability was another hot topic. With Saudi's push for green building certifications (like LEED and Estidama), MCM's low carbon footprint—no heavy mining, 85% recycled content in production—resonated deeply. "We did the math," said Dr. Wei. "A 10,000m² project using MCM instead of natural stone reduces carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking 200 cars off the road for a year."

What's Next? Building the Future, Together

By the final day, the energy in the room had shifted from curiosity to collaboration. Attendees huddled in groups, sketching projects on whiteboards, swapping contact info, and even brainstorming a joint proposal for a new cultural center in Dammam. COLORIA's team didn't just hand out certificates—they handed over a promise: "This isn't the end. We're opening a technical support office in Riyadh next quarter, with samples, training, and on-site help whenever you need it."

As the workshop wrapped up, Lama Al-Zahrani summed it up best: "You don't often walk away from a business event feeling inspired. But here? I touched materials that felt like they belonged in a museum, learned how to install them like a pro, and left with a folder full of ideas I can't wait to draw. That's the power of MCM—it's not just a product. It's a tool to build the Saudi we've been imagining."

And so, the conversation continues. In a market hungry for innovation, COLORIA GROUP isn't just selling building materials—they're building a community. One workshop, one panel, one curved wall at a time.