Home » This is how we build houses that can withstand hours at 9 Richter-"Detailed report on KOFINAS SA: What Ethnos and Imerisia reveal"

On the occasion of the great earthquake that occurred in Turkey in the past (2023), there were many concerns for Greece as well. Thus, on the occasion of the 2 anti-seismic experiments of KOFINAS SA which were very successful, a press conference was given to a journalist of Ethnos and Imerisia by Mr. Kofina Michael about the buildings manufactured by the company KOFINAS and their behavior under such stress.

Michalis Kofinas: This is how we build houses that can withstand 9 Richter temperatures for hours

It is the company that breaks all the stereotypes in the field of construction, but its houses can comfortably withstand long hours of testing yet and earthquake of 9 Richter. It procures raw materials from Scandinavian countries and its products become popular in the demanding markets of Sweden, Germany and Cyprus.

It overturns the laws of gravity as well as the Greeks' misconceptions about the safest and most economical home. Reduces environmental footprint, averse to quantity and obsessed with quality. But what makes it special is the huge investment in the field of research and the top certifications in the most demanding conditions of the international market.

As soon as I entered his office Michali Kofina for the interview it was as if we were continuing a conversation that we had left in the middle a little earlier: "Here we don't build the buildings with experience and I think so, but with research and I clarify that. Good evening, welcome…”.

Two lads from Ayvali...

Seconds later he revealed it to me his refugee origin from Ayvali so I braced myself for a trip through time that could very well be a business bestseller by the demon Greek.

Once upon a time somewhere in 1977, Nikos Kofinas made the decision to take his first steps in prefabricated houses...

What happened next was unexpected for everyone: “After two years his brother took me too, so we started and traveled together all this time. It was very nice, despite the difficulties. Then we started a family and were lucky to have our health and then our children stayed in the business studying various specialties. Gradually we developed into constructions but the children developed it to a scientific level. They became engineers, architects, electricians, mechanical engineers and this gave a great dynamic to the business", says with pleasure Michalis Kofinas.

The three-story that didn't crack at 9 Richter

The big push was given after the Athens Olympic Games: "In the last 18 years, a big push has been given. We do not build the buildings with I think, but with clarify. We test our buildings at the Polytechnic. It is worth noting that our Polytechnic has the best chemical technology laboratories. Luckily for us they are by our side and we test them for natural phenomena for the most part. We have done a lot of experiments and learned a lot from the Polytechnic. This has helped us to improve the quality immensely. A year ago (year 2022) we also did an experiment. It's worth seeing sometime in a three-story house where we gave it a stress of over 9 Richter. We wanted to make such a building that under such strong stresses not only does not fall, but also does not bleed, crack or break."

The experiment that left seismologists speechless

The experiment was crowned with complete success impressing even leading seismologists: "We achieved this and it was the result of technology in the amount of 75%. The rest of the 25% is due to the quality of materials. "A" and "O" are technology. How it evolves, how it created this material to make it an object in this particular case a house. Because the best materials, if you have and do not apply them correctly. Unfortunately the mood, the result.

The two secrets to withstand 9 Richter

"Technology is the big secret. It is very important how you mount the best materials you have. If you don't know how to apply them, they won't have the right effect. With a very correct technology, correct application you will do wonders. Here we have two characteristics: The technology and the materials and that's how this result came out. If you carefully watch the video with the three-story house that accepts the burden of 9 Richter, the whole building is charged with weights where they replace the furniture that would have been inside or some other materials".

All cars take you to Europe

When asked if all prefabricated houses are earthquake-proof, Michalis Kofinas is clear: "All prefabricated houses are earthquake-proof. From here on, it is the qualities that will play a role in how much and what each house will suffer in a strong strain. Certainly they are all seismic, but beyond that they are qualitatively different. It's like cars. Everything can take you around Europe, all brands. Otherwise, you will go with one car, or with another."

Research makes a difference...

Investing in research and interactivity with the scientific community is a characteristic of Michalis Kofina's company: "Our children, who became engineers, architects, mechanical engineers, dealt with the capital of research. These evolved it, going out, seeing new technologies. It was something they really wanted. They brought new technologies, they adopted them, we apply them and develop them even more. That's what we're doing. The company is not only active in the Greek territory, but we also export to three countries. We do in Cyprus, we do in Germany and Sweden. In fact, our buildings are considered both qualitative and economical. We have particular characteristics in the quality of the materials, but mostly in the technology.

The big goals

"The company now has a goal every year not to build more houses. We want to make better homes. In other words, our vision and our goal is not to do twice as much after 5 years, but to do it fivefold. Not too small an increase. What I want to say is we want it to be and aim to be much higher quality. Technology is always walking around here. Two words I don't want to know. It doesn't exist, I know, I know, and it won't hurt you. If you say these two, are you done? I know, don't say it because tomorrow next year there will be something else and then nothing will happen to you. You shouldn't say it because you keep quiet and get her. It's just that the good company makes such movements less, more very small. Risks risk will always be there."