Bethany, Conn.—Laticrete, a leading manufacturer of construction solutions for the building industry, sponsored a wilderness expedition into the mountainous region of the Colombian Amazon known as Chiribiquete.
Daniel Rothberg, regional manager of flooring in Latin America represented the company as he and his crew—which consisted of two American rock climbers, one American kayaker, one Polish explorer, one Colombian naturalist professor and three local indigenous Colombians—voyaged along a river dubbed “Caño Laticrete.” The group’s goal was to go upriver in a motorboat as far as possible and then climb up and across the mountains scouting for unknown cave paintings rumored to be in the area before finally descending downriver in portable rafts.
“As a global company, we believe learning the culture of communities far and wide allows our teams to have a better understanding of the wide scope of ways we can provide unmatched support,” Rothberg said. “Our group had an incredibly successful trip getting to experience one of the last unexplored places on earth. With the help of local guides, we learned about the history and culture of the Chiribiquete and discovered scientifically significant archaeological sites.”
Discovering multiple layers of paintings on a mountainside depicting figures hunting and dancing, animals, trees, handprints and an almost life-size jaguar complete with spots, Rothberg and his crew had succeeded in their mission. Together, they uncovered a trove of valuable ancient rock art informing the scant record of prehistory in the Amazon.
Laticrete supports the community in a variety of ways every year, including sponsoring workers alongside former President Jimmy Carter on a Habitat for Humanity project, funding a girls’ school in Ghana, sponsoring Earth Day celebrations and funding a five-year Yale Medical School surgical mission to Uganda.
“The underlying goal of corporate citizenship at Laticrete remains clear: create a better world in which to do business and a better world in which to live,” said David Rothberg, chairman and CEO of Laticrete.