Ceramics of Italy set to bring product innovation to Coverings 2024

(April 2024) | Now in its 34th year, Ceramics of Italy is excited to travel to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia from April 22-25 for Coverings – North America’s largest international tile and stone exhibition. Over 100 premier Italian brands producing innovative ceramic tile and installation products that demonstrate impressive advancements in technology, sustainability, and design will showcase their latest collections inside the Italian Pavilion, organized by Confindustria Ceramica (the Association of Italian Ceramics). At the center of it all, the Ceramics of Italy booth, “Giardino all’italiana,” (Booth #3855) will offer attendees a meeting point and hospitality hub while showcasing a variety of standout products and innovative applications of tile.

Once again, visitors will immerse themselves in an inspiring display of Italian design, biophilia, and hospitality in “Giardino all’italiana”. Designed by leading architecture and interiors firm HDR, the booth will serve as the literal and figurative heart of the Italian ceramics industry at the show. Conceived as a modular framework that can be sustainably reused, the booth is intended to convey the industry’s core values as well as showcase the wide array of products and applications of Italian ceramics – from floating floors and a three-dimensional grid structure to custom-built benches and tabletops. Throughout the day, attendees can sit and relax in the open space and enjoy authentic Italian coffee and pastries from the adjacent café prepared by long-time catering partner, Spuntino. In addition, the booth will house an info desk where visitors can learn more about exhibitors in the Italian Pavilion and industry initiatives. Special thanks are extended to the following members who generously donated materials for the booth: Appiani, Ceramica Vogue, Cotto d’Este, Fila Surface Care Solutions, La Fabbrica, Lea Ceramiche, Mirage, and Naxos.

Ceramics of Italy booth at Coverings 2023

This year, Ceramics of Italy will unveil “Postcards from Cersaie” – a special new activation designed to transport visitors to the historic streetscapes of Bologna and celebrate the cherished memories of Cersaie attendees from the past 40 years. Designed by Fashion Institute of Technology graduate students, with mentorship from HDR, the exhibit will feature a curated visual photography display framed within a series of iconic portico-inspired structures to showcase the architectural charm of Bologna and the enduring spirit of Cersaie. The interactive exhibition will be located in Hall B – Booth #3821.

With the show centering around four key tenets – Health & Wellness, Sustainability, Timeless Luxury, and Outdoor Spaces – visitors can expect to see a wide breadth of tile collections and installation materials in the Italian Pavilion correlating with these trends. Italian manufacturers have expanded their selection of products for wellness-oriented spaces – specifically the kitchen and bath – offering everything from durable porcelain countertops to ready-made hygienic bathroom vanities and washbasins. And long at the forefront of the sustainability movement, Italian ceramic manufacturers are continually paving the way toward an eco-forward future. With this in mind, attendees can expect to see an abundance of eco-friendly products that are LEED-compliant, Greenguard certified, EPD certified, and more. A sense of refined luxury can also be found throughout the pavilion. Experimenting with high-definition digital printing has led Italian manufacturers to produce exotic and evocative stone and marble looks alongside breathtaking ceramic wallpaper renditions with a trompe l’oeil effect. Lastly, from innovative pedestal systems and special pool coping pieces to weather-resistant large-format porcelain tiles for exterior facades and outdoor kitchen countertop use, visitors will find an abundance of tile products designed specifically for outdoor installations at this year’s show.

Cristina Faedi, trends expert for Ceramics of Italy, will participate in the annual “Global Tile Trends” session alongside a panel of top industry professionals, where they will discuss the latest styles and innovations in ceramic tile design. This talk will take place on Monday, April 22 at 11am in Room B312.

The Ceramics of Italy International Press Conference will take place on Tuesday, April 23 at 2:30pm in Room B212. Armando Cafiero, Director General of Confindustria Ceramica, and Emilio Mussini, Vice Chairman of Confindustria Ceramica, will remark on the state of the industry and current sustainability initiatives. Following, Cristina Faedi, trends expert for Ceramics of Italy, will discuss what’s trending in Italian ceramic design and innovation, and Chris Abbate, Founder and CEO of Novità Communications, will provide pivotal updates for the esteemed Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition.

Additionally, top-ranking members of Confindustria Ceramica will reveal the 2024 recipient of the highly-coveted Confindustria Ceramica North American Distributor Award. This prestigious annual award honors a company that demonstrates an indispensable knowledge of their trade and consistently sources a wide selection of Italian ceramic products. This year’s recipient will be honored during a special celebration on Tuesday, April 23rd from 5:30 – 7pm at the Ceramics of Italy booth.