Ceramica Catalano continues to pursue its growth objectives as part of IBD Group
Mittel S.p.A., a long-established Italian investment holding company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, has signed an agreement to acquire Ceramica Catalano S.p.A. through its subsidiary Italian Bathroom Design Group (IBD Group), which already owns Ceramica Cielo S.p.A., Galassia S.r.l. and Disegno Ceramica S.r.l.
Through the IBD Group, Mittel has created a hub of excellence in the Italian sanitaryware sector based entirely in the Civita Castellana area. Following the acquisition of Catalano, it now has a production capacity of 1.1 million pieces a year across four manufacturing facilities with a floor space of around 200,000 sqm and annual revenues of approximately €120 million.
Catalano specialises in the production of ceramic sanitaryware and is now present in more than 60 countries worldwide, with an export share of around 65% of total revenue.
The company’s management philosophy has always been oriented towards delivering the highest possible levels of product quality. This commitment has driven the company’s evolution, fuelled by a continuous focus on technological innovations that cater to the needs of increasingly complex and globalised markets.
Catalano’s production processes utilise highly digitalised systems, a result of significant investments in robotics and most recently Industry 4.0 technologies, which have propelled the company to remarkable levels of automation and precision.
Catalano has embraced a sustainability-oriented industrial vision and in recent years has directed its development strategies towards a manufacturing approach that protects natural ecosystems. It has set clear objectives and implemented effective tools aimed at significantly reducing the carbon footprint of its production activities, a commitment that is backed up by important environmental awards and certifications. Catalano was the first Italian company in the sector to receive EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certification for its ceramic sanitaryware products and the first globally to earn ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) certification.
Catalano’s decision to join a group with a well-structured managerial and sales organisation is a strategic move that will bring a significant boost to its development, further enhanced by Mittel’s dynamic and strongly industrial approach.
Franco Petroni, CEO of Catalano, commented: “Together with Mittel and its Chairman Marco Colacicco, we share a commitment to the local area and its resources. Catalano is a leader in technological innovation in the production of ceramic sanitaryware and is a major player within a region where tradition and innovation achieve their highest expression.”
Joining the IBD Group will enable Catalano to benefit from a structured and consolidated organisation with a strong presence in Italy and abroad. The acquisition will further expand the IBD Group’s already diverse product portfolio capable of meeting the demands of increasingly complex and globalised markets, thanks to the distinctive characteristics of its individual member companies.
IBD Group represents an Italian centre of excellence in terms of sales, production, technological innovation and design in the bathroom furnishing sector. For Catalano, becoming part of the IBD Group will bring greater stability and more advanced organisation of its production and decision-making processes, while safeguarding and enhancing the individuality of its members.
