CERAMICHE PIEMME: ONGOING GROWTH

Exports, brand sales and qualified production for a company long-established in the ceramic district

Massimo Barbari, Managing Director Ceramiche Piemme

Starting in 2015, Ceramiche Piemme – the long-established manufacturer of ceramic floor and wall tiles located in the district of Modena – reached a major turning point in terms of both rebranding and market growth. With the arrival of Managing Director, Massimo Barbari, Ceramiche Piemme has in fact renewed its management system and started working with international designers, revamping its product range for Cersaie 2017 with a complete restyling also of the Valentino brand (of which it has been an exclusive licensee since the late 1970s).

“The good economic results are due to the growth in exports, which for us represent 85% of total turnover, but also to a major transition of turnover from subcontracting to brand sales”, explains Massimo Barbari. “With the introduction of more sophisticated ceramic decoration digital technology, the time had come to rethink the range from a cultural and design viewpoint”.
The new collections, such as Uniquestone or Incipit Valentino, are the result of ongoing research into digital materials and technologies: the motifs printed on the ceramic surface recreate in detail the texture effect of the different materials by which the collections are inspired.

“The industrial plan which in recent years has involved our company has proved to be one of the most important in the Sassuolo district and today the company is firmly focused on efficiency and product innovation” continues Barbari. “By end 2016, we have also increased the production of the Solignano facility by 500,000 square metres/year, thanks to the introduction of a semi-continuous cycle, bringing production up to 7.8 million square metres/year”.

For Ceramiche Piemme, 2016 closed with a turnover of 104 million euros (in 2015, this figure had been 96.3 million euros) with double-digit growth in exports to the U.S., Middle-East and Far-East markets. The Italian market grew by 6% compared to 2015. Thanks to the strong boost received from the U.S. market and the growing stability of the European market, the company is now wagering on the two brands that have made its history in order to increase its competitive edge with medium-high end consumers and as regards major international projects.