Tile International 1/2014

ISSN2039-8301

Mosbuid & Coverings 2014

AD: IKOS

OUR PORCELAIN stONEwARE ELIMINAtE BACtERIA

Every environment where the quality of life needs to be improved (home, workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities and swimming pools) requires new generation products. this is why Casalgrande Padana has invested in research and came up with Bios Antibacterial速 Ceramics, a bioactive wall and floor application product with top level antibacterial properties, so much that it is capable of eliminating 99.9% of the main bacterial strains in any light condition and also in complete darkness.

BIOACTIVE CERAMICS www.casalgrandepadana.com www.biosceramics.com

Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E Bodentemperierung mit Schlüter®-DITRA Technologie Floor heating system with Schlüter®-DITRA technology

Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E ist ein System zur elektrischen Bodentemperierung, welches schnell wohlig warme Fußböden schafft. Die Heizkabel von Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E werden in der Entkopplungsmatte überall dort verlegt, wo schnell und gezielt Bodenflächen erwärmt werden sollen. Durch eine flexible Steuerung von Temperaturen und Heizzeiten über den SchlüterFußbodentemperaturregler schaffen Sie mit Schlüter®-DITRAHEAT-E warme Fliesen wann und wo Sie wollen.

Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E is a system for electrical floor heating that quickly creates comfortably warm floors. The heating cables of Schlüter®-DITRA-HEAT-E are installed in the uncoupling mat below the specific floor areas you want to heat up quickly. Thanks to the flexible control of temperatures and heating times provided by the Schlüter floor thermostat, you can use Schlüter®-DITRAHEAT-E to create warm tiles whenever and wherever you choose.

Funktionen auf einen Blick: Functions at a glance:

Argumente, die überzeugen: System benefits include: wohlige Wärme im Handumdrehen  schafft Creates instant cozy warmth

Entkoppeln neutralisiert Uncoupling neutralizes Formveränderung deflection forces

temperierte Zonen können individuell  ausgelegt werden Rissüberbrückung Crack-bridging

Heating zones can be configured individually für Renovierungen dank  ideal niedriger Aufbauhöhe Ideally suited for renovation projects thanks to low assembly height mit bewährter DITRA-Technologie  entkoppelt Uncoupling with proven DITRA technology

Lastabtragung

direkt in den Untergrund

Load transfer

directly into the substrate

Einfache Verlegung der Heizkabel Simple installation of heating cables

Fliesen auch auf kritischen  warme Untergründen Warms tiles even on problematic substrates

Schlüter-Systems KG · Schmölestraße 7 · D-58640 Iserlohn · Tel.: +49 2371 971-0 · Fax: +49 2371 971-111 · www.schlueter-systems.com

Witness the Grande Pleasure of COTTO 2014 collection Visit COTTO at Coverings �Booth # 19037

April 29th – May 2nd, 2014 at Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Media planning and advertising.

→

Media relations.

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Direct e-mail Marketing.

Restrained Measured

G e n t l e FORCEFUL a c c o m o d a t i n g

E m p h a t i c

Emphatic

Familiar

Sophisticated

Humorous

Determined

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Content for websites, blogs and social media.

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Database creation.

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Dignified

Solemn

R e s p e c t f u l

Economic and technical articles, case histories, interviews and product data sheets.

Accomodating

Determined

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Respectful Determined

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EMPHATIC Restrained F i r m L i v e l y Determined CONSIDERATE

Sincere

Emphatic

Direct Passionate

gentle

Earnest RESTRAINED

National and international press office.

Forceful

Passionate Discreet

Sophisticated

Diplomatic

Lively

lemn Formal dS o e t e r m i n e d Sophisticated Familiar

F o r c e f u l

relaxed

INFORMAL f i r m

Measured

L o f t y

Humorous

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Accommodating

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Firm

RESTRAINED

Sincere Resolute

gentle

Considerate

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T a c t f u l Forceful Emphatic

Determined

INFORMAL LOFTYS o l e m n

SERIOUS

Passionate

informal

Ta c t f u l

Discreet

Choose the TONE of your communication.

Organisation of events, technical conferences, open houses, workshops and educational initiatives.

INtono Comunicazione offers the services of Villa Marchetti, an eighteenth-century villa in Baggiovara (Modena) that has rooms equipped for any kind of event. www.villamarchetti.it

INtono Comunicazione S.r.l. - Via Martinella, 71 - 41043 Maranello (MO) - c/o Omniadvert S.p.A.

ufficiostampa@intonocomunicazione.it www.intonocomunicazione.it

IN IT DE

ALY

R.L.S. NEW “3D” CLIP

MA

Raimondi Levelling System

just one clip for any installation layout (patented)

before

coverings booth # 2096

after

R.L.S. (Raimondi Levelling System) the leveling system which revolutionized tile installation, enhances thanks to the innovative “3D” clip (patented).

Indeed, the new “3D” clip in addition to level (“lippage” removal) it creates the joint (both with “+” and “T” layout) in both orthogonal sides of the tiles.

Thanks to the retractable “spacing fins”, the “3D” clip is suitable to be positioned both in the tiles intersections (both “+” and “T” layout) and on the tiles sides.

Example of cross layout. Use on both tiles intersections and sides.

Its flat configuration reduces volumes by nearly 50% (in comparison with the standard R.L.S. clips) Prior to use, with a simple and fast movement, put the “3D” clip bridge in vertical position.

The “3D” clip accepts the same wedges and pliers of all other R.L.S. clips. It works on tiles thickness from 3 mm up to 12 mm (1/8” – 1/2”). It creates a joint of 1,5 mm (1/16”).

Raimondi: since 1974 we are committed to create innovation. Not to emulate it.

Example of “T” layout. Use on tiles intersections.

SINCE 1974 INNOVATION FOR THE TILE SETTING PROFESSIONAL

Via R. Dalla Costa 300/A - 41122 - Modena tel.: +39 059 280888 raiutens@raimondiutensili.it http://tilelevelingsystem.raimondispa.com/ raimondiutensili.it

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Contents 11 - Editorial

The global construction industry

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

12 - PHOTOnews

Casalgrande Padana for MAST 14 - Tilefax 30 - PHOTOnews

Listone Giordano at LARTE, Milano Statistics 32 - Constructions in the world: markets and prospects 34 - Constructions in Europe, 76° Euroconstruct 36 - A new phase of growth in the USA, UK and Germany

by Antonio Mura

by Daniele Girardi

In the Spotlight 60 - Rondinegroup makes its debut in Turkey 62 - KMG, a new giant between Asia and Africa 66 - Del Conca launches production in the USA 70 - Companies showcased

Profiles protagonist ad Mosbuild Cersanex & Coverings 73 - focus on Architecture

that is... HomeMaterials

download

by Andrew Whitmire

by Milena Bernardi

by Paola Giacomini

60 66 62

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

by Paola Giacomini

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

Cover picture by Giancarlo Pradelli @ Cersaie 2013 CERAMICA COLLI - "Wow" porcelain tile collection - www.colli.it Advertiser’s list: page 19 www.tiledizioni.it

smartphone

free

40 - PHOTOnews

Tagina for Villa Balke, Naples Economic&Market 42 - The construction industry in Russia 46 - Strong recovery in the United States 50 - Constructions booms in Saudi Arabia 54 - Exports driving Spain’s growth 58 - Slow improvement for the Italian tile

for tablet and

The new Piemmegres architectural solutions

Geostone, Newstone, Purestone: these are the names of the new Piemmegres architectural surfaces: new porcelain stoneware technological slabs, ecological and available in a broad range of 15 different colours and 11 shapes, from 8x45 cm to 80x80 cm, numerous finishes and three-dimensional structures, evoking the painstaking craftsmanship, put into a strictly 100% Made in Italy product.

Piemmegres puts at designers’ disposal resistant, non-absorbent slabs with a strong character, ideal for personalizing indoor and outdoor projects.

Piemmegres materials already play a leading role in many private and public building works all over the world. Try the Piemmegres architectural solutions for yourself.

Contact us for more details or to ask for the visit by one of our consultants.

Industrie Ceramiche Piemme S.p.A. Via Del Crociale 42/44 41042 Fiorano - Modena - Italy - tel+39 0536 849111 - fax+39 0536 849402 - www.ceramichepiemme.it - info@ceramichepiemme.it

Editorial

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

The global construction industry ure of 7.3% of the workforce. *** In 2013, the Italian ceramic tile industry registered exports totalling around 300 million square metres, a 3.1% increase over 2012, but the national sales came in at less than 90 million square metres (-5.4%), due to the serious crisis experienced in the Italian property market. Instead, positive data emerged from the foreign markets, where the NAFTA area registered an increase of 12.5%, the Gulf Area a +11.7% and the Far East a +11.9%. Western Europe and the Balkan states remained almost stable, while sales in Central and Eastern Europe performed better (+4.5%).

The forecasts for 2014 envisage a 1.6% increase in total sales due to a substantial stability in the national market, and a 2.4% rise in exports.

5

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In 2013, in the United States, the construction industry (including the residential and non-residential public and private segments) registered an increase of 4.8% compared with the previous year, settling at 898.4 billion dollars. The US ceramic industry has also continued to expand, sustained by the growth of the property and construction markets: in the first nine

months of 2013, the consumption of ceramic tiles had reached 175.8 million sqm, presenting an increase of 12% compared with the same period in the previous year and, based on the data available, estimates show that at the end of 2013, the national consumption of ceramic tiles reached 230.2 million sqm, an increase of 12.9%.

Moreover, the recovery of the US property market is currently in full swing and for many months now, both the sales of houses and house prices have been higher than those registered in the same month of the previous year.

According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2014, the US economy should see a 2.6% improvement compared with the 1.6% rise experienced in 2013, and in line with the historical average of the last 15 years.

At the same time, inflation should remain low and unemployment is expected to remain stable at the current fig-

med

In Russia, in 2013, the increase in the GNP (+1.3% according to the latest estimates) notably slowed compared to the previous year (+3,5%).

The construction sector inevitably felt the brunt of this situation, closing the year for the first time ever with a negative result due to the falls experienced in the infrastructure and civil engineering segments, exacerbated by the cuts in the federal budget and in investments in fixed capital.

Instead, positive trends were registered in the non-residential segment, which saw a 24.7% increase in the surface area developed

for new constructions, and also in the residential segment, which ended with a 5.5% increase year-on-year.

The successful performances in these two segments have allowed the ceramic tile market to reach a new sales record: 231 million sqm, equal to a 5.7% increase compared with the previous year. The increase in demand has particularly benefited the local producers, raising their sales by 7.8%, while the increase in imports is less dramatic (up around 1.5%) from Spain and China.

LTi

Tile International 1/2014, distributed during the international exhibitions MosbuildCersanex (Moscow, 15/18 April) and Coverings (Las Vegas, USA 29 April/2 May), focuses largely on both the ceramic tiles markets in the United States and in Russia, and also on the global trend of the construction market.

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CASALGRANDE PADANA FOR MAST Bologna recently saw the launch of MAST - Manifattura di Arte, Sperimentazione e Tecnologia -, an advanced project that aims to develop creativity and encourage young people to set up business, based on an initiative by Isabella SerĂ gnoli, President of Coesia, leader in the sector of advanced automatic machinery and precision mechanics.

The project location is an innovative complex - 25,000 sqm - created by converting a disused industrial area.

The project, selected as part of an international competition, is designed by Claudia Clemente and Francesco Isidori of the Labics studio, and is characterised by both its components and the meticulous care taken to ensure the sustainability of the structure and management of the building.

13

The translucent, changeable architectural shell of MAST has a strong impact and encloses an extremely complex multi-purpose space, developed over three levels with a large underground car park.

Casalgrande Padana made a particular contribution to the creation of the multi-coloured shell that qualifies and identifies the areas dedicated to the Pre-School Nursery built within MAST. The well-known ceramic tile company was responsible for custom-producing around 2,000 sun slats, in extruded porcelain tile (made of porcelain tile elements with square section with a 5 cm side and 125 cm in length, laid vertically with an interaxis of 12.5 cm.), in addition to the Bios AntibacterialÂŽ slabs used to cover the walls and floors of the kitchen areas.

Tile International 1/2014

Tilefax

Companies, News & Markets PISCINE CASTIGLIONE: 9 SWIMMING POOLS AND 4 WATER SLIDES IN SOCHI Piscine Castiglione - Myrtha Pools participated in the realisation of the Sochi Water Park, the location of the 2014 Winter Olympics, where it was responsible for constructing 9 pools and 4 water slides.

The project overall has further enhanced both the park and indeed the entire city, which is well-known as the capital of the Russian holiday destinations located on the Black Sea. There are two indoor pools: one for children, featuring a geyser and a "mushroom" water feature, and one for adults, with a whirlpool. There is also a whirlpool in the large outdoor pool, which presents the largest range of water features: over 350 sqm including rivers and geysers.

There are four water slides created by Acquaparchi&Scivoli Castiglione, the division specialised in the design, production and installation of bespoke solutions for water parks: two kamikazes, a roller coaster and a boa.

The pools were created using Myrtha® technology: a patented, modular system, based on the use of stainless steel panels on which a layer of ultra-resistant, hard PVC is laminated at a high temperature. There are various benefits: from the extreme flexibility and accuracy of the design to the rapid installation, long duration and the lack of maintenance required.

THE TRANSATLANTIC AWARD GOES TO MOHAWK AND MARAZZI The Transatlantic Award, assigned by the American Chambers of Commerce in Italy to organisations that have made major contributions to relations between Italy and the USA, was awarded to honour the success of the integration

Tile International 1/2014

14

of Marazzi, the number one Italian brand in the ceramic tiles sector worldwide, and the Mohawk Industries Group, an American multinational, listed on the New York Stock Exchange and world leader in the wall and floor coverings sector with a turnover of over 7.5 billion dollars.

The award was presented to the managing director of Marazzi Italia, Mauro Vandini, by Vittorio Terzi and Simone Crolla, respectively the president and CEO of AmCham, during a gala evening held in Milan and attended by many important figures, including the US Ambassador, John R. Phillips.

Expressing his own thanks and those of Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum, Mauro Vandini emphasised that the integration of the two groups is already yielding extremely satisfactory results, such as the major investment plan set up in Italy for the expansion of the production lines, and in the technological innovation of the products.“I believe that this is an important sign of confidence – commented Mauro Vandini - not just in Marazzi and in the Italian ceramic industry, which is one of the most important sectors in the country's foreign trade balance, as we export almost 80% of what we produce, but also in Italy as a whole, as an industrial and manufacturing country”.

R&D Bertolotto

COLLECTION

25° by ARNAUDO model Boulevard Design Gianni Arnaudo AUTHENTIC CREATIVITY MADE IN ITALY. IT’S NOT SURPRISING LOOKING AT A BERTOLOTTO DOOR AS A WORK OF ART. IN BERTOLOTTO DOORS YOU WILL FIND THE UNIQUENESS AND THE PERSONALITY OF A COMPLETELY ITALIAN CREATIVE THINKING, GROUNDED ON HANDCRAFTED KNOWLEDGE, THAT GIVES LIFE TO THE GREATEST INTERIOR DOORS COLLECTION EVER PRODUCED. THE BERTOLOTTO DOORS, THE ORIGINALS.

www.bertolotto.com

Only doors since 1988

Tilefax

PLASTICWOOD SLATS AT PLAN DE CORONES PlasticWood provided the wall tiles for the energy efficiency refurbishment of the CAI shelter in Plan De Corones, the famous Italian ski resort located 2,235 metres above sea level.

The climate at these heights is severe, with extreme atmospheric situations that are notably variable throughout the year. For this reason, ensuring that the refuge would conform to the requisites of CasaClima called for a significant technological commitment, and for materials capable of withstanding the challenge.

Architect Paolo De Martin, energy consultant to CasaClima, chose Plastic-

Tile International 1/2014

Wood as an appropriate material for covering all the external walls, and this resulted in the building receiving CLASS B certification. An excellent result, given the location of the refuge, allowing CAI to access provincial aid that will cover 30% of the costs (the energy savings will be 6 times higher than those possible before the refurbishment).

"SMILE" BY CERAMICA CIELO AT THE RUS RESORT IN SOCHI Ceramica Cielo was perfectly showcased in the extremely prestigious environment at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia: indeed, its "Smile" and "Easy" collections decorated the bathrooms of the Rus Resort, a point of reference for top class hospitality in this context, and headquarters of Vladimir Putin's administration. Surrounded by over 22 hectares of sub-tropical parkland, it features swimming pools, spas and every imaginable comfort.

Being present here is an important reference for this top range sanitaryware manufacturer based in Fabrica (Rome).

16

CERAMICHE ATLAS CONCORDE AT ARCHITECT@WORK 2014 Atlas Concorde took part in Architect@ Work 2014, a live forum for architects and professionals in the building design sector held at Earls Court in London on 29 and 30 January.

This is the second consecutive year that London - one of the world's leading cities when it comes to design - has hosted what is now recognised as one of the main international events, bringing together architects, interior designers and professionals in the construction industry, as well as the most prominent manufacturers and distributors of building materials.

Atlas Concorde therefore decided to offer its own personal contribution to the design of modern, refined environments capable of meeting the highest requirements in terms of technological efficiency and design.

www.progressprofiles.com

Masterpieces to highlight

With a glance always oriented to the future.

cov erin 29 Ap gs las vega ril - 0 s 2M Stand ay 2014 l150 07 cer

studioverde

sane

x mo sb

uild mos 1 Pav 8 5-18 Apr cow il 201 .1 S 4 tand T205

Skirtings and Listello strips

Only Progress Profiles offers you a full range of skirtings and trims meeting every single need.

When beauty makes the difference.

New series have enriched our wide range of finishes: black line, with anodized, polished, brushed and crepè finishes and tuscany line, dedicated to modern country style.

Eye-catching details, it’s difficult to overlook them.

Exposure display for show room

Progress Profiles SpA

Certificated company UNI EN ISO 9001:2008

Tilefax

MAPEI WITH THE PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION ONCE AGAIN "Art inspires business. Business supports art". This is the slogan of the Intrapresæ Collezione Guggenheim project, with which Mapei has renewed its collaboration.

Begun back in 2008, Intrapresæ Collezione Guggenheim is the first and most famous Italian project based on private support for a museum, drawing in some of the leading national and international business names.

This year, as confirmation of its commitment, the Group has agreed to be the technical sponsor of the exhibition “Temi & Variazioni. L’impero della luce" ("Themes & variations. The empire of light"), supplying the products used to paint the walls of the exhibition hall. The product taking centre stage in this scenario is Dursilite, a washable, dirt-repel-

lent hydro paint for walls that is capable of combining excellent permeability to vapour and easy-to-clean properties with a superb, long-lasting protection.

This is the fourth edition of Temi & Variazioni, an exhibition formula conceived in 2002 by Luca Massimo.

The link between the Group and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has been strengthened over time as Mapei has played a fundamental role in the restoration of two important "Guggenheim art locations".

In 2008, Mapei worked on a project in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

The building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, had gradually become worse for wear due to the adverse weather conditions experienced over the years, and presented a large number of cracks. The work took into account the need to maintain a certain flexibility in the building's surface, to avoid the formation of

new cracks.

In 2009, the company then participated in the restoration of the Venice Museum.

The work concerned both the Istria stone facade of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal, and the renewal of the facade on Rio delle Torreselle,where the museum entrance is located.

In addition, Mapei was the Official Sponsor for the 2012 Cycling, Cubo-Futurism and the Fourth Dimension exhibition by Jean Metzinger's called "Al Velodromo" ("At the cycle-race trac"), organised by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of Venice to pay homage to the winner of the 1912 Paris-Roubaix race.

Mapei has always sustained the preservation of artistic heritage, and has used its products and technology to help restore important cultural landmarks such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari, the San Carlo Theatre in Naples, and the Palermo Archaeological Museum "Antonio Salinas".

PASSIONE SOSTIENE PASSIONE

REFIN THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET: CREATE YOUR TILE

Prendi parte anche tu con la tua azienda ad un progetto internazionale e sostieni la passione per l’arte con la passione del tuo lavoro.

L’ARTE ISPIRA L’IMPRESA, L’IMPRESA FA VIVERE L’ARTE

www.guggenheim-intrapresae.it

Tile International 1/2014

18

Refin launches “Create your tile” on the international scenario, a contest open to professionals – designers and architects – all over the world.

The design must be original, have sales potential, and be feasible to reproduce on an industrial scale: these are the key elements of the brief which involves contestants designing a collection of ceramic tiles in porcelain stoneware developed with one or more different graphic designs (up to a maximum of 20), in a square format (60x60cm or 75x75cm) and destined for use in residential and/ or commercial floors. The award will go to the design which makes the best use

of the latest production technologies and which constitutes the best example of the trends of contemporary interior design, so interpreting the values behind the research carried out by DesignTaleStudio, the Ceramiche Refin brand founded in 1995 as a creative laboratory with which to explore new technical and aesthetic solutions for porcelain tiles.

A qualified panel, composed of leading figures from the world of design, and chaired by architects Alessandro and Francesco Mendini, will choose the winners from a shortlist of 25 finalists.

The winning collection will be prototyped and produced, the winner being entitled to the relative royalties from its sale.

The company will undertake to sustain the finished product, devising appropriate strategies for its exhibition, advertisement and communication.

Entries can be submitted until 30 April; the 25 finalists will be chosen by 5 May, and by 5 June the panel will select the first three award winners, who will be announced in September.

The prices will be awarded at Cersaie 2014, in Bologna, from 22 to 26 September. A small preview of some of the designs will be on display during the Fuorisalone in Milan, to mark the official presentation of the contest to the press.

Tilefax

Advertiser's list

KALDEWEI: MULTI AWARD-WINNER FOR XETIS

Bertolotto

15

Bien

23

Kaldewei is celebrating, having won two prizes of great international prestige: the German Design Award 2014 and the Focus Open 2013.

Both the Xetis glazed steel shower tray and the Secure Plus anti-slip surface treatment by Kaldewei conquered the panel of judges at the German Design Award 2014, who awarded them a Special Mention for the “Home Interior” and “Industrial Goods and Materials” categories, while the Design Center in Stuttgart awarded the company the Focus Open 2013 title, again for the stylish design of the Xetis shower tray. Focus Open is the international Land Baden-Württemberg award assigned annually by the Stuttgart Design Center.

The recognition gained from the German "Rat für Formgebung" and the Design Center in Stuttgart are further confirmation of Kaldewei's role as market pioneer and bathroom style icon. By continuously developing state-of-the-art products, the company, which has won over one hundred international titles, continues the trend it has followed for the last 90 years: leading the market in terms of innovation.

Casalgrande Padana I nside Front Cover

Ceramics China

109

China Ceramics City

111

Cotto

2-3

Eterno Ivica

65

Future Ceramic

53

Intono

4

Kajaria

27

Marocchi 108 Maticad

95

Montolit

69

Negev

Inside Back Cover

Nuovo Corso

29

Piemme

9

Polcart 101 Progress Profiles

17

Raimondi

6

Rondine Group

10

Schlüter-Systems

1

Tagina

Back Cover

TCNA

45

Tecnargilla 112

19

Tek Arredamenti

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Top Cer

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Turkish Ceramic Federation

5

Verde 1999

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Tilefax

SCHLÜTER-SYSTEMS SUPPORTS ITALIAN TILE INSTALLER ASSOCIATION ASSOPOSA, an official association of specialised tile installation companies was recently founded in Italy to improve the previously unregulated occupational profile of tile installers, and to create a certified qualification and professional development process. Schlüter-Systems Italia is pleased to support the association from the very beginning, as one of its four select "Technical Partners."

"The invitation to be part of this organisation is another important recognition of the intensive training activities SchlüterSystems has been offering in the Italian market for years," commented a smiling Cristiano Ferrarini, Sales Director of Schlüter-Systems Italy and member of the founding committee of ASSOPOSA. "Our active involvement in the establishment and further development of ASSOPOSA will allow us to communicate the proven standards of the Schlüter Group for professional tile installation at the association level." At the core of the agenda established by the new association is creating the professional title of "Certified Tile Installer." According to the founders of ASSOPOSA, this qualification can only be awarded to parties that undergo a structured training and development programme which proves their adherence to professional standards. Thanks to this certification, the new professional title will create a high level of credibility that can be easily verified by third parties. "We are pleased to learn that Italy now has a regular professional association for tile installers. Together with the new installation standard UNI 11493, in which we also played a significant part, this will finally

Tile International 1/2014

provide the necessary technical basis and long overdue professional recognition that the Italian tile installation industry deserves," says Ferrarini.

KALE GROUP APPOINTS KALE ITALIA TO HANDLE ITS EXPORT SALES The relationship between Kale Italia and its Turkish parent company, Kale Group, is growing stronger by the day.

Indeed, Paolo Cavallacci, general manager of Kale Italia, recently announced: “With effect from 2014, Kale Italia's sales department has been appointed to manage all export sales made by the Group, except in the Middle Eastern, African and Turkish markets, which will continue to be managed by the central office, due to their geographical vicinity.

For the sales department at Kale Italia, this is a great breakthrough: we are now also responsible for the flows of ceramic tiles produced in Turkey and destined for Northern Europe, North and South America and the Far East. All the traffic will be managed by the hub in Sassuolo”.

On the other hand, the Bosphorus giant has ensured that it will work extremely closely with the branch and Leonardo De Muro, sales manager for Kale Italia, underlines “Our management staff has been assisted by Mr. Melike Kalafat for

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the management of marketing and logistic issues, and by Mr. Kaan Aktolung, chief financial officer for the management of the administrative relations between Italy and Turkey. In general, this is a significant recognition of Italy's managerial skills and of our capacity to distribute and sell on a global basis“.

Indeed, in 2013, Kale Italia had already reshuffled its management staff, and general manager Paolo Cavallacci, explains: “We have opened a new Key account & Contract division, managed by Roberto Sprocati. This now allows us to rely on a specialised, professional internal unit dedicated to the world of design, capable of accompanying and supporting professionals in the use of ceramic materials, with a view to optimising the infinite possibilities offered by the Kale range”. Furthermore, these new elements are part of a wider plan that sees the Kale Group aiming to extend and make better use of the Italian branch. The year 2013 saw a positive result in financial terms, further confirmation of the validity of the strategic and managerial decisions made by the Turkish multinational. The sales of Kale Italia increased by 25%, but its targets for 2014 are even more ambitious: as a result of reorganising its sales division, Kale Italia expects to confirm the trend registered

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in 2013 when sales were on the increase, while for the brands Kalebodur and Canakkale Seramik,the focus is on succeeding in penetrating close to 80% of the world market, a percentage which is clearly on the increase compared to current levels.

"BEST OF BEST" FOR AXOR During the IMM event in Cologne, the design brand Axor Hansgrohe received the "Interior Innovation Award - "Best of Best" 2014 for its new Axor ShowerProducts designed by the Swedish trio Front, and the Axor LampShower head by Japanese designer Oki Sato, Studio Nendo.

This prestigious title, created in 2002, is one of the most sought after in the sector: "I am truly excited because I consider this prize to be the most significant proof of these three years of intense collaboration with the Swedish trio Front and the Japanese studio Nendo" commented Philippe Grohe at the award ceremony, together with Anna Lindgren and Charlotte von der Lancken. The new products won the award for their high level of technology and original approach in terms of style. The Axor LampShower shower head won the approval of the panel thanks to its innovative poetic combination of light and water, proposed in an innovative form, also from a technical point of view; the showers designed by Front convinced the panel due to the functional nature, ergonomics and user-friendliness of a design that succeeds in producing a stylistic creation with an old Testament industrial flavour. Since 1974 to date, Hansgrohe has received more than 300 international awards, including the Red Dot - Best of the Best Design Award and

the IF Gold Product Design Award. For three years it also won the Design Award of the German Federal Republic: the country's top official design award, considered the "crème de la crème of all awards". Currently, Hansgrohe is at 11th position in the list of the top 2,000 design companies in the International Forum Design (iF). With 680 points, it even surpasses important historical brands such as Daimler, Hewlett Packard, Loewe and Porsche.

RAIMONDI PRESENTS ITS NEW “3D” BASE Raimondi SpA (www.raimondi.com) continues to develop specific products and equipment for ceramic tile installation, and one example of these is the new “3D” base for R.L.S. tile levellers. - Raimondi Levelling System R.L.S.“3D” is a single base, which can be used with any installation system. The product features the following characteristics: • In addition to levelling the tiles, the "3D" base also creates inter-tile spacing in "+" and "T" formations in both orthogonal sides of the tiles.

• Thanks to its retractable spacing elements, the "3D" base can be positioned both on the junctions between the tiles and on the sides of the same.

Therefore, when installing large format

21

tiles, if positioning the base in the junctions alone is not sufficient in order to guarantee perfect levelling, the "3D" base can be used in both positions.

• The "3D" base can be used with the same wedges and levelling pliers as the other bases in the R.L.S. system.

• The flat nature of the "3D" base reduces the volumes to be transported by 50% compared with standard R.L.S. systems.

• Before use, straighten the bridge of the "3D" base to a vertical position with a simple movement.

• Minimum spacing width: 1.5 mm. (As required by UNI standard U87005510).

• Tile thickness: minimum 3 mm, maximum 12 mm.

Raimondi ended 2013 in line with its previous year. Moreover, 2013 saw the company's export turnover (52%) exceeding its national income (48%). Outside Europe, the company's biggest export markets are still North America and Oceania, but in 2013 Raimondi also increased its export sales to "new" areas, including Russia, the Gulf nations and the Far East, in particular Thailand, North Korea and Taiwan. Instead, Raimondi has already been present in the Japanese market for several years.

Tile International 1/2014

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“PERCORSI IN CERAMICA” NO. 28 IS DEDICATED TO DANIEL LIBESKIND Focusing once more on the special relationship between Casalgrande Padana and the word of design, the latest issue of “Percorsi in Ceramica” has been dedicated to the work of Daniel Libeskind, interpreted through two of the recent projects that involved him with the company.

The first of these was the project to create the CityLife residences in Milan, for which 50,000 sqm of ceramic tiles for the facade were supplied, made using materials and laying techniques studied specifically for the site.

Secondly, the Pinnacle installation - designed and built for Bologna Water Design 2013. Here Libeskind was responsible for both the architectural design and that of the ceramic tile, developed

percorsi 28

together with the company's Research and Development division.

The company's relationship with the New York architect was then further consolidated by way of a contract securing his participation in the design and creation of several new series of floor and wall porcelain tiles, previewed in the form of the slabs used for Pinnacle installation.

The story of these experiences regarding architecture, design and industrial production is complete with the exclusive contribution made alongside the award ceremony for the IX edition of the Casalgrande Padana Grand Prix, where Libeskind, as guest of honour, gave a Lectio magistralis.

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CASALGRANDE PADANA Pave your way

Tile International 1/2014

It is called FILA-solutions and it is the new FILA application for smartphones and tablets, designed for site professionals, resellers and all those who care about their homes.

FILA-solutions allow users round-theclock access to the best solutions for meeting a wide range of unique requirements: from maintenance to cleaning at the end of the project, to treatments for protecting the surfaces, to the removal of domestic stains.

Initially available in Italian and English for all types of smartphones and tablets (both Apple and Android) and entirely free of charge, the new app has various functions: - “Treatment systems”: it identifies the ideal treatment for each type of sur-

22

face (natural stone, ceramics, cotto, wood and other materials), with the possibility of saving it in the device's "favourites" to enable easy consultation at a later date; - “Treatment phases”: it describes the operations involved in each phase of the treatments (pre-treatment, postinstallation cleaning, protection, finishing and maintenance); - "What to do if...": the answers to frequently asked questions about common problems (stains, mould, infiltration issues etc.); - “Catalogue of products”: with detailed information on FILA products, certifications, videos on treatment and technical product details; - “Store locator”: with the possibility of setting the navigator so that it leads the user to the nearest store; - “Technical assistance”: direct line to the FILA technical service where users can request information and advice.

- “Dosing feature”: for easy identification of the quantity of product necessary for each treatment (an extremely useful tool for the reseller who needs to advise his customer, but also for the customer himself, who can use it to calculate how much product to purchase).

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MASTERPIUMA P3

BY MONTOLIT The ceramic industry, and the Italian ceramic industry in particular, is constantly proposing new materials, the most notable of which are increasingly the "large" sized tiles and the "thin" 3, 4, 5 and 6 mm products, items which are becoming more and more popular in the most prestigious architectural solutions.

It is therefore natural that the solutions developed to treat these new products have multiplied within the tile installation sector. Brevetti Montolit (www.montolit.com) has just launched the new MasterPiuma P3 tile cutter on the market, a product that is extremely popular due to its unquestionable performances on the 120 and 150cm sizes.The company has also updated its range of equipment for processing 3 metre plates, offering new solutions for cutting tiles with finer grit CM diamond wheel cutters and FPB and FPE products for processing bullnose and jolly nose edges.

In the picture MasterPiuma P3: professional manual tile cutter (push scoring), capable of cutting all types of ceramic tiles with a thickness of between 0-22 mm accu-

Tile International 1/2014

rately and rapidly. Also perfect for diagonal cutting, cutting vitrified tiles and, with the addition of a special accessory - a little vulcanised rubber mat called Mosakit, a truly unique piece of equipment for the tiler/mosaic layer - it can even cut ceramic and vitreous mosaic tiles.

MasterPiuma P3 is also equipped with a special cutter which makes thickened and/or particularly hard tiles easier to cut. Available in different sizes: from 44 to 155 centimetres.

tant professional series, the various wellness environments and a selection of kitchen products. Inspired by the format of the latest magazines, despite its hefty size, the new catalogue proves pleasant to browse, just like a magazine.

The decision to create materials specifically for use in France confirms the intentions of Nobili Rubinetterie to focus on foreign markets, and in particular on the transalpine country which has always been the company's most privileged partner.

NOBILI RUBINETTERIE TARGETS THE EXPORT MARKET. READY FOR FRANCE As they have already done in Italy, Nobili Rubinetterie is also launching a new marketing strategy for France, which focuses on spotlighting its product range more effectively and reaching a wider audience. It is doing this with a new pricelist and sensory catalogue, now being distributed in the French market.

The pricelist has a simpler overall layout, which is designed to assist the customer in choosing from the various options available, by offering organised, accurate proposals that are quick and easy to understand. Moreover, it is made by combining two single units turned upside down, so distinctly separating the brand designed by Teknobili from its professional Nobili counterpart. Although both catalogues are presented in one single volume, in this way the company clearly emphasises the different identity of the two types of product.

The customer can also consult the sensory catalogue just as quickly, with more than 300 pages illustrating the entire series of designs by the Italian company, including accessories, the more impor-

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FLAVIKER CONTEMPORARY ECO CERAMICS IS HERE A new logo and a new name for Flaviker which, since its entry into ABK Group in 2007, has launched a programme to redefine its brand identity, today succeeding in definitively abandoning the brand Pi.sa. A significant step which became official on 16 January during the first meeting of the sales force held under the new name “Flaviker Contemporary Eco Ceramics�. The product range currently offered by Flaviker Contemporary Eco Ceramics, with its ever wider choice of sizes and

Tilefax

finishes that guarantee maximum performance in indoor and outdoor environments, is described in the new catalogue, characterised by innovative "visual" solutions and abandoning minimal tiles in favour of ceramic "carpets" which are capable of enhancing the fine aesthetic qualities of the new collections. The same method was used to present the unique features of Dakota, a new series of ceramic tiles officially launched for the first meeting of the sales team organised by Flaviker Contemporary Eco Ceramics.

Dakota is a collection in wood effect porcelain stoneware with a rustic flavour, embellished by the signs left by time and the natural faults intrinsic to the wood. The richness of its details would not be as easy to perceive through one single piece. But the clearest sign that the company has changed is the “green” soul of the new Flaviker, bringing ceramics closer to the current requirements of eco-sustainability: “In addition to reconfirming its target products, Flaviker has added a new mission to its portfolio ¬ explained the director Alessandro Fabbri - linked to the theme of protecting the environment”.

In this regard, when producing its main ceramic collections, the company uses 40% recycled materials in the body, as certified by Bureau Veritas, and the collections are therefore examples of the company's attempts to define a new sustainable type of construction, gaining access to LEED credits (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

NUOVOCORSO MAKES IT DEBUT AT COVERINGS Revolutionising the extrusion technology, NuovoCorso has renewed the porcelain tile production process, creating a range of floors particularly popular due to their large dimensions, which are possible as the result of the physical characteristics of the extruded material.

The production system, a new concept in the contemporary porcelain tile industry, was designed in an attempt to increase the percentage of recycled material used, consume less energy and produce less emissions.

Its respect for the environment is accompanied by extraordinary aesthetics and a superb level of performance.

It is available in large sizes and in an unprecedented range of different aesthetic effects: and this range of designs within each series of the 120x120 range is indeed the most significant design element; when laid, each series creates an extremely effective, natural environment.

25

CERSAIE OPENS ITS DOORS TO OTHER FLOOR TILES AND LININGS Confindustria Ceramica and BolognaFiere, signed an agreement that confirms BolognaFiere exhibition area as headquarters of the 2015 - 2017 editions of Cersaie scheduling the event, as usual, between the end of September and the first week of October.

Cersaie is the first exhibition in the world for ceramic tile companies (482 during the last edition) and bathroom furnishings providers (269). For the 2014 edition it will expand the standard product sectors to include other material for internal/external floor and wall coverings, such as the different types and variations of marble, natural stone and wood.

Cersaie aims to share its points of excellence and appeal also with the companies interested by this product sector expansion, aware that the new exhibitors of a certain value present at the 2014 will be able to seize the opportunity and generate added value for the exhibition and create an array of compelling attractions. Cersaie's fame and international acknowledgement reside in the visitors' countries of origin, and in fact the 100,769 attendees for the 2013 edition originated from 157 countries; of these, 46,535 were foreigners, up 4.2% from Cersaie 2012.

Tile International 1/2014

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SCHLÜTER-SYSTEMS: THE GERMAN ARCHITECTS' FAVOURITE SOLUTION Chosen by its fellow German architects and designers as the best product in the ceramic tile installation system sector, the multinational Schlüter-Systems was the proud winner of the “Architects’ Darling 2013” award.

The well-known market research company Heinze Gmbh announced the result based on the national poll performed on 2000 German architects and designers, who were asked to indicate their top companies and brands in 24 different categories in the building industry from a shortlist of 200 contestants.

The winners were announced last November during an important gala evening held in the city of Celle in lower Saxony, bringing together the main leaders in the building sector.

Managing Director Udo Schlüter, who accepted the prestigious phoenix before an audience of over 250 guests, from Jörg Kreuder, Sales Director of Heinze, commented as follows: “Receiving the Architects’ Darling award is a great honour for us and a wonderful sign of trust. It shows that our systems

and innovative solutions are recognised and widely appreciated by architects and designers and that they are the sector's first choice when it comes to working with ceramic tiles and natural stone”.

EDILTECO, PROTAGONIST AT BUDMA Italian firm Edilteco, a leader in the production of lightweight thermal insulating mortar, is taking all its experience in the fields of thermal and acoustic building insulation to Budma, taking place in Poznan (Poland) from 11th to 14th March.

Protection against noise is a primary goal of the research carried out in Edilteco's dBred division that, together with international partners, has formulated lab-certified construction systems using

Tile International 1/2014

26

top quality raw materials (above all polyethylene and SBR rubber).

One in particular is the new range of dBred anti-vibration hooks made of metal and an elastomeric material, designed to mitigate vibrations - a product that is now the flagship for this Modenabased company.

Edilteco is also taking part in Budma 2014 in its new capacity as a “local” producer: SLM Polska, based in Poznan, has in fact been set up. It will manufacture Politerm - a highly popular Edilteco solution already produced directly in various markets around the world: Algeria, China, Venezuela, Gabon and Panama.

The production of Politerm (a particularly lightweight aggregate consisting of polystyrene pearls with the addition of E.I.A - EdiltecoInsulating Additive - that satisfies the Itaca and Leed protocols) is about to be launched in Poland too.

The Politerm line is ideal for creating foundations and single-layer screeds, slopes on flat terraces and roofs, insulation in inaccessible lofts, roof insulation, for filling vaults, for surrounding roofs made of asbestos cement sheets, for filling the under-surface area of roads in asphalt, for making the foundations for industrial flooring.

Tilefax

LITOKOL PRODUCTS ARE ALSO WINNERS AT SOCHI 2014 Through Litokol Russia, its Russian subsidiary, Litokol, a leading Italian company specialised in the production of adhesives, sealants, building materials and interior decoration, recently supplied special products for the construction of the Olympic village in Adler and the Krasnaya Polyana ski resort, two key locations of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, in addition to other products used to create other prestigious infrastructures.

Litokol supplied innovative products for grouting the floors of the new station and an area within the Adler Olympic Village, including the Starlike epoxy grouting product.

The Adler Olympic Village, located 30 Km from Sochi and with an overall capacity of 3,000 people, stood out as it had personalised the athletes' accommodation, which overlooked the Black Sea, based on their requests.

Krasnaja Poljana, where the competitions took place, also hosted state-ofthe-art residential facilities, including the Rosa Hutor resort.

Here, Litokol supplied the full range of products, including adhesives, grouts for concrete and epoxy-based products, required for facing the swimming pools, and it also provided the Litotherm system to insulate the buildings from cold and noise.

In the key sites used for the XXII Winter Games in Sochi, Litokol also supplied products to create “Laura”, a facility seating 7,500 spectators located on the peak of the Psekhako Ridge, north east of Krasnaya Polyana, used for the biathlon and cross country skiing competi-

Tile International 1/2014

tions. In this case, Litokol adhesives and grouting were used to create the floors on the buildings serving as offices, lobbies, hospitality and media centres.

An important brand in the Russian building sector, Litokol Russia has been present in Noginsk near Moscow for over 10 years, on an area totalling 22,000 sqm.

The first production facility was built in 2002 and its factories are equipped with the very latest Italian equipment and technologies.

The company's sales strategy is to focus on widely extending its market share in the area, and over the years this has led to the opening of 26 branches, with offices and warehouses dotted all over the territory, from St.Petersburg to Vladivostok.

“It shouldn't come as a surprise to see that Litokol is one of the suppliers of building products at Sochi 2014 - comments Litokol sales director, Alessandro Turini - if we consider that our company has been exporting to Russia for more than 20 years, and that it has had its own production unit since 2002. Today, by positioning itself as one of the leading brands in the sector, the Litokol range is an extremely effective combination of local productions and Italian products. In 2013, a year that ended for Litokol Italia with a substantial confirmation of the turnovers reached in the previous two-year period, the Russian market again showed increases of more than 20%, bringing the global turnover of the Litokol brand to more than 70 million euro”.

Litokol has been promoting innovative solutions for professionals in the building and design sectors worldwide since 1968. Litikol is present in over 90 countries worldwide and, in addition to Rus-

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sia, it also works directly in the Chinese, Ukrainian and Armenian markets through sales companies or production facilities.

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LISTONE GIORDANO AT LARTE, MILAN The collection Vibrazioni of the Natural Genius line by Listone Giordano, has been used to floor one of the exclusive rooms in Larte, a venue recently opened near the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and dedicated to the Italian food & restaurant excellences.

Larte is an innovative concept, based on “contamination": cafe, homemade chocolate shop, pub, restaurant, gallery, luxury store. In other words: good food, good wine, fashion and design, or the very best of Italian products.

Everything is on sale at Larte: from chocolate to works of art and furniture (featuring designers from Achille Castiglioni to Fortunato Depero and artists ranging from Arnaldo Pomodoro to Alberto Burri).

Larte is an initiative organised by the Altagamma Foundation, a collection of exceptional quality Italian businesses including Alessi, Artemide, Baratti & Milano, Bellavista, Cà Del Bosco, Caffarel, Cantine Ferrari, Capri Palace Hotel, illycaffè, MK Consulting, Federico Regalia, Sanpellegrino and Santo Versace.

It was therefore natural that one of the excellent partners who participated in creating the Larte venue was Listone Giordano, the world-renowned master in the production of wooden floors. Moreover, the design of Vibrazioni wooden flooring is perfect for Larte: a place where good food and wine share a home with the arts, design and fashion, all with a view to creating a unique new alliance uniting

top-of-the-range companies.

Thanks to the particular 3-degree cut at the ends of the boards and the random installation of the three colour tones that compose the design, Vibrazioni of the Natural Genius line by Listone Giordano, is a weave of geometric patterns with a strong visual impact, forging the way for unexpected emotional experiences.

Vibrazioni expresses dynamism, speed and a great ability to create an atmosphere by the contrast between its light and dark shades and the naturalness of the wood.

It has a particular finish which also incorporates the anti-bacterial technology Crystalcare: a solvent-free varnish with a natural, matt appearance, applied after a brushing process.

VIBRAZIONI design by Marco Tortoioli Ricci • Total thickness: 11 mm • Hardwood thickness: 3.5 mm • Body with multi-layered birch wood: 7.5 mm • Width: 90 mm • Length: 781 mm • Type of laying: glued • Type of finish:high-resistance U.V. Oil • Surface finish: brushed 31

Tile International 1/2014

Statistics

by Antonio Mura

Constructions in the world: markets and prospects

ď ‘

The information system of the worldwide construction market, Cresme/ SIMCO, includes short-medium term scenarios and forecasts for investments in construction, fixed investments and the GDP for 150 countries (corresponding to 99% of the worldwide GDP). But which international markets display the best prospects according to this system?

To answer this question, SIMCO provides a scenario rating (SIMCOscore) defined using statistic meshup procedures (multivariate analysis on a set of pre-established indicators) which take into consideration: investment strength, expected growth in constructions, expected growth in per capita wealth, economic dimension, economic freedom and business freedom. • The term investment strength refers to the average ratio of

The top ten countries Country

Strength of investment (GFCF/ GDP average 2017-2013)

Expected growth in constructions (Average 2017-2013)

Expected growth in wealth per capita (increase 2017/2013)

Economic dimension (GDP 2012 billion euro)

Economic freedom

Business freedom

SIMCO Score

SaudiArabia

30.57%

5.10%

11.72%

565.47

60.6

68.2

64.68

Qatar

27.73%

7.00%

10.15%

142.57

71.3

69.4

63.75

Romania

27.65%

4.10%

13.78%

131.69

65.1

70.4

63.95

Chile

24.70%

4.10%

20.55%

208.50

79

70.5

64.33

Peru

26.92%

7.60%

24.44%

154.72

68.2

72.3

66.46

Thailand

29.48%

4.50%

23.02%

284.22

64.1

73.2

66.52

Morocco

37.50%

6.20%

22.02%

75.82

59.6

76.4

69.43

Malaysia

26.68%

5.40%

18.32%

235.98

66.1

79.9

64.76

Australia

28.66%

6.10%

9.59%

1198.72

82.6

95.5

63.81

Singapore

28.02%

4.70%

10.91%

214.99

88

97.1

63.62

Source: Edilbox.it Tile International 1/2014

32

Statistics

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fixed investments and Gross Domestic Product expected for the forecast period 2017-2013, and is literally the "economic" strength of investment (infrastructures, product areas and plants, residential buildings, machinery, etc.) sustained in the country.

• The expected growth of the investments in constructions is determined as an average of the forecast period 2017-2013 and identifies the markets with the best growth prospects.

• The expected growth in wealth per capita provides indications about the increase in availability of private investment (the per-capita GDP is also used as a proxy for the income, as there are no measures available for all the countries that can be compared on the average level of salary).

• The economic dimension, in terms of the GDP, is an indicator of economic stability.

• The indicators of economic freedom and business freedom (developed by the Heritage-Foundation, the Wall Street Journal and the World Bank) measure the social and economic competitiveness of a territory and its propensity for welcoming private investments.

The top ten countries identi-

fied by SIMCO are listed in the table.

It is interesting to note that all five continents are represented. Morocco is the only African country present, but also the top country in terms of overall score, as it has a high level of expected fixed investments in relation to the GDP, an expected growth in construction sector of more than 6% per year (in real values), an expected increase in the GDP per capita of more than 20%, accompanied by a good business freedom score. South East Asia is in any case the best-represented area with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

The latter is the world leader in terms of economic freedom and wealth per capita.

In South America, Peru and Chile are the nations displaying the best prospects.

In Europe Romania is the only country qualified to figure in the list, also due to a high expected investment strength, especially in the basic infrastructure and transport sectors.

The same goes for Australia, while it is surprising that none of the so-called BRICS are present in the top ten markets with potential, due substantially to their scores for economic freedom and business freedom registering lower than the international averages.

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Statistics

ď ‘

The year 2013 represented the lowest point of development for volume of construction in Europe. Starting from 2014, construction output will again start to increase, although at a very slow pace.

This is the development forecast by Euroconstruct, the leading European research group for research and analysis of the construction industry, which includes 19 European countries (EC19).

Development of construction output is significantly related to the state of the economy.

The state of household, company and state budgets is reflected in willingness to invest in new construction or renovation of existing buildings. A standstill of growth in the economy in the GDP indicator after 2007 and 2011 was fundamentally reflected in a rapid decline in construction output in all types of construction (residential, non-residential and civil engineering). The total volume of construction in Euroconstruct countries decreased from 2007 to the year 2013 by 22%, i.e. EUR 360 billion (in constant prices). In the group of Western European countries (EC15), this drop in production is very significant, the current value (EUR 1,214 billion) being comparable with the level in the middle of the 1990s. It must be added that 60% of this decline is attributed to Spain. The countries of Central and Eastern

Tile International 1/2014

Construction in Europe, 76° Euroconstruct 2007, is coming to an end. If we compare the volume of construction output in 2007 with the forecast volume at the end of 2013, we can see a decline by more than 26% (in constant prices). The forecast for further development for 2014 estimates growth by +1.4%, by +2.2% in 2015 and by +2.3% in 2016.

In 2012, residential construc-

Europe (EC4) are as a whole more successful in this respect, because their current value (EUR 70 billion) is comparable with 2006/2007, when these countries were still undergoing rapid growth (from 2003 until 2008 growth by 42%). It seems that the period of turbulence, which has been accompanying European residential construction since

tion in Euroconstruct countries (EC19) made up 32.6% of the total volume of construction and even 42.5% in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (EC4). Construction of new non-residential buildings dropped in 2013 by more than 5%, the same as in 2012. The decline is expected to slow down in 2014 (-1.0%) and the outlook for new con-

Total construction output (% change in real terms) Estimate 2010

2011

2012

2013

Forecasts 2014

Outlook

2015

2016

Austria

-3.9

2.5

2.5

0.5

1.2

1.3

0.8

Belgium

0.4

4.3

0.5

-1.3

1.2

1.6

1.7

Denmark

-6.4

5.2

-1.3

2.4

3.3

4.2

5.3

Finland

6.4

2.4

-3.7

-2.7

0.5

1.6

2.8

France

-5.9

4.3

0.3

-2.8

-1.5

0.9

2.2

Germany

2.5

5.2

-1.2

0.3

2.7

1.2

0.7

-28.1

-17.5

-16.8

-3.5

9.8

8.2

10.6

Italy

-6.0

-2.6

-6.3

-3.3

-0.3

1.1

1.7

Netherlands

-9.4

3.8

-7.2

-5.0

0.4

3.4

5.1

Norway

-0.9

6.3

5.5

3.7

3.6

3.7

2.0

Ireland

Portugal

-6.2

-10.0

-15.5

-16.5

-3.0

2.0

3.0

-17.8

-20.4

-31.8

-23.0

-6.7

-0.5

2.9

Sweden

4.4

3.1

-2.4

-0.4

1.6

2.9

2.2

Switzerland

2.8

2.6

2.6

2.8

3.6

1.2

1.2

Spain

United Kingdom

6.7

2.1

-7.8

-1.1

2.4

3.1

2.5

Western Europe (E-15)

-3.5

0.0

-5.4

-2.7

0.9

1.7

2.1

Czech Republic

-7.3

-3.8

-7.7

-8.2

-4.2

-0.9

1.2

Hungary

-9.4

-9.7

-4.3

1.3

7.4

6.4

6.3

Poland

4.6

11.6

0.0

-8.9

3.5

4.4

5.6

Slovak Republic

-3.6

-2.8

-13.8

-7.8

-0.8

1.8

2.2

Eastern Europe (EC-4)

-1.1

4.1

-3.2

-7.7

1.9

3.3

4.6

Euroconstruct Countries (EC-19)

-3.4

0.3

-5.2

-3.0

0.9

1.8

2.2

Source: Euroconstruct (76th conference) 34

Statistics

Construction Output by Segments (EC19) - (% change in real terms) Estimate 2010

2011

2012

2013

Forecasts 2014

Outlook

2015

2016

Residential

-1.9

1.9

-4.2

-2.2

1.4

2.2

2.3

Non-Residential

-5.3

0.0

-4.6

-3.4

0.0

1.4

2.3

Civil Engineering

-3.6

-2.4

-8.2

-4.0

1.2

1.6

1.7

Total construction output

-3.4

0.3

-5.2

-3.0

0.9

1.8

2.2

Source: Euroconstruct (76th conference) EUROCONSTRUCT is a group of 19 specialised research organisations in Europe, which has been active since 1975. Over its period of operation, it has gained international recognition, both thanks to its unique nature and also especially thanks to the high quality of information offered. Euroconstruct regularly provides analyses of the construction market including expert forecasts of further development. The following are member countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

35

struction for the following years is already in the black, specifically, +1.4% and +2.9%. Western European countries will however grow more slowly than Eastern European ones. There is a significant share of renovation in the non-residential construction building sector (almost 50% in Western European countries).

The volume of renovation did not decline to such an extent in past years (at most -3.4% in 2013) and this partially balances out the overall decline in nonresidential construction.

Since 2008, most civil engineering construction projects in the majority of countries have been delayed, downsized or completely cancelled, this being due to stretched budgets or the inability to secure financing. It is expected that GDP will gradually increase slightly, but problems with debt and budget deficit will continue to stand in the way of more significant investments.

The largest market for civil engineering construction is France, with a value of EUR 48.1 billion and right behind it is Germany with EUR 47.4 billion.Yet in 2010, it was still Spain, which represented the largest market with more than EUR 48 billion.

In 2013, it would seem that Spain will achieve a volume of only EUR 10.5 billion and has still not reached the expected minimum. Western and Eastern European countries alike are expecting the decline to slow down considerably starting from 2014 or already a turnaround towards growth.

5

Tile International 1/2014

Statistics

by Daniele Girardi

A new phase of growth in the USA, UK and Germany

ď ‘

In the second half of 2009, after the collapse due to the bubble bursting in the USA and various European countries, an initial phase of recovery began in the global property market, driven by the emerging markets and, in particular, by the strong increase

in house prices in China. However, this boom gradually tapered down, due to the restrictive policies implemented in the BRICs to combat inflation and avoid the risk of property bubbles occurring, but also due to structural factors, which caused the emerging economies to slow down considera-

bly. A new upward trend took hold from 2012, this time due to the recovery experienced in several large advanced economies (in particular the USA, UK and Germany - Graph. 1/2).

United States Various

factors

determined

Graph 1 Average residential prices (Quarterly data, 1st quarter 2000=100) China, USA, Eurozone, UK, Germany, Italy China USA Eurozone UK Germany

Source: CRESME

Italy

Graph 2- Average residential prices – Variations of trends China, USA, Eurozone, Germany

Source: CRESME

China USA Eurozone Germany UK

Tile International 1/2014

36

the new boom of the property market in the USA. The most important of these were probably: low interest rates and cash injections of the Fed; the recovery of the economy; the serious collapse of property prices during the crisis (the ratio of prices/incomes dropped below the long-term average, encouraging property purchases); the inflow of foreign capital. Obviously, it is only natural for us to ask ourselves whether the new boom is sustainable or whether it is only another speculative bubble, as some commentators have recently sustained. This is a complex question to which there is no sure answer. However, all the available indicators seem to suggest that, on a national level, for now prices have not reached unsustainable levels, nor are there any signs of overvaluation. Prices are at an all-time low level compared with incomes: Indeed, the price/income ratio is 12% down compared with its average in the long term (while when the recent speculative bubble had reached its peak, before the great collapse, the ratio had exceeded its historical average by 30%).

Purchase prices do not appear to be overvalued even if we compare them with rent prices: the relationship between these two variables is indeed only 2% more than the long-term average, a value that would not appear to indicate a bubble. (Graph. 3 - 4)

Statistics

United Kingdom

Prices (FHFA)

Prices (Case Shiller)

Investments in construction

Residential investment

Sales of new build houses

Building licences (residential)

Source: CRESME

Graph 3 - Property and Construction in the USA (monthly indexes, JAN 2007=100)

Source: CRESME

Graph 4 - Ratio of house prices to income per capita in the US (Average long-term value =100)

37

In the UK, the recovery in the property sector made up for lost ground in the second quarter of 2012, then gradually accelerating during the year, and especially in 2013.

On the contrary to the situation in the USA, the first impulse arrived from the prices, while residential purchases only began to increase in the last quarter of 2012. Instead, non-residential transactions remained stable until the second quarter of 2013, when they began to increase, as the result of an economic recovery stronger than expected.

This new phase of growth regards the enormous metropolitan area of London in particular, in which property values are growing at more than double the rate of the national average.

The spurt experienced in the second quarter of 2013 was probably supported by an unexpected acceleration in economic growth. However, the growth of the British property sector began earlier and was mainly caused by two factors: a significantly high increase in demand compared with the quantity of new houses built, and a government policy of support for the sector. Today, in the metropolitan area of London, the prices are around 30% higher than they were at their peak in 2007.

Unlike the boom that occurred in the US, the boom in

Tile International 1/2014

Statistics

Sales residential properties

Sales non-residential properties

Prices

Investments in construction

Prices London

Source: CRESME

Graph 5 - Property and Construction in the UK* (monthly indexes, JAN 2007=100)

*Includes all transactions over GBP 40.000

Graph 6 - Ratio of house prices to income per capita in the UK (Average long-term value =100)

Germany

Source: CRESME Tile International 1/2014

38

the UK property market created big problems in terms of sustainability. In the UK, the tendency of prices to drop once the speculative bubble burst was certainly weaker than that observed in the US. The prices/incomes ratio remained high compared with historical values, and the new increases raised it further. This suggests that today properties are overvalued, both in terms of incomes and rents, and that these could tend to decrease sooner or later. Moreover, historically speaking, the British property sector is particularly inclined to cycles of fluctuations. Furthermore, the government scheme of guarantees on mortgages (the second phase of the Help to Buy programme), would potentially appear capable of fuelling a speculative bubble, given that it distorts the incentives for the banks, exempting them from incurring any losses should the borrower go bankrupt. (Graph. 5 - 6)

In Germany, property values have been increasing since the second half of 2010. Sales and prices have increased in both the residential and nonresidential sectors. According to a recent report issued by Bundesbank (October 2013), prices increases have mainly occurred in the larger urban centres and in commonholders. However, in recent months,

Statistics

Source: CRESME

Graph 7 - Property prices in Germany % Variations of trends

mates the average return of investments in the property sector, registered its all-time best performance since the launch of the index (1995), thanks to a strong growth in the profitability of investments in the residential construction sector.

According to the econometric models applied by the Bun-

desbank in its recent report, the increase in the prices of houses over the last three years has not entirely reflected the fundamentals of the market (the growth in population and income) but is also due to financial factors. However, there are no signs of a speculative element. The increase in mortgages has been extreme-

ly limited. Furthermore, purchase prices are still at an alltime low in relation to incomes and rents. The growth in the German property market therefore appears sustainable and looks set to continue over the next few years, according to Bundesbank and other market observers (Graph. 7-8).

5

Graph 8- Ratio of house prices to income per capita in Germany (Average long-term value =100)

Source: CRESME

the price increase has also begun to spread to the rural areas and the smaller centres, becoming a generalised phenomenon. In any case, the growth of the residential sector overall can mainly be attributed to the growth experienced in the metropolitan area of Berlin.

Germany is one of the few developed countries in which property prices remained stable between 2000 and 2010. It did not experience any speculative bubble and therefore it also failed to collapse after 2007. The gradual growth that we have been witnessing since the end of 2010 has mainly been due to an increase in demand, with a supply that has developed at a slower pace. The acceleration of the demand has in turn been due to a solid economic growth and to the increase in the number of families (due to the phenomenon of immigration and a reduction in the average number of family members).

Furthermore, the German property sector was favoured by the extremely low interest rates in force in the country due to the European financial crisis, which were transmitted to the mortgage market. The climate of uncertainty on global financial markets also proved significant, pushing investors to approach the new construction market.

Indeed, in 2012, the German property index DIX (Deutsche Immobilien Index), which esti-

This articles is an extract from the Focus report: THE PROPERTY MARKET IN THE ADVANCED ECONOMIES: THE NEW PHASE OF GROWTH IN THE USA, GERMANY AND THE UK published in the 21st CRESME anticipatory trend report 39

Tile International 1/2014

PHOTOnews

Tile International 1/2014

-

PHOTOnews

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40

PHOTOnews

-

PHOTOnews

-

PHOTOnews

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PHOTOnews

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PHOTOnews

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PHOTOnews

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TAGINA FOR VILLA BALKE, NAPLES Villa Balke, together with the nearby Club Cypraea, is an exclusive location overlooking the sea in the heart of the Gulf of Naples in Italy.

A unique natural backdrop and a prestigious structure, with two swimming pools containing water from the near sea, that Tagina Ceramiche d’Arte has been appointed to renovate completely.

Wire – in the two versions (Modern and Compact, with 12 mm and 20 mm thickness respectively) – has been chosen as the most suitable collection for the varied requirements of the project.

Indeed, it was important to find a solution that would blend in the large grassy areas around the pools with their natural surroundings, and that the surfaces laid would have specific characteristics, including a high level of resistance to slipping and salt.

Finally, the pool area had also to live up to the stylish area in its vicinity.

As usual, one of the more delicate tasks to be performed was creating the edges of the pools and here the challenges was tackled and resolved with superb results – the slip test with bare feet on a wet surface passed with flying colours – using the special StoneDrip piece (photo of detail), which is also part of the Wire Compact 2, cm 61x61, chosen in the colour White.

Instead, the larger format of the Wire collection was used for the flooring in the area around the pool itself, with tiles in the colour Grey measuring 40x80cm, with a thickness of 12mm.

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41

Tile International 1/2014

Economy & markets

by Sabino Menduni

The construction industry in Russia



Going against the decidedly optimistic forecasts made at the beginning of the year, construction output in Russia decreased in 2013 by 1.5% year on year in real terms, according to data of the State Statistics Service (Rosstat).

This represents a further acceleration of the tendency for the market to slow down already experienced in 2012, when the indicator had only gone up by 2.4%.

In value terms, construction output was worth RUB 5,917.2bn (more than €124b) in 2013, a 3.6% increase on the previous year.

According to the latest report issued by PMR (“Construction sector in Russia H2 2013 – Development forecasts for 2013-2016”), in December 2013, the fifth consecutive month in which Russia's construction output fell, registered a 3% drop year on year. The market was dragged down mainly by the downturn in the civil engineering and infrastructure sector, which suffered as a result of the cuts in Russia’s federal budget for 2013: indeed the public investments in this segment had been planned based on a projected GDP growth of 3.7%.

Instead the GDP dropped, according to the latest estimates, to 1.3%.

This slowdown was accompanied by the drop in investments in fixed capital (1.4%

Tile International 1/2014

FIG. 1: CONSTRUCTION OUTPUT IN RUSSIA (RUB BN AND REAL Y-O-Y CHANGE)

FIG 2. TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF RESIDENTIAL SPACE COMMISSIONED IN RUSSIA (MILLION SQ.M) AND CHANGE (% Y –O-Y)

42

Economy & markets

down in the first three quarters of the year): in the private sector too, many of Russia’s large companies scaled back their investment programmes for 2013.

Non-residential buildings The non-residential construction sector has seen a strong uptrend in recent years.

A total of 18,341 non-residential buildings were activated across the country in 2012 alone, 15.1% more than a year earlier, and a considerable growth rate (+30% on 2011) was also recorded in terms of total space and surface area last year.

Going against the overall trend in the construction industry, the positive trend in the non-residential segment continued in 2013, with a total of 10,071 non-residential buildings commissioned in Russia during the first three quarters of the year, exceeding the number recorded during the same period a year ago by 6.5%, while the total floor space of new buildings surged by 24.7% year on year.

The most impressive growth rates were registered in

Russia’s Macroeconomic indicators 2010

2011

2012

2013 (estimate)

GDP at current prices

€ bn

1149.1

1364.3

1564.9 Jan-Sep

1177.4

Real GDP change

y-o-y

4.5%

4.3%

3.4% Jan-Sep

1.3%

Inflation rate

y-o-y

8.8%

8.4%

5.1% Jan-Dec

6.8%

Source: Rosstat, CBR, 2014

Number of homes and floor space completed 2009 Number of homes completed (x 1000)

2010

2011

2012

2013

701.3

714.1

788.2

826.8

912.1

% var.

-8.4

1.8

9.9

5.3

10.3

Total floor space of homes completed (million sq.m)

59.8

58.1

62.3

65.2

69.4

% var.

-6.7

-3.0

6.6

4.7

5.5

Source: Rosstat, CBR, 2014

The Russian ceramic tile industry and market 2003

Production

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 (estimates)

% var.

13/12

82.0

90.0

100.0

115.0

135.0

147.0

117.0

126.6

135.6

156.0

166.6

6.8%

3.3

3.8

3.8

6.0

7.0

10.0

8.0

9.5

9.3

9.3

8.5

-8.6%

Sales of local production

78.7

86.2

96.2

109.0

128.0

137.0

109.0

117.1

126.3

146.7

158.1

7.8%

Imports

34.7

38.0

38.9

46.1

55.3

62.8

38.1

51.2

62.8

72.1

73.2

1.5%

Domestic consumption

113.4

124.2

135.1

155.1

183.3

199.8

137.1

168.3

189.1

218.8

231.3

5.7%

% Var. of consumption

37%

9.5%

8.8% 14.8% 18.2%

9.0%

-31.4% 22.7% 12.4% 15.7%

5.6%

Local production on consumption (%)

69.4% 69.4% 71.2% 70.3% 69.8% 68.6%

79.5% 69.6% 66.8% 67.0%

68.4%

Imports on consumption (%)

30.6% 30.6% 28.8% 29.7% 30.2% 31.4%

27.8% 30.4% 33.2% 33.0%

31.6%

Exports

Values in million sq.m Source: Tile Edizioni on various sources 43

Tile International 1/2014

Economy & markets

the educational building sector, with 317 new projects initiated in 2013, an increase of 21.5% compared to 2012, the administrative buildings sector, with a total of 669, equal to a rise of 19% year on year, and in the construction of commercial buildings, where 18% more such buildings were activated over the period.

Residential buildings The residential sector also witnessed positive results at the end of 2013, (5.5% up year on year), confirming the positive performances of the previous year. Overall, 69.4 million sq.m of new housing was launched

in Russia in 2013, a 5.6% increase compared to the 65.7 million sq.m registered in 2012, for a total of 912,100 new flats built, which was up by 10.3% more year on year.

In December, which is traditionally the month of the year that presents the largest new housing volumes, a disappointing 16.4 million sq.m of new living areas were completed. In comparison to December 2012, when the volume amounted to 18.4 million sq.m – this was a 10.1% yearon-year drop.

Geographically speaking, the Central Federal District (the most western part of Russia) is the undisputed leader in

terms of housing completion in Russia.

Every year the region is responsible for between 25% and 30% of new housing space commissioned across the country and in 2013, about 28.3% of new housing supply in Russia was activated in this area.

The Volga Federal District is the second most significant district from this perspective. In 2013, it was responsible for 22% of new housing supply in Russia.

Between 2005 and 2013, the development rate of the residential construction segment in this area exceeded the average growth rates recorded

in Russia as a nation.

In the coming years, residential construction output in the Volga Federal District is expected to continue to post above average growth rates.

The pace of growth is expected to decelerate from 4.7% in 2013 to 2.5% year on year in 2014, still exceeding the 1.8% growth projected in the residential construction output in Russia in the same year.

The ceramic tile industry and market The positive trend registered in the residential and non-residential construction sectors has allowed the ceramic tile

Origin of ceramic tiles imports to Russia 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 (estimates)

% var.

13/12

Ukraine

0.5

1.0

1.3

1.9

2.8

5.7

6.2

10.1

13.8

16.5

15.2

-7.9%

China

2.1

4.2

6.8

11.7

12.5

13.9

4.8

7.4

10.6

10.8

14.9

+37.9%

Spain

6.2

7.0

7.9

10.1

11.2

13.9

7.1

9.3

10.4

13.0

14.0

+7.7%

10.2

10.6

8.2

7.7

9.2

11.0

10.9

14.0

14.1

12.0

11.0

-8.3%

Italy

4.9

4.7

4.9

5.6

6.1

6.3

3.5

4.0

4.7

5.8

6.0

+3.4%

Poland

4.1

4.6

4.4

4.6

7.4

5.5

2.7

3.4

3.9

4.6

4.0

-13.0%

Turkey

1.8

1.6

1.7

1.3

0.8

1.0

0.4

0.7

1.3

2.0

2.1

+5.0%

Germany

0.4

0.4

1.4

0.5

0.6

0.9

0.5

0.6

1.2

1.5

n.a

Netherlands

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

1.1

n.a

Austria

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.1

2.6

2.3

1.0

0.8

0.7

1.0

n.a

Other countries

4.4

3.9

3.3

2.7

2.3

2.4

1.0

1.0

2.0

3.2

6.0

+87.5%

34.7

38.0

38.9

46.1

55.3

62.8

38.1

51.2

62.8

72.1

73.2

+1.5%

Belarus

Total imports

Values in million sq.m Source: “World Production & Consumption of Ceramic Tiles�, Acimac Survey dept. on various sources Tile International 1/2014

44

Economy & markets

industry and market in Russia to continue maintaining positive in 2013, even if the increases registered are no longer double-digit figures.

The national consumption of ceramic tiles has reached the all-time record of 231 million sq.m, an increase of 5.7% on the 218.8 million figure of 2012 (the increase in 2012 had

been 15.7%). The main beneficiaries of this increase in demand were local producers, whose sales on the national market rose by 7.8%, to 158.1 million sq.m. Imports considerably less dynamic, with estimated volumes of around 73 million sq.m (+1.5% compared with 2012).

Russian tile production contin-

ued to increase in 2013, going from 156 to 166.6 million sq.m (+6.8%, as opposed to the 15% increase in 2012).

Regarding the largest exporters to Russia, initial estimates indicate a new fall in imports from Belarus (-8.3%) and the first drop in imports from the Ukraine (-7.9%), which remains the top foreign supplier of ce-

ramic tiles in the national market. Imports from China and Spain rose, both registering approximate exports to Russia of around 14 million sq.m.

At the end of 2013, imports accounted for 31.6% of the national consumption of ceramic tiles, a drop compared with the 33% registered in 2012.

5

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Economy & markets

by Andrew Whitmire, Tile Council of North America

Strong recovery in the United States

ď ‘

Bolstered by the improving construction and housing markets, the U.S. economy and ceramic tile industry continued to expand in 2013.

In the residential market, new home starts increased for the fourth straight year and were at their highest annual level since 2007. The 923,000 units started in 2013 represented an 18.3% increase from the

previous year. Single family starts, which comprised twothirds of total starts, were up 15.4% to 618,000 units, and multi-family unit construction saw a 24.6% gain to 306,000 units.

New home sales, with which ceramic tile sales are closely linked, were at a five-year high of 428,000 units, up 16.4% vs.

2012. In spite of this increase, new home sales were only a

third of what they were at their peak level in 2005 (1.28 million units).

Existing home sales in 2013 rose 8.6% from 2012 to 4.48 million units, the highest level since 2006.

Existing home sales especially affect remodeling, as buyers often look to update their newly purchased home. According to the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB),

FIG. 1: U.S.A.: NEW HOUSING STARTS

FIG. 2: U.S.A.: NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOME SALES

Source: US Census Bureau

Source: US Census Bureau Tile International 1/2014

the remodeling index in 4Q 2013 was at its highest level in ten years. This is of particular interest to the ceramic tile industry, as the two rooms most commonly remodeled are kitchens and bathrooms, which happen to be the two rooms in which tile is most frequently used.

Adding to the good news on the residential front was a sharp decrease in foreclo-

46

Economy & markets

sures. Foreclosure filings, which are another important indicator of the U.S. housing sector's health, declined by 25.9% in 2013 to 1.36 million units. This represented the lowest annual total of foreclosures since 2007 and was a 52.6% decrease from the all-time high level in 2010.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 3.98% in 2013, up from 3.66% in 2012; this was still the second lowest annual rate on record.

The U.S. unemployment rate in 2013 was 7.4%, down from 8.1% in the previous year and the lowest annual rate since 2008.

U.S. construction spending (includes both private and public residential and non-residential construction) in 2013 was $898.4 billion, a 4.8% increase from 2012.

TAB. 1 - U.S. ceramic tile shipments, sales and consumption Year

Imports Through 3Q 2013, 1.31 billion sq. ft. (121.7 million sq. m) of ceramic tile arrived in the U.S.

Imports

U.S. Consumption

Exports

% var. in consumption from previous year

2013 (Jan-Sept)

57.0

121.7

2.9

175.8

12.0 (% change from 3Q 2012 YTD)

2012

69.5

138.6

4.2

203.9

5.4

2011

66.7

131.1

4.2

193.6

4.0

2010

60.3

129.6

3.9

186.0

7.7

2009

53.1

123.9

4.2

172.8

- 18.1

2008

58.9

156.6

4.7

210.9

- 15.2

2007

50.6

202.4

4.4

248.7

-19.3

2006

58.5

253.8

4.2

308.1

1.8

2005

61.1

245.1

3.4

302.8

3.5

2004

64.6

231.2

3.2

292.6

11.8

2003

57.1

207.2

2.7

261.7

6.6

2002

60.3

189.0

3.1

245.5

16.2

2001

54.9

159.5

3.1

211.3

0.5

Values in million sq.m - Valori in milioni mq.

Source : U.S. Dept. of Commerce & TCNA statistics

U.S Tile Consumption Overview Through 3Q 2013 YTD U.S. tile consumption was at 1.89 billion sq. ft. (175.8 million sq m), up 12.0% vs. 3Q 2012 YTD (table 1). Based on data available to date and early 4Q indications, we estimate 2013 U.S. tile consumption to be 2.48 billion sq. ft. (230.2 million sq. m), up 12.9% vs. 2012.

U.S. shipment

TAB. 2 - USA: Ceramic tile imports by country in volume (Jan-Sept.) % Var. 2013/2012

% on total 2012-13 imports

36,896,428

8.2%

31.9 - 30.3

8.4%

35,631,432

23.3%

27.1 – 29.3

5.0%

21,099,764

15.6%

17.1 – 17.3

5,751,432

9.3%

6,925,557

20.4%

5.4 – 5.7

6,441,573

5,376,852

-16.5%

6,043,467

12.4%

5.0 – 5.0

2,075,011

3,323,447

60.2%

3,957,646

19.1%

3.1 – 3.3

2,611,785

2,611,282

2,823,566

8.1%

2,801,623

-0.8%

2.6 – 2.3

Colombia

4,373,126

3,109,396

2,156,997

-30.6%

2,359,711

9.4%

2.0 – 1.9

Thailand

4,913,542

2,023,573

1,447,758

-28.5%

1,306,030

-9.8%

1.4 – 1.1

-

1,025,066

877,675

-14.4%

796,976

-9.2%

0.8 - 0.7

2010 Sq.m/mq

2011 Sq.m/mq

2012 Sq.m/mq

Mexico

28,177,132

30,897,821

34,111,980

10.4%

China

23,345,978

26,665,847

28,894,337

Italy

18,296,765

17,379,216

18,256,526

Spain

5,075,302

5,264,255

Brazil

6,210,781

Turkey

2,250,103

Peru

Country

Hong Kong

% Var. 2012/2011

2013 Sq.m/mq

Source : U.S. Dept. of Commerce 47

Tile International 1/2014

Economy & markets

This was an increase of 14.0% from 3Q 2012 YTD, in which 1.15 billion sq. ft. (106.7 million sq. m) of ceramic tile were imported into the U.S., and a 20.6% increase from 3Q 2011 YTD. In 2013 consumption of imports grew at a higher rate than domestically produced tile. Through the third quarter imports comprised 69.2% of U.S. tile consumption (in sq. ft.), up from 68.0% in the previous year. This marked the second straight year imports gained market share vs. domestically produced tile.

Though Mexico remained the top exporter to the U.S. (in sq. ft.) through the third quarter with a 30.3% share of imports, China gained significant ground and was right behind with a 29.3% share. Italy was in third place with a 17.3% share,

and Spain and Brazil rounded out the top five with a 5.7% and 5.0% share of imports, respectively.

Of the top ten countries from which the U.S. imported tile (in sq. ft.), China (+23.3%) had the highest increase in exports to the U.S. (3Q 2013 YTD vs. 3Q 2012 YTD), and Thailand was down the most (-9.8%).

Through 3Q 2013 YTD the value of imports grew to $1,299 million (+17.8% vs. 3Q 2012 YTD, $1,103 million). Italy remained the top exporter to the U.S. on a dollar basis (3Q 2013 YTD), comprising 34.3% of U.S. imports ($446 million, +17% vs. 3Q 2012 YTD). China was second with a 25.3% share ($328 million, +30.2%) and Mexico was third with a 17.7% share ($230 million, +10.6%).

U.S. Shipments Through 3Q 2013 YTD, domestic shipments (less exports) were at 582.5 million sq. ft.

(54.1 million sq. m), up 7.9% from 3Q 2012 YTD (539.7 million sq. ft.; 50.1 million sq. m).

Over the last 12 months ending 3Q 2013, domestic shipments (less exports) were at 745.5 million sq. ft. (69.3 million sq. m), up 6.1% from the same period ending 3Q 2012 (702.5 million sq. ft.; 65.3 million sq. m).

In dollar value U.S. FOB factory sales of domestic shipments (less exports) through 3Q 2013 were at $826.6 million, up 10.8% vs. 3Q 2012 YTD ($746.0 million). In dollar value over the last 12 months ending 3Q 2013, domestic shipments (less exports) were at $1.1 bil-

lion, up 8.5% from the same period ending 3Q 2012 ($972.0 million).

The per unit value of domestic shipments (less exports) rose from $1.38 sq. ft. to $1.42 sq. ft. (from 14.88 to 15.28 $/sq.m) from 3Q 2012 YTD to 3Q 2013 YTD.

Exports U.S. exports through 3Q 2013 were at 31.1 million sq. ft. (2.9 million sq. m), down 11.9% vs.

3Q 2012 YTD. The countries to which the vast majority of these exports were shipped were Canada (62.2%), Mexico (17.7), and China (4.5%).

The value of U.S. exports fell 7.9% from $33.2 million (3Q 2012 YTD) to $30.6 million (3Q 2013 YTD).

5

TAB. 3 - USA: Ceramic tile imports by country in value* (Jan-Sept.)

Country

2011 US $

2012 US $

% Var. 2012/2011

2013 US $

% Var. 2013/2012

2012-2013 Average price $/sq.m

% on total 2012-2013 imports

Italy

351,060,865

381,150,405

8.6%

445,918,738

17.0%

20.9 – 21.1

34.6 – 34.3

China

222,301,596

251,914,697

13.3%

327,984,124

30.2%

8.7 – 9.2

22.8 – 25.3

Mexico

184,697,105

207,889,992

12.6%

229,965,470

10.6%

6.1 – 6.2

18.8 – 17.7

Spain

81,276,922

89,713,659

10.4%

106,345,308

18.5%

15.6 – 15.4

8.1 – 8.2

Brazil

45,502,147

35,872,099

-21.2%

41,430,037

15.5%

6.7 – 6.9

3.2 – 3.2

Turkey

20,108,824

32,374,578

61.0%

41,313,443

27.6%

9.7 – 10.4

2.9 – 3.2

Peru

13,137,935

14,843,619

13.0%

14,982,617

0.9%

5.2 – 5.3

1.3 – 1.2

Colombia

20,696,697

13,468,918

-34.9%

14,818,506

10.0%

6.2 – 6.3

1.2 – 1.1

Thailand

13,242,050

11,131,289

-15.9%

10,128,902

-9.0%

7.7 – 7.8

1.0 – 0.8

Japan

10,111,205

9,500,348

-6.0%

9,523,613

0.2%

n.a.

0.9 - 0.7

1,019,201,247

1,102,934,452

8.2%

1,298,801,427

17.8%

10.3 - 10.7

All countries

Source : U.S. Dept. of Commerce / *including duty, freight and insurance Tile International 1/2014

48

Economy & markets

by Milena Bernardi

Construction booms in Saudi Arabia



With average annual GDP growth of around 5% (5.5-6% in 2012), Saudi Arabia is the world’s 20th largest economy.

It accounts for 45% of the Gulf region’s GDP and 25% of that of the MENA area (Middle East and North Africa).

In recent years, the contribution of the non-oil sector to GDP has grown steadily due to efforts to diversify the country’s productive structure, which also benefits from the low cost of energy. As the world’s top oil producer country (it holds a quarter of the planet’s oil reserves) and the fourth largest in terms of natural gas reserves (4% of world reserves), Saudi Arabia guarantees gas supplies to local firms at 0.59 euro/MMBtu and electrical energy at 0.025 euro/kWh. The construction sector is one of the pillars of the Saudi Arabian economy and attracts major investment on the part of the public sector, largescale industry, commerce and private investors.

In recent years the sector has grown at average annual rates of 5-7% and similar strong growth is expected over the next 4 years, largely as a result of the government’s large spending programmes aimed at house building and social housing projects, school and hospital construction, transport infrastructures and expansion of

Tile International 1/2014

SAUDI ARABIA BUILDING CONTRACTOR AWARDS ACROSS KEY SEGMENTS

the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

In the housing segment, a total of 1.5 million new homes are expected to be built between 2012 and 2015 in response to real housing needs estimated at around 5.5 million dwelling units (as 40% of the Saudi population is under 14 years of age, housing will continue to be an engine of the construction industry over the coming years).

Government investments in the sector already amount to around 70 billion euro and the government recently announced the allocation of “social packages” to a total value

of almost 100 billion euro, of which about half are designated for housing.

The two largest cities, Riyadh (4.5 million inhabitants) and Jeddah (around 3 million inhabitants), have now reached the size of medium-large metropolises and are still growing.

The sector’s development prospects are also linked to projects for the construction of six enormous new cities, the so-called Economic Cities, which will cost an estimated US $110 billion and will house around 4.5 million inhabitants.

Construction work has begun on two of the six cities: King Abdullah City, north of Jeddah, and Prince Abdulaziz Bin

50

Mesaed Economical City.

Private investments also play a very important role in the residential segment. Major contracts signed in the first few months of 2013 include the second phase of the Abraj Al Hilal project in Jeddah (326 apartments, swimming pools and fitness centres) and the construction of 106 villas and 96 apartments in Riyadh, both assigned to Azmeel Contracting and Construction Company and due for completion by 2016. A third major residential development called Mutrafiah Housing Project, commissioned from Azmeel by the company Maaden, will involve the construction of 3,600 villas

Economy & markets

for Maaden employees in the industrial city of Jubail, 800 of which will be ready at the end of 2014.

The public spending budget for 2013, up by 14% on 2012 and to date the largest in the Kingdom’s history, includes more than $10 billion earmarked for transport infrastructures, $55 billion for school building and $27 billion for healthcare infrastructures. The new projects for 2013 include the construction of 539 schools to join the 1,200 already begun and the 2,000 undergoing renovation. The healthcare building segment will see the construction of 19 new hospitals, while 102 are already in progress.

Government expenditure in 2014 is expected to increase by a further 10%.

Major public investments are

also being made in transport infrastructures. A total of 34 airports are due to be built or modernised over the next 4-5 years, while new rail and road projects are also partly in progress. The new Jeddah airport scheduled for completion by the end of 2014 is especially important. When up to capacity, the airport will be able to handle up to 35 million passengers a year and will have the world’s highest control tower (133 metres}.

Large public projects also include those for the improvement of hospitality structures and the transport system for the annual Hajj, during which more than half a million people make the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Private investments include numerous construction projects for shopping centres, residential and office towers and

dozens of tourist accommodation facilities, both luxury hotels (21 are due for completion by the end of 2013) and low-cost hotels to meet the growing demand from religious tourism in Mecca and Medina. Analysts estimate that around $120 billion will be spent on new hotel construction over the next few years.

Green building Special attention is being devoted to green building and policies. According to the latest official government figures, total Saudi investments in sustainable construction projects amount to more than $26 billion, including 76 new low environment impact buildings, mostly in Riyadh. As noted by Faisal Al-Fadl, secretary general of the Saudi Green Building (SGB) Forum, an initiative conducted in collaboration with

the Saudi Green Building Council to promote environmental sustainability in the country, Saudi Arabia owns 5% of the 1,350 green projects currently under development in the Middle East.

Well aware that just 150 green building specialists are far too few for its needs, the country is now looking to expand its roster of expert engineers, setting a target of 1,000 within the next three years. There is widespread recognition that although green building criteria push up construction costs, the much lower running and maintenance costs of buildings will bring big savings in the long term.

The interior finishings market Furnishings, bathrooms and kitchens, floor and wall coverings, lighting and the entire in-

SAUDI BUILD 2014 IN NOVEMBER The 26th Saudi Build Construction, the largest Saudi exhibition of building technologies, will be held from 10 to 13 November 2014 in the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

JOIN THE WORLD AT THE 25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SAUDI BUILD

The event, organised by REC, has established itself as a major forum for industry professionals over the years and hosts companies from all over the world exhibiting a wide array of solutions for the construction market.

In 2013 the event was attended by over 23,000 visitors and hosted 873 exhibitors from 36 countries in a floor space of 25,000 sq.m.

THE 25TH INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY & BUILDING MATERIALS TRADE EXHIBITION

4 - 7 November 2013 Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center - RICEC HELD CONCURRENTLY:

The 16th International Stone and Stone Technology Exhibition

The 4th International Exhibition for Construction Equipment, Plant, Machinery and Vehicles

Diamond Sponsor

51

Tile International 1/2014

Economy & markets

terior finishings sector in general account for between 10% and 20% of the value of building projects. In 2012, the finish-

ings market in Saudi Arabia reached $2.5 billion, a figure that is expected to increase this year to around $3.4 billion

KINGDOM TOWER, A THOUSAND METRE HIGH SKYSCRAPER At a height of more than a thousand metres, Kingdom Tower in Jeddah will be the tallest building in the world and the centrepiece of a 530,000 sq.m development known as Kingdom City, a $20 billion project due to be completed in 2018. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (Adrian Smith was the creator of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the highest tower in the world at 828 metres), it will be built over five years and will host hotels, offices, residences, condominiums and even an observation deck.

Naturally, potential residents must be willing to pay stratospheric figures given that the tower will cost around $1.2 billion to build. In their design for the project, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture were inspired by the new shoots of a young plant, a metaphor for development and

on the basis of continued average annual growth of 35%.

The lion’s share is absorbed by the residential segment, fol-

lowed by hotels, educational facilities and commercial construction.

5

technological progress. The three petals of the plant are ideal for the residential units and the tapering wings produce an aerodynamic shape that helps reduce structural loading due to wind vortex shedding.

The height of a thousand metres was reached using state-of-the-art construction technologies together with a strong focus on sustainability of the building. The project will feature a high-performance exterior wall system that will minimise energy consumption by reducing thermal loads.

The tower will contain 12 escalators and 59 elevators, including five double-deck elevators. The Kingdom Tower will be located in the 23-hectare Waterfront District, an exclusive pedestrian-friendly setting on the Kingdom City lakefront encompassing a shopping mall, residential spaces, offices, two luxury hotels and open-space amenities such as the central Plaza.

picture from: http://www.ctbuh.org Tile International 1/2014

52

Economy & markets

by Paola Giacomini

Exports driving Spain's growth

ď ‘

If it's true that a good beginning makes a good ending, 2014 couldn't have got off to a better start for the Spanish ceramic tile industry, thanks to a Cevisama event (11-14 February in Valencia) that proved to be the best show in recent years. Visitor numbers surpassed the exhibitors' hopes, and the volume of business was certainly unexpected. The first two days of the show saw an increase of 17% and 21% respectively in attendances compared to the first two days of 2013. Unconfirmed figures indicated that the total number of visitors has risen by more than 20% compared to the pre-vious year, when 61,000 trade visitors attended the event.

Foreign attendance was excellent. Most foreign visitors came from Europe, Russia, Arabic and North African countries, as confirmed by the exhibitors themselves. Many of

them noted an increase in the presence of Spanish buyers, who started placing orders at the show (something that had not happened for a long time). Among the Spanish visitors, there was also an increase in the presence of specifiers, architects and interior designers - partly also thanks to the fact that the furniture show Habitat and the timber show Fimma-Maderalia were taking place at the same time, in pavilions 6 and Upper 6.

The atmosphere was decidedly upbeat in the pavilion for raw materials, enamels and inks, and in the space dedicated to ceramics production machines, which are only present at the event once every two years.

Cevisama 2014 also welcomed some extremely high profile guests. The show was inaugurated by Prince Felipe of Spain (picture below), who was accompanied by the Ministry for Industry, Energy &

Spanish ceramic tile sales in value (million Euros) 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013*

% change 13/12

Exports

2,183

2,295

2,211

1,673

1,747

1,892

2,082

2,248

+8.0%

Domestic sales

1,799

1,871

1,460

918

801

705

574

552

-3.8%

Total sales

3,982

4,166

3,671

2,591

2,548

2,597

2,656

2,800

+5.4%

495

324

366

392

404

415

+2.7%

Production (million sq.m)

Source: Ascer - *Estimates/Stime

Tile International 1/2014

54

Economy & markets

Main exports markets for the Spanish ceramic tiles (values in million Euros)

Spanish exports by geographical area Areas

JanNov 2012

JanNov 2012

13/12 (%)

Share (% on total exports)

Country

Jan-Nov 2012

Jan-Nov 2013

13/12 (%)

Europe

969.3

977.5

-0.8

47.1

European Union-UE27

693.9

691.5

-0.3

33.3

France

221.5

214.1

-3.3

- EU15

593.2

582.9

-1.7

28.1

Saudi Arabia

153.2

164.8

7.5

- Eurozone

514.2

497.3

-3.3

23.9

- EU New members

100.7

108.6

7.9

5.2

Russia

149.6

157.6

5.3

Eastern Europe

244.5

258.8

5.8

12.5

United Kingdom

93.6

99.9

6.7

Middle East

429.2

456.0

6.3

22.0

Algeria

75.3

90.0

19.6

North America

111.8

125.1

11.9

6.0

- of which USA

73.3

85.6

16.7

4.1

USA

73.3

85.6

16.7

Central America

34.9

38.5

10.3

1.9

Libya

39.7

85.2

114.6

South America

49.9

48.1

-3.6

2.3

Israel

71.2

83.8

17.7

493.5

530.6

7.5

25.6

54.2

61.1

12.9

2.9

Germany

79.1

77.8

-1.7

264.2

344.7

30.5

16.6

Italy

55.1

55.9

1.5

171.9

238.7

38.9

11.5

Source : Ascer

12.4

12.1

-2.5

0.6

1,935.9

2,076.5

7.3

100

Asia Far East & South East Africa - of which Magreb Oceania World Total

The total export figure given is not the sum of the totals by zone Source : Ascer

55

Tile International 1/2014

Economy & markets

Tourism José Manuel Soria and by the Vice Chairman of the European Commission and Commissioner for industry Antonio Tajani who visited the whole show, stopping to talk at many of the stands.

ALFA DE ORO AWARDS PRESENTED AT CEVISAMA 2014, CELEBRATING PROCESS INNOVATIONS Once again this year the most innovative technologies in the ceramics district of Castellón were rewarded with the Alfa de Oro awards, an initiative organised by the Spanish Ceramics & Tiles Association (SECV) and now in its 38th year.

Spain's ceramics industry grows by 5%

The prestigious prizes were awarded to Diamond Glass, Kerajet, Ferro and Digit-s/Unicer.

In the bathroom furnishings and kitchen segment, Diamond Glass received a prize for the design of a high-tech porcelain shower base made from large-format slabs.

The success of the Valencia fair mirrors and confirms the positive trend in Spanish industry during 2013.“We ended the year with total sales of €2.8 million, 5% up on 2012" announced Isidro Zarzoso, the President of Spain's National Association of tile producers, ASCER, at the press conference traditionally held at Cevisama. It was the best result of the past five years (between 2011 and 2012, growth remained stagnant at about 2% per annum) and was only possible thanks to a new increase in exports (€2,248 million, up by 8% on 2012), which offset the further decline in the national market (€552 million, down by 3% on 2012).

The result was positive on the whole, but President Zarzoso's comments urged caution: “We are experiencing difficult economic times, but Spain's ceramic industry is moving towards stabilisation and growth. In reality, the scenario of recent years is repeating itself". Since 2010, Spain's exports have demonstrated growth in value (+4.4% in 2010, +8.3% in 2011, +10% in 2012),

In the ceramics machinery segment, Kerajet won a prize for designing the new printhead K9 Solidjet, which allows solids to be deposited on a ceramic support, to create innovative, brand-new surfaces.

Ferro Spain received a prize for its digital-application coloured and water-based ceramic-effect inks, which enable complete integration with the ceramic surface.

Tile International 1/2014

Finally, Digit-s/Unicer received an Alfa de Oro for developing a colour management software specifically for the ceramics industry. The new software stabilises colours during production by controlling all the variables of the equipment involved in the decoration process.

56

Economy & markets

faced with a domestic market that is still showing signs of struggle, despite an improvement on the drastic reductions of 2012 (-19.6%) and 2011 (-12%). The sector now derives 80% of its business from exports (before the crisis of 2007, this figure was around 50%).

According to early estimates from ASCER, national tile production has also risen slightly between 3 and 4% - and is expected to amount to 400 millions square metres.

The export markets Figures for exports in the first 11 months of the year point to a positive trend in every area apart from Europe, which recorded a decrease of 0.8% compared to the same period of 2012, despite being the main destination with 47% of total exports. Sales remained stable in the European Union, from which the sector takes one-third of its foreign sales.

Sales to Eastern Europe, by contrast, were on the increase (up by 5.8%, although lower than the 13.4% increase of 2012). Looking at the European markets individually, France, which is the top export destination for Spanish-made tiles, lost 3.3%, Germany also fell, by 1.7%, sliding into ninth place among the largest foreign markets in the segment.

By contrast, Russian exports grew by 5.3%, the UK by 6.7% and Italy by 1.5%. Those three

markets are now the 3rd, 4th and 10th foreign destinations for the Spanish ceramics industry.

Among the non-European markets, Asia recorded an increase of 7.5%. Asia is the second destination for Spanishmade tiles, with a share of 25.6% of total exports.

The Middle East is proving to be even more strategic (sales were up by 6.3% in value terms), and now represents 22% of total exports.

Saudi Arabia is a particularly important destination, the second-largest market for Spanish tiles in the area, and is still growing, with an increase of 7.5% after the peak of 41.5% recorded in 2012. Sales in Israel were also positive (17.7% up on 2012).

Africa is proving to be an increasingly attractive outlet for Spain's tile industry, and now absorbs 16.6% of total exports.

The 48% rise recorded in 2012 was accompanied by a new 30% increase in 2013, mainly thanks to the North African markets led by Algeria (a 19.6% increase, now the fifth largest foreign market for the sector) and Libya (an increase of 114.6%, the seventh largest market for Spanish tiles).

An increase of 12% was also recorded in North America, where sales in the USA (the sixth largest foreign market) rose by 16.7%. Sales in Central America were also positive (+10.3%), while South America

57

lost 3.6% compared to 2012.

Imports, which rose by 5% between January and November 2013 after the sharp decline of 25.4% in the previous year, recorded a value of â‚Ź58.3 million. Another highlight was the strong recovery of Italy and Portugal, respectively the first and third largest suppliers to the Spanish market. Meanwhile imports from China are continuing to fall heavily: after the 54.1% reduction in 2012, 2013 also ended with a reduction, of 21%.

Forecasts for 2014 President Zarzoso did not hide his concerns about the outlook for the sector in 2014, a year that he considers to be full of uncertainty. "2014 will be a difficult year, and the prospects are not particularly optimistic. The economies in some of our main markets are experiencing a series of difficulties, and even if the final figures for the year are positive, it is likely that they will still be lower than those for 2013". Similarly, the trend in the domestic market gives no cause for cheer, as it is now in its sixth consecutive year of decline. "The situation is not expected to change, at least in the short term", commented Zarzoso, "unless the government adopts plans to incentivise home improvement schemes, the only thing that could stimulate demand for building materials".

5

Tile International 1/2014

Economics & markets

Slow improvement for the Italian tile



If 2013 saw a slump in the Italian ceramics industry, 2014 looks set to be the year when it recovers (albeit too slowly).

This is the scenario that emerges from the analysis performed and the forecasts made by Confindustria Ceramica, in collaboration with Prometeia, Cresme and Banca Popolare dell’Emilia Romagna.

In 2013, the Italian ceramic tile industry registered exports totalling around 300 million square metres, a 3.1% increase over 2012, but with national sales of less than 90 million square metres (-5.4%).

The annual production figure hit 355 million square metres (-3.3%), while the industry saw 15 million square metres of finished products destocked.

The Italian property market crisis (with a 7.1% drop in building investments, and a 23.7% fall in the new residential sector) negatively affects

Tile International 1/2014

Vittorio Borelli the sales of ceramics in the national market.

Vittorio Borelli, president of Confindustria Ceramica, commented: “Since 2007, our sector has fallen by about 40% in Italy.

"If we analyse the last quarter of 2013, we see that the gap has narrowed slightly.

"Indeed, in the last quarter, we only lost 4.6%, as opposed to the decline of 10.25% experienced in the first quarter.

And even if this was a decline, it was in any case a slight improvement on the 18% fall experienced in 2012.”

Instead, positive data emerged from the foreign markets: exports of Italian tiles to the NAFTA area increased by 12.5%, registering +11.7% in the Gulf area and +11.9% in the Far East.

Instead, Western Europe and the Balkan states remained almost stable, while sales in Central and Eastern Europe performed better (+4.5%).

Borelli continues: “We have been witnessing quite a dynamic foreign market, which has not yet recovered the levels reached before the crisis. However, over the last few years, it has displayed several positive flickers, which may be small but are in any case indicative of recovery.

Moreover, these signs of recovery are present to a larger degree in certain strategic markets such as the United States and Russia”.

The forecasts for 2014, again made by Confindustria Ceramica in collaboration with Prometeia, Cresme and Banca Popolare dell’Emilia Romagna, register total sales volumes with an increase of 1.6%, a rise due to the reasonable stability (-0.8%) of the national market and the 2.4% increase in exports.

After two years, production is again expected to display positive trends, with an estimated 1.2% increase.

Specifically, exports are expected to follow a positive trend in each one of the target areas, even if with different degrees of intensity: an increase of less than 1% is expected in Western Europe (+0.5%) and the Balkan states (+0.9%) and slightly more in Eastern Europe (+2%), while exports of ceramic floor tiles are expected to rise in all the other continents at a rate of between 3 and 4%.

58

Economics & markets

tab. 1 - The Italian ceramic tile industry 2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Var % 2012/2011

2013

Production

570

569

559

512

368

387

400

367

355

-3.3%

Total sales

560

566

547

506

408

413

413

382

386

+1.0%

Domestic market

170

170

168

151

127

124

115

93

88

-5.4%

Exports

390

396

379

355

281

289

298

289

298

+3.1%

Values in million sq.m. - Source: Confindustria Ceramica The only positive exception is the NAFTA area, where forecasts expect sales to increase by 8%, led by the United States.

“These positive trends only represent a few more million square metres of tiles – comments Vittorio Borelli - too few to class as a turning point.

The discrepancy between a world market that is growing and an Italian industry that is marking time, even if it is still maintaining its position at the top of the world trade leaderboard in terms of value, is a result of the relative differential of competitiveness”.

Among the factors slowing down the full development of the sector, Confindustria Ceramica cites the high cost of energy and the poor state of the infrastructure system.“Nevertheless, the industry is continuing to invest more than the 5% of its annual turnover in technological innovation” .

5

tab. 2 - Italian ceramic tile exports: forecasts 2013-2015 2012 mill. sq.m Domestic sales

Var % 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

93

-7.0

-18.9

-5.4

-0.8

2.4

289

3.1

-3.1

3.1

2.4

3.1

Western Europe

150

2.7

-6.3

-1.7

0.5

1.8

Eastern Europe

37

7.8

-4.6

4.5

2.0

3.0

Balkans

15

5.5

-10.6

0.9

0.9

2.2

Nafta

37

-8.4

6.5

12.5

8.0

7.0

Total exports

Latin America

5

37.7

1.6

7.5

3.7

3.8

Gulf Countries

11

-4.1

1.3

11.7

3.9

3.7

North Africa and Middle East

9

3.2

5.4

5.6

3.0

3.5

Far East

13

11.1

0.6

11.9

3.9

4.1

Rest of the world

13

19.4

9.5

9.5

3.3

3.5

Total sales

382

0.1

-7.5

1.0

1.6

2.9

Production

367

3.2

-8.1

-3.3

1.2

2.9

National Consumption

107

-8.1

-19.7

-5.9

-1.0

2.3

14

-14.4

-24.6

-9.3

-2.4

1.6

Imports

Source: Prometeia “Osservatorio previsionale sul mercato mondiale delle piastrelle di ceramica” (December 2013)

tab. 3 - Italy: Building investments (% var.)

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total Building investments

-6.5

-7.1

-0.5

1.2

Residential

-7.0

-6.3

-0.8

0.9

New

-20.6

-23.7

-5.0

0.5

Renovation

0.2

1.0

0.4

1.0

Non residential

-5.9

-8.0

-1.2

1.4

Civil Engineering

-6.3

-8.3

1.6

1.6

Source : Prometeia “Rapporto di previsione" October 2013 59

Tile International 1/2014

In the spotlight

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

Rondinegroup makes its debut in Turkey

Lauro Giacobazzi



Following the entrance of a significant partner to its own company make-up, that is Seramiksan, Rondinegroup began its journey towards internationalisation in Turkey and other areas of the market located nearby, participating- as the first Italian company- in the Unicera fair held in Istanbul from 26 February to 2 March.

The agreement between Ceramica Rondine, a historical Italian brand, and Seramiksan, one of the largest Turkish ceramic groups active in the production of ceramic tiles and sanitaryware, dates back to June 2013. Although both companies continue to enjoy absolute managerial autonomy, the partnership is also an excellent chance to establish important synergies for improving distribution, and for the research and development of new products.

For Lauro Giacobazzi, president and managing director of the Italian Group, “a new era has dawned for Rondine, and as the globalisation of the economy requires us to adopt new approaches and routes, we have decided to focus as much as possi-

Tile International 1/2014

ble on the opportunities generated by a partnership with a partner like Seramiksan, leader in the sector in Turkey and throughout the world”.

Tile International: - Therefore, your participation at Unicera is part of a precise strategy designed to favour penetration into decidedly "lively" areas of the market which are difficult for Italian companies to break into…

Lauro Giacobazzi: “The Rondinegroup – Seramiksan agreement is a strategic move from many points of view. For Rondine, this joint venture is an important new opportunity: the Turkish ceramic tiles market alone, which reached a consumption of 190 million square metres in a year, is more than two times larger than

60

the Italian market. Moreover, Seramiksan has a strong network presence in Turkey and its surrounding areas.”

Tile International: - What agreements regarding distributions have been reached by the two partners? – L. Giacobazzi: “Rondine will distribute in Turkey, where Seramiksan has around 230 mono-brand stores. Initially, our company will distribute to the 20 or 30 most important points of sale in the main cities. We will use custom-prepared areas to underline the autonomy of our brand and, most of all, the Italian origin of the product.

Furthermore, for Seramiksan, having collections which are “made by Rondine” is a plus that can truly be made the most of in the Turkish market, where Italian products have an extremely strong appeal.

Instead, in order to penetrate the neigh-

In the spotlight

bouring markets, we decided to proceed with a direct sales system and direct Rondinegroup agents. In these cases, our synergy with the Turkish partner is important, because Seramiksan has the distribution chain we need in order to operate in these areas.

In all these countries - Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kurdistan, Iran, Iraq - the GDP is increasing and the presence of the Seramiksan brand is extremely strong. Moreover, they are all markets that would be truly difficult for one Italian company to penetrate alone.”

Tile International: - What did you present at Unicera? – L. Giacobazzi: “We presented both our "well-worn" lines in

addition to the more innovative sizes in a 60 sqm stand, located inside the 400 sqm plus Seramiksan exhibition area… and I have to say that once again Italian design proved that it is more than capable of attracting a tremendous amount of attention.

Furthermore, Seramiksan had already organised for another important Turkish press delegation to visit Rubiera on 7 February, with the specific purpose of promoting the partnership between the two companies on the reference market and opening it up.”

Tile International: - Can you briefly tell us about this meeting with the Turkish press? – L. Giacobazzi: “Of course: on

7 February we dedicated almost the whole day to a press conference and to accompanying a delegation of around 30 people, including journalists and staff from the CNNTurk, Bloomberg and Haberturk TV channels, together with the representatives of important newspapers such as Sabah, Hurriyet, Milliyet, Zaman and Cumhuriyet. The group was accompanied on an in-depth visit to the production facility and showroom, where the Foresta di Gres collection and the entire production in the new 15x100 format proved particularly popular”.

Tile International: - But what was the final result for the Italian Group at the end of 2013,

61

and what are the forecasts for the short-term? – L. Giacobazzi: “The consolidated turnover of Rondinegroup for 2013 (which also includes SprayDry, producer of spray drying services, and Sadon, manufacturer of ceramic skirting) was around 73 million euros, with a 21.5% increase in sales of ceramic tiles.

A good result, obtained thanks to the hard work carried out to reinforce the sales network internationally, and to the introduction of local resources with a view to improving the visibility of the brand: in 2013, the relationship between sales in Italy and foreign sales, which were respectively 48 and 52% in 2011, saw the percentage generated by exports rise to 70%. Exports were particularly positive in France, the UK, Germany, Russia and Israel. The market situation in the US and Canada was also very good.

In the three-year plan drawn up in 2011, we had forecast reaching a turnover of which 75% would have come from exports and 25% from sales to the national market.

At the moment the figures appear to be in line with these expectations. One element that gives us hope for 2014 is that the positive results reached until now, based on our own efforts, should now also be joined by those generated as a result of the synergies activated - since the end of summer 2013 – with SeraDel Conca "Fast" miksan.”

5

Tile International 1/2014

In the spotlight

by Paola Giacomini

KMG, a new giant between Asia and Africa

Khater Massaad

ď ‘

After 25 years spent to lead the RAK (UAE) group, making it one of the most important actors in the ceramic industry worldwide, Khater Massaad has already taken the road that is very likely to enable him to write another important chapter in the history of this industry.

Meeting him is always a pleasure. Massaad is undoubtedly a charismatic figure, who is able to express in an extremely natural way those endowments which are at the basis of his entrepreneurial success: great competence, passion, determination, far-sightedness, and a declared, innate optimism. Our latest conversation took place at the KMG stand (KMG is an acronym which stands for Khater Massaad Group), his new creation, at the Cersaie exhibition.

Tile International: - Dr. Massaad, you have made us accustomed to big industrial enterprises. How was KMG created and with what aims? Khater Massaad: "KMG is part of Star Industrial Holding, with offices in Jersey (UK), which reunites a group of investors and of which I am the biggest shareholder. It has developed as a multinational corporation of the ceramic industry,

Tile International 1/2014

strongly focused on those emerging countries which present the highest margins of increase in the consumption of ceramic ware, depending on variables such as economic development, demographic growth, increase in living standards, size of the middle class and which, at the same time, offer good conditions in terms of energy costs and availability of raw materials.

On the basis of our studies

62

and thanks to the acquired experience on the various markets worldwide, we have chosen five countries - Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia and Nigeria - for starting new plants for the production of tiles and, in some cases, for sanitaryware or tableware production."

Tile International: - Where is most of the production expected to take place? K. Massaad: "The most impor-

In the spotlight

KMG @ Cersaie 2013 tant industrial project will surely be developed in Saudi Arabia, a country where the population increases by one million inhabitants every year, where the cost of gas is low and raw materials are available. The new plant, situated in a strategic position close to Jeddah port, occupies an area of 1,450,000 sqm and will start between May and June 2014, with an initial production of 20 million sqm/year of ce-

ramic tiles; however, the project is expected to reach 80 million sqm/year over time.

The company will also manufacture sanitaryware, with an initial production of 1.5 million of pieces/year, to reach up to 5-6 million pieces. Most sales will be intended to meet the domestic market's strong demand, which has been steadily increasing for years now, but East- and North-Africa markets will be served as well."

Tile International: - And how will the business be developed in the Indian subcontinent? K. Massaad: "We have been operating in Bangladesh since January 2013, when the first line of tiles (for 5 million sqm/year) was started. The plant works at its full capacity and we had already planned the installation of the second line to double the production from January 2014. We are going to start the sanitaryware line in June, with an initial production of one million pieces/ year which is very likely to triple, and a plant for tableware production is expected to be inaugurated - this too - in June.

Potentialities for growth are considerable in this country, as well: there is a population of about 170 million inhabitants, with a yearly rate of increase of 1.7%. " Tile International: - And what about India? K. Massaad: "India is an immense country, where 30% of the population (about 300 million people) is part of a middle class demanding high quality products and high living standards. However, India is also a country where the production of ceramic is already widespread, and therefore there is extremely strong competition. This is the reason why we do not intend to start the production of sanitaryware in India; we will just start a plant for tableware production, whereas two small com-

63

panies will manufacture, overall, 8 million square metres of ceramic tiles a year. All plants will be based in Morbi (Gujarat), and the production lines will be started in the month of January 2014."

Tile International: - On the contrary, in Nigeria, there is almost no competition. K. Massaad: "True. The domestic production of ceramic tiles is of about 6-8 million sqm/year and it is covered by two factories owned by foreign investors, one by Chinese and one by Indians. This means that local competition is basically inexistent, and also that there are very good prospects of development. Nigeria is the richest country in Africa, with a production of oil of 2.6 million barrels a day, very high potentialities of development in the sector of building materials and good opportunities for exporting to close markets.

In this country as well, there is availability of raw materials and low cost labour and energy. Our plant, which is being constructed, will be based in Lagos on an area of half a million sqm. We will manufacture 10 million square metres of ceramic tiles a year, equally subdivided in floor tiles and wall tiles, in addition to one million pieces of sanitaryware per year. The plant is expected to start in summer 2014. " Tile International: - The demand for ceramic tiles in NigeDel Conca "Fast" ria is currently met through im-

Tile International 1/2014

In the spotlight

ports from China. Aren't you worried about this? K. Massaad: "No, I do not particularly fear the competition of made-in-China materials, because they will always be less competitive than those we can manufacture locally, and are perceived to be lower quality."

Tile International: - What kind of production facilities have you chosen for your plants? K. Massaad: "I have always opted for facilities with very high production efficiency, choosing high capacity lines and the most modern technologies.

These new plants are no exception; indeed, they are in the vanguard of the international context of production.

The suppliers are the best and most well-known Italian brands, including, first of all, Sacmi."

Tile International: - What is the level of the skillfulness of the employees? K. Massaad: "In all countries in which we have decided to operate, employees have a good level of skillfulness and are able to work on highly automated lines; they will also be trained by a team of professionals from Italy."

Tile International: - Once again, internationalisation is a crucial choice in your entrepreneurial strategies. But is this a choice, or is it increasingly a must? K. Massaad: "The consumption of ceramic tiles in the world will continue to increase in parallel with the increase in the living standards of people.

There will be - but this already emerges clearly when having a look at the data of the last decade - an inevitable, progressive move to new coun-

tries, especially African countries. We live in an increasingly open, borderless world, where it is possible to manufacture in every part of the world.

If we consider the value of a ceramic tile, adding the cost of transport to deliver the product to the other side of the world does not make any sense.

Ceramic tiles are products to be manufactured in the market they are intended for."

Tile International: - Shopping in the ceramic industry has increased over the last few years. Haven't you ever thought of acquiring companies or brands? K. Massaad: "No, the acquisition of existing brands has never been part of my ambitions, I prefer to create new brands. I like the idea of pioneering in new markets, and bring economic development

for them. Today, KMG employs 1500 people, but we will reach a number of 4000 in two years.

We have got an industrial project aimed at long lasting future, with a focus on the creation and development of adequate staff. " Tile International: - Isn't there China in your future projects? K. Massaad: "No, the Chinese market is really too complex.

On the contrary, I am really persuaded that Africa will be the continent of the 21st century."

Tile International: - What do you value most of your previous experience? K. Massaad: "For sure, the satisfaction of having created a big group, and I am happy for this. As for the rest, I am a very optimist man, I always think positive and I am used to looking forward".

5

The project of KMG industrial sites in Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh Tile International 1/2014

64

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In the spotlight

by Chiara Bruzzichelli

Del Conca launches production in the USA

Enzo Donald Mularoni



Monday 10 February saw the official start of quality tests on the raw materials, semifinished products and finished tiles at the Del Conca USA production plant in Loudon, Tennessee.

Construction of the new plant was announced just before Christmas 2012. The new factory required an initial investment of more than $50 million and has a workforce of more than 100. The new hirings are not just American – the new workforce also includes Italian managers who have relocated to the US with their families. “The imprint of Italian style is strategic for us" commented the Group's CEO Enzo Donald Mularoni, "because the know-how, when it comes to this type of production, is all Italian".

Tile International: - How much will be produced at the new Del Conca USA plant? – Enzo Donald Mularoni: “Initially there will be a single shift, but we will launch the second one as soon as possible in order to achieve the target quantity of 3 million square metres of outstandingly high quality porcelain stoneware each year.

Our production technology is one of the best: of the $50 million invested, 30 million

Tile International 1/2014

Fast 66

In the spotlight

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Halo 2.0

have been used to buy this allItalian technology.”

Tile International: - What are the reasons for such a huge investment in the US? – E. D. Mularoni: “The project owner Del Conca USA (the Group's American subsidiary with a logistics centre in Chicago) launched the initiative to increase its existing share of the US market". The Del Conca Group derives 75% of its turnover from exports, and half of that comes from the US market. The decision to open a production plant in America was driven by the need for greater competitiveness in the local market, and to provide a quicker, more flexible response to orders".

Tile International: - You presented your first collections at Surfaces 2014 in Las Vegas.

Can we expect to see a grand entrance at Coverings? E. D. Mularoni: “At Coverings 2014, our exhibition space will be double that of last year.

Coverings is the USA's leading fair in the sector, and we are getting ready to give our customers a fitting welcome. I'd also like to thank everyone for the support they've given us during the construction phase. It meant we were able to complete the factory incredibly quickly: the external shell of the building was completed, including the installations, in just 10 months – from March 2013 to January 2014.”

Tile International: - Record

67

time …E. D. Mularoni: “In fact one of the things that most impressed me was the "welcome to business" attitude that the USA shows to investors. Business people are seen as bringing something positive, so the institutions try to make things easier. They don't give you dollars but they do give you tax breaks, services and even infrastructure that's funded and built by the local authorities. A great example is the Del Conca Way – the road leading up to the factory. It was built by the Transport Department of the State of Tennessee.”

Tile International: - Why Tennessee, exactly? – E. D. Mularoni: “In the US, it takes just a few months to start a new business – the time required to obtain the licences.

It took much longer to find the right location for the factory.

We chose Loudon County because the authorities made it very easy for us, and gave us full collaboration. The County's governor Bill Haslam, together with the Loudon County Economic Development Agency, gave the official welcome to Del Conca USA, thanking us for a project that is very important to the local community.

This state, and the neighbouring ones, are home to the quarries of the raw materials needed to produce porcelain stoneware. Another important factor in choosing Tennessee Del Conca "Fast" was that it is an important hub

Tile International 1/2014

In the spotlight

along the main road networks".

Tile International: - But the Del Conca Group is also making major investments in Italy …. – E. D. Mularoni: “I'd like to clarify one thing: the investment in the US is not about delocalisation. It's about internationalisation with the aim of establishing a base in the American market, and developing it. The heart of the company remains in Italy, where efforts will be focused on product-related Research & Development. An important slice of the Italian investment has been used to boost production of the new Del Conca Fast system, which is now proving very popular in the United States as well. Still in Italy, new lines were needed to produce "Due", the perfect se-

ries for raised flooring with a thickness of 2 cm.

Tile International: - Research & Development are still vital elements of the Del Conca philosophy … – E. D. Mularoni: “The cornerstones of our growth are still a commitment to innovation and a focus on trends. We believe that these are the two vital aspects we need to address, in order to deal with the current difficulties on the market.

Every year, we dedicate 6% of annual turnover to Research & Development investments. But when I talk of innovation, I'm not just referring to technology and production.

We are also working on design, with the aim of expanding the traditional uses and functions of our product: to-

day, you need to go beyond the straightforward concept of product and embrace the more complex – but more creative – approach to a "system". The innovative dry-installation system Del Conca Fast fits in perfectly with this growth strategy - the only way to set ourselves apart from the competition which is now squeezing producers on the price factor.”

Tile International: - How did 2013 end, and what do you expect to see in the coming year, in your various markets? E. D. Mularoni: “Global sales of the Del Conca Group amounted to €121 million. 75% of that was made up of exports and as mentioned above, half of that came from the USA – a market where the ceramics segment has grown by 12% in

the last six months. That's an important, positive sign. On the other hand, throughout the whole of 2013 the Del Conca Group saw an increase in exports to the USA – they were 12% up on the previous year.

During 2013 the French and German speaking areas remained largely buoyant, while there were double-figure increases in East European markets, led by Russia".

Tile International: - What are your plans for the Russian market? – E. D. Mularoni: “The Russian market is always at the centre of our thoughts. We are working to create collections that will be successful even in the more demanding markets, and once again we will be attending Mosbuild in Moscow.”

5

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Companies showcased

Profiles protagonist at Mosbuild Cersanex & Coverings Progress Profiles continues its expansion as market leader in Italy in the technical and decorative finishing profile sector: the Asolo company (from Treviso, Italy) exports its products to over 50 countries worldwide and closed its accounts in 2013 sporting a double-figure growth rate.

Despite the general scenario of financial crisis, Progress Profiles looks towards 2014 on a wave of success, continuing to invest in state-of-the-art technology, training and design, guaranteeing high quality, original products that are certified as 100% made in Italy. Following almost 30 years of success on world markets and having opened three important foreign branches in Dubai (Progress Profiles Middle East LLC), Randolf in New Jersey (Progress Profiles America Inc.) and Moscow (Progress Plast M), the Italian company will also be a key player in the sector's main trade fairs this year.

From 15 to 18 April it will exhibit at Mosbuild Cersanex 2014 in Moscow, the most important event for the Russian market and those of Central and Eastern European countries, with a dedicated stand (Pav.8.1 stand T 205).

Again, between April and May, Progress Profiles will also have its own stand at Coverings in Las Vegas (Stand L 15007 Ceramics of Italy Area).

Progress Profiles exports over

Tile International 1/2014

12,500 stainless steel, aluminium, brass, PVC and real wood products in the profiles sector and other items used for laying ceramics and different types of coverings in the industrial construction field. A vast product range that combines stylish aesthetics with a high degree of technology: the Italian range par excellence only made with first class, non-toxic materials.

And in 2014 the company is set to expand its already copious product range with state-of-the-art solutions on a par with the latest trends in terms of architecture and furniture.

One of the most notable new concepts is the Proled Systems line which promotes the lighting device as a creative solution for enhancing and making the most of an area, by enrichening it with character, dynamic spirit and a unique aesthetic-emotional aspect. This system comprises three different products which together revolutionise any type of environment, with a sophisticated modern touch: • PROSKIRTING GILED, a profile co-designed together with young architect and designer Gilberto Toneguzzi, it features a built-in LED lighting system that generates a soft lighting effect.

This profile can be used as a replacement for the traditional skirting board or

70

can be turned 180° and attached to the perimeters under the floor block: the light generated by the LED elements is reflected by the aluminium wall and makes it look as if it is suspended from the floor and

detached from the ceiling.

• PROLISTEL LED is a rod in silver anodised aluminium and sparkling chrome aluminium, featuring a built-in LED lighting system, with warm, cool and neutral lighting, designed to illumi-

Companies showcased

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flight of stairs using an adhesive substance or dowels.

On the horizontal part it is fitted with anti-slip grooves on the surfaces and, on the vertical part, with built-in LED elements providing cool, warm and neutral light: the ideal solution for creating an extremely stylish atmosphere and showing stairs “in a new light”.

Moreover, to give a touch of modern elegance to any stairway, new stair-nosing profiles in brushed steel PROSTAIR GRIP ACC and PROSTYLE GRIP ACC, are available. These innovative profiles, which are applied before the steps are fitted, make the stairs safe thanks to their slip-proof properties and, at the same time, embellish the area with a sober style as a result of their re-

fined design.

After almost thirty years of success, Progress Profiles continues to invest with a view to expanding further and embracing the future.

It does so by upholding a brave policy of internationalisation thanks to its products, which are perfect examples of innovation and quality, and represent the highest standard of Italian production.

5

nate the tiled walls of bathrooms, kitchens and living areas.

• PROSTAIR LED is a profile in silver anodised aluminium and sparkling chrome aluminium which can be attached to the steps in a

71

Tile International 1/2014

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magazine www.MaterialiCasa.com

FOCUS ON ARCHITECTURE: Pantone: Dazzling Blue on surfaces • Eurosky Tower, Rome • Naturally Chic, Treviso • Antinori Winery, Tuscany • Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence • Stockholm Waterfront, Sweden • KoruFlorya, Istanbul • photo: Aldo Magnani

www.MaterialiCasa.com

that is... HomeMaterials

Editorial: Why focus on MaterialiCasa?

by Chiara Bruzzichelli - c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

With this first issue of 2014, “focus on MaterialiCasa” becomes part of Tile International.

This new insert, created in close collaboration with the portal www.materialicasa.com, aims to widen our readers’ target to include international architects and designers.

We’ve set up two brand new initiatives to reach our new target audience: • alongside the usual 20,000 paper copies of Tile International sent out free of charge to importers and distributors of floors, linings, bathroom products,

installation materials and designers (13,600 in Europe, 3,700 in the Americas, 1,900 in Asia, 300 in Oceania and 520 in Africa), we are now sending newsletter e-mails with the pdf version of the journal to 42,000 new architecture studios (23,000 in Europe, 15,000 in North America and 4,000 in the rest of the world).

• we’ve added 2 digital issues of Tile International (in July and December) to the usual paper-format journals.

These will be sent (again, via newsletter e-mail) to 23,000 distributors (16,000 in Europe, 4,000 in North

America, 3,000 in the rest of the world) and 42,000 architects and interior designers (23,000 in Europe, 15,000 in North America, 4,000 in the rest of the world).

• The July issue of Tile International will also be distributed in BRAZIL, to 135,000 retailers and architects.

The complete paper and web versions of Tile International are available free of charge via: • www.tiledizioni.it, with active links for browsing and saving in pdf format • tablets, downloading the free “Tile International” app

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Contents 75 -

Why focus on MaterialiCasa?

Trends:

74 -

Dazzling Blue on surfaces

Projects:

78 - KoruFlorya, Istanbul 82 - 1.000 Bertolotto Porte doors in the Eurosky Tower 86 - 5 star treatment: Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence 90 - Naturally chic 96 - The new Antinori Winery 102 - Stockholm Waterfront, Sweden

Cover picture: Casalgrande Padana www.casalgrandepadana.it @ Cersaie 2013 (Bologna - Italy) project “Pinnacle” arch. Daniel Libeskind

73

focus MaterialiCasa 1/2014

focus on Architecture

Dazzling Blue on surfaces

“Dazzling Blue” is the particular shade of cobalt blue elected by Pantone as one of the Fashion Colours of 2014

“Dazzling Blue” is the particular shade of cobalt blue elected by Pantone as one of the Fashion Colours of 2014.

of the various colours. Indeed, designers know only too well just how important it is to choose the correct colour.

Indeed, Leatrice Eiseman, the woman who heads the fashion colour committee at Pantone, has chosen Electric Blue as one of the fashion colour of this year, after Emerald had been chosen in 2013.

According to the trends announced for 2014, Electric Blue will unexpectedly team up with Black.

Blue and black, colours never considered compatible up until now, but currently seen as inseparable. Indeed these colours can be seen side by side on the catwalk in the fashion world, as in the fine yarns of Missoni cardigans, or incorporated into stern models of classic suits to underline their impeccable cut.

But, as is true in a fashion context, the colour blue can also express itself in the form of simple details in the furniture sector: in bags, footwear and jewellery, and also in stylish pieces of furniture, floral details or geometric designs on a surface.

In these cases they take centre stage alone and become the protagonists of the look.

Of course, there is no danger of emerald green disappearing but instead it is mingling with blue, and in the field of finishes and decor for interiors, it appears in a particular interpretation of liquid visions, where water rises up as an eternal source of vitality and inspiration.

And in fact, the name given to one of the palettes proposed

by Pantone for furniture in 2014 is none other than "Fluidity". A palette featuring colours with refreshing shades: seaweed green, deep blue and dazzling blue. Colours that remind us of frothy waves, but also of the bright reflections of crystal and glass, like liquid surfaces flooded with sunlight. All these are shades of blue ready to make their mark on pieces of furniture, computerised devices, electrical appliances, clothing accessories, fragrances and cosmetics.

A collection of precious visual inspirations used to furnish and design domestic areas while respecting the harmony

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Certainly, if we look at the Danilo Ramazzotti ItalianHouseFloor production, it would seem that the “theme of blue” in all its various shades - matt or metallic, dark or electric, mono-colour or melange, shiny or even dazzling – has already been largely tried out, tested and even analysed in its fullest sense… before the indications for 2014 were released by Pantone!

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Danilo Ramazzotti combines a true rainbow of colours and finishes, using stone, terracotta, majolica and glass, even "tailoring" products to meet the individual requirements of each design... If you don't believe it, have a look at www.daniloramazzotti.com

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1. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Rocce", Mare D’Estate 2. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Rocce", Città 3. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Rocce", Flowers 4. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Polvere di Stelle", Blu 5. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Cotto Variegato", Rosso variegato Azzurro 6. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Maioliche", Patchwork Blu-Azzurro 7/8. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Frammenti di Vetro", Acquamare (7) and Blu (8) 9. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Polvere di Stelle" 10. Danilo Ramazzotti Italian Housefloor: "Elementi Scintillanti", Blu

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KoruFlorya, Istanbul The project combines the privileges of a detached house and the comfort of a modern residence The KoruFlorya project, currently in the completion phase, is impeccably fulfilling the role assigned to it by the principal: that of creating an elite complex in Florya, one of the trendiest residential districts in Istanbul.

KoruFlorya combines the concept of the luxury home with that of the family residence, contemporaneously offering the privileges of a detached house and the comfort of a modern residence in a solution that is also well-connected to the centre of the city thanks to the new public transport lines.

The luxurious residence created as a result of the partnership between Aydinli, Metal Yapi Konut and Arke Insaat, under the supervision of TOKI (Building development and administration in Turkey) features 298 apartments, a shopping mall and over 3,000 square metres dedicated to fitness with swimming pools, Turkish baths and gyms.

The entire complex is immersed in 8 hectares of luscious gardens.

The 7 units that make up KoruFlorya offer various residential options, including multi-storey, single-storey and duplex attic apartments, in a

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range of sizes from 162 to 436 square metres.

The ultra-luxurious apartments, which tower up to 17 metres above the shopping mall and the other public areas, feature a stunning panorama that opens up beyond the Florya forest and towards the Marmara sea.

In this important project, carried out in one of the most charming cities in the world, a meeting point between eastern and western cultures, Piemme has had a chance to show its ability to function as a main partner, supplying not only 60,000 square

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metres of porcelain stoneware floor tiles from the Marmi Reali range, but also several thousand square metres of tiles with an extra-fine white body used for tiling bathrooms and finally some technical material, under the Piemmegres brand. The Italian company, which offers an excellent technical and professional service, an essential element when supplying such a complex site, has also made an infinite range of products available, giving designers the chance to customise each element and meet each specific requirement.

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For the bathrooms in KoruFlorya, Piemme supplied thousands of square metres of tiles with an extra-fine white body, available in the "Crystal Marble", "Satin", "Charme", "Tresor", "Elite" and "Boiserie" collections.

Other technical materials under the Piemmegres brand and belonging to the porcelain stoneware coloured body "Purestone" collection – with its infinite range of accessories - were used, both in the residential environments and in the public areas.

MATERIALS HIGHLIGHTED » » “Marmi Reali” collection in porcelain stoneware, new 60x60 cm sizes, available in various colours

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1,000 Bertolotto Porte doors in the Eurosky Tower EuroSky Tower obtained the Real Estate Award - Smart Green Building Bertolotto Porte recently completed its contract to supply doors for the Eurosky Tower in Rome.

Built over 28 floors, reaching 120 metres skywards, the Eurosky Tower, designed by the architect Franco Purini, is located within the Europarco Castellaccio, on the southern edge of the EUR district, in the southern quadrant of the Italian capital, one of the eighteen new "metropolitan complexes" planned in the General City Plan for Rome, in force since 14 March 2008.

The form of the Eurosky Tower is inspired by the capital city's medieval towers, including the Milizie, Conti and Capocci towers, hosting office spaces in the first three floors above ground and residential units in the higher floors. Its structure is composed of two vertical prisms connected by two blocks of stairs and lifts, in turn linked by way of bridges which house a number of plant areas.

The skyscraper, with its formal, sober form that renders it timeless, is an example of ecosustainable innovation and has already won the Real Estate AwardSmart Green Building as best technological and eco-sustainable building.

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The Eurosky Tower is fitted with photovoltaic panels, trigeneration systems, systems for the re-use of rainwater and fan-assisted underfloor heating and cooling. Each floor has specific containers for waste disposal and recycling, and each apartment has pure filtered water and an integrated, remote-controlled home automation system (to prevent excessive energy losses).

The first three show apartments have been set out on the 19th floor of the Tower – in one, two and three-bedroomed versions– to allow potential buyers to appreciate the finishes and practical layout of the units.

The top brands in Italian design have been chosen for the decor of the show apartments, which focuses on even the smallest of details. These include Cassina, Poltrona Frau and Cappellini.

Bang&Olufsen has been chosen to supply the sound systems installed, Technogym for the fitness equipment and Easydom and Windows for the home automation system.

Bertolotto Porte has created a one-off hinged door for the Eurosky Tower in Rome, naming it SKY - a model of the Fashion Collection available in a range of glossy and matt painted colours.

The 1,000 Sky doors produced

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for the skyscraper have a lightened structure and square frame. They feature a vertical aluminium profile in white and turtle grey with a glossy finish. Bertolotto has also used retractable hinges and magnetic locks as standard, with a TR/L8 frame.

The Fashion collection is based on understated, linear models that are the perfect combination of practicality and modern style.

Sky is made of wood and is available in a wide range of RAL and NCS finishes.

Franco Purini He is a key figure of the Italian architecture who emerged from the rationalism of the post-war period and the neo-realist context of the 1950s. He then formed part of the modern movement in the sixties and seventies up until the post modern period. He studied architecture in Rome with Ludovico Quaroni and spent several years working with Maurizio Sacripanti and Vittorio Gregotti.

After a short period spent teaching in Reggio Calabria and in Rome, Purini was appointed as a professor in the University Architectural Institute of Venice. Since 2003 he has taught in the Faculty of Architecture in the Sapienza University in Rome. The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence have named him as their Academic Correspondent.

In 1980, Paolo Portoghesi invited Purini to participate in the Biennale di Venezia working on the "Strada Novissima" installation, which became a symbol of Post-modern architecture.

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Project Team: Parsitalia – BNP Paribas – Comp. Interni Appalti Designer: Franco Purini, architect Materials highlighted » » 1,000 CL Sky hinged doors custom-manufactured by Bertolotto Porte Spa (Torre San Giorgio – CN, Italy)

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5 star treatment: Palazzo Tornabuoni, Florence Today, following an extensive restoration project the Palace hosts luxury brands, a restaurant and an exclusive hotel The origins of Palazzo Tornabuoni date back to the middle of the XV century and its design is attributed to Michelozzo di Bartolomeo. The majestic residence was built by combining various buildings already present in an area in front of the pre-existing Palazzo degli Strozzi, according to the wishes of Giovanni Tornaquinci, the head of the Medici Bank and a relative of the Medici family - who changed his surname to Tornabuoni in that same period.

The Palace was then owned by Alessandro de’ Medici, archbishop of Florence, who was later elected as Pope Leo XI. Between the late 16th century and the early 17th century, the grandiose residence became the property of the Corsi family, and the marquis Jacopo Corsi founded the first Florentine "Accademia di Musica" (Music Academy), within its walls. The same Jacopo Corsi, a musician and philanthropist, staged “The Story of Dafne”, composed by

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Jacopo Peri and considered to be the very first example of Italian melodrama.

In the nineteenth century, when Via Tornabuoni was widened (1857-67), the architect Telemaco Buonaiuti was appointed to move the facade of the Palace back by about 6 metres and redesign a new one.

Buonaiuti then designed the current facade, which features 11 window axes and an ashlar base, decorated with large arches that today play host to many luxury brands (Bulgari has a store right on the right-hand corner of Palazzo Tornabuoni, next to Palazzo Strozzi).

On the same occasion, Buonaiuti moved the Tornaquinci Loggetta to the opposite side of the palace, where it can still be found today.

Today, following an extensive detailed restoration project that practically involved all of its interiors, Palazzo Tornabuoni hosts luxury stores and a restaurant on its ground floor and an exclusive Private

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Residence Club on the upper floors – managed by the Four Seasons Hotel – in addition to 38 private residences displaying great elegance and prestige.

* The products used for treating the surfaces are: FILAPS87: dewaxing detergent that cleans and degreases.

FILAMAX: de-waxing solvent-based detergent FILACLEANER: universal neutral detergent for all kinds of surfaces FILAW68: water-repellent, water-based stain remover for interiors and exteriors.

FILASTONEPLUS: reviving stain-proof protection FILAFOB: solvent-based stain-proof protection for floors FILAMP90: stain-proof protection for polished surfaces FILACLASSIC: liquid eco-wax

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Recently, the owners of the 38 residences appointed FILA* to treat all the surfaces present in the buildings, and particularly those in the communal areas.

Following various inspections and mock ups, FILA began the extremely delicate intervention, proceeding to clean and subsequently treat the precious floorings in Pietra Serena and Venetian-style fleck and the prestigious natural stone surfaces in the bathrooms, restoring them to their original splendour.

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• The Pietra Serena present in the lounge bar and the passageways was cleaned with FILAMAX and FILAPS87 to remove dirt and various types of stains.

The material was then treated with FILAW68, the stain-proof protection for non-polished surfaces, and finished with FILAMATT wax.

• The bathrooms in Calacatta Marble and Veined Brown Marble in the suites were cleaned with FILACLEANER and then protected with FILAMP90. The vanity tops in the bathrooms, in levigated Black Italian Slate, were cleaned with the FILAPS87 degreasing detergent and treated with FILASTONEPLUS to protect them from stains and also to exalt the natural colour of the material.

• Finally, the floors in Venetianstyle fleck were treated with FILAFOB and FILACLASSIC finishing wax to give the material a pleasant, polished finish.

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Naturally chic A suite enclosed in an eco-sustainable shell, to install in the woods, on the seashore, in the middle of the countryside...

In the new frontiers reached in the hospitality industry, more and more space is being reserved by the concept of diffused hospitality. In Italy, this mostly takes the form of recovering buildings in small hamlets and transforming them into real "jewels", but abroad, this concept has been subject to a different interpretation for quite some time now. And it is the latter interpretation of diffused hospitality, which focuses more closely on integrating accommodation with the natural environment, that has been the basis for the GREEN_ZERO project: a new residential unit composed of a suite enclosed in an eco-sustainable shell to be installed in the woods, on the seashore, in the middle of the countryside, or any other location with appropriate terrain.

The project aims to create a new range of hotel accommodation, which is kind to the environment and available in different types of pre-fabricated units, from the bungalow with bathroom to the two-bedroomed unit.

The “green_zero� shell

The overall design of the unit is one of its distinctive traits, enclosed in the element

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that marks its perimeter: it is conceived as a flat surface, bent to form a C and sewn on one side with thin metal threads.

The structural shell is entirely made of wood with a frame and a system of layers- in both the vertical and horizontal parts - featuring load-bearing and insulating elements. Inside it contains a space through which the wires and pipes of the various systems pass and an “air chamber” that earns the unit its classification as KlimaHaus A or KlimaHaus Gold. The outer part of the shell is designed to incorporate a thin photovoltaic panel capable of producing the energy necessary to run the systems. The photovoltaic panel is combined with a “skin” in zinctitanium, which is easily moulded and so perfectly embraces the curved surfaces of the unit, at the same time creating the technical elements necessary for the systems which provide ventilation, dispose of waste water and re-use rainwater.

The prefabricated structure must preferably be anchored to the ground on a natural stone foundation, or a system composed of split-face stones of different grain size, compacted and retained by a metallic cage in order to achieve the ideal mechanical resistance.

The external cladding is created using a modular system of wooden boards that conceals the fixing screws, and its

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surface is finished with a natural wax coating that can be regularly renewed, unless an aged, oxidised wood effect is preferred. The structural architecture is completed, on one side, by iron tubes symbolising a tangle of trunks: two are the pillars, two are the downspouts for channelling and recovering rainwater and the others have a mere aesthetic function.

The floorings and internal and external claddings are made of highly resistant porcelain tiles (Porcelanosa Group), with an anti-slip surface in the outdoor areas. Aesthetically, they have a wood effect and in the bathroom area an elegant texture reproduces a carpet of fallen leaves.

The outdoor lighting system, with twilight sensor, makes it possible to use the outdoor area to its full capacity, and also illuminates the tree that is an integral part of the architecture, from the bottom up.

Inside, the unit is composed of an outdoor area, sleeping area and bathroom area. It also has a technical area designed to host the equipment for the various systems.

The end of the module, with its curved surfaces, is designed to accommodate the tanks and equipment for rainwater recovery and management of the incoming and outgoing water.

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The eco-responsibility of the project

“Green design is a choice based on solid research carried out on all aspects of the end product: from the structure, systems and materials to the layout of the relative areas and the objects that bring it to life. This research always points to certified standard or custom-made products”: these are the principles that inspire the integrated project team of Studio Menichini, which aims to create projects with zero environmental impact.

The success of the ecoresponsible project is the result of a partnership between a knowledgeable principal, an integrated design, an optimised budget, project management and the careful selection of the companies used, with the aim of creating a system which is both eco-sustainable and economically feasible.

Daniele Menichini Architectural Design Studio Daniele Menichini graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Florence in 1996, and is the owner of a studio which performs interior and exterior design. It also focuses on the design, visual communication and art direction aspects of companies in the home and contract furnishing sector.

Menichini is devoted on researching the problems of contemporary living, accommodation, showroom selling, restaurants, entertainment and wellness, and immediately stands out for his particular focus on developing eco-based concepts. The significant experience he has gained in integrated, sustainable design in the northern European area is the basis of his “green room” and “green_zero” designs.

Location: Revine Lago (Treviso, Italy) Year: 2013 Customer: Hotel Ai Cadelach Architectural design (interiors and exteriors, lighting engineering): Daniele Menichini, architect – Piombino (Li) Above ground floor area: 65 sqm Implementation: Tirolhaus Italia - Bolzano MATERIALS HIGHLIGHTED » » “Par-Ker Oxford Acero” flooring (cm 14.3x90) – “Oxo Garden Gris” wall covering (cm. 31.6x90) – “NK One”sanitaryware – “Land Stone” made-to-measure shower tray – “Urban” taps and shower – “Noken” series “Hotel” accessories.

All produced by PORCELANOSA.

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The new Antinori Winery It's not a building: there's no building there. The winery is completely inside the land, and it is from the land that it draws its energy

The new Antinori Winery in the Chianti Classico area, located in Bargino in the municipality of San Casciano Val di Pesa (FI) is an innovative architectural work, created by the Archea Associati studio of architect Marco Casamonti, and engineered by Hydea, in a seven-year project.

The structure is based on the deep-rooted link with the earth, has a low environmental impact and presents a high energy saving. From a distance, the winery looks like a large hill, with two crevices engraved in the land which has been planted with vineyards.

From the very beginning of the project, the main feature of the winery was its "invisibility”.

The architect intended to make the winery fully blend in with the countryside, and for this reason decided to plant a vineyard that would cover the whole building, only looking out on to the countryside from a terrace surrounded mainly by vines of the Sangiovese strain, and other varieties traditionally cultivated in the Chianti Classico area, such as Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, black Malvasia, Mammolo and a small quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

The winery is a reddish-brown colour, just like the colours of the soil and is made of natural materials such as cotto, wood,

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weathering steel and glass.

The new Antinori Winery in Bargino is designed also to welcome visitors and to present the various phases of wine production, the history of the Antinori family, the culture of good food and wine and the art of the territory.

This is what the architect, Marco Casamonti, has to say about the project: “The idea was to create an architecture that does not measure up to the scale of the buildings – it's not a building, there's no building there – but rather measures up to the surrounding territory.

One that is completely within the earth and which takes its energy from it: it is kept cool by the soil and lives within it. This is the true sense of a project that has only been possible thanks to a knowledgeable, cultured principal, who sees architecture as an important driving force for a type of production, such as winemaking, which originates from the concept of respect for the land and the environment”.

The winery, which opened on 25 October 2012, is the Antinori family's tribute to the land of

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the Chianti Classico area; it is the confirmation of the family's historical link with its land of origin.

The structure was designed to allow wine-making ‘by force of gravity’, that is, without mechanical pumps. Indeed, gravity flow wine-making is a method that subjects the grapes to a minimal degree of stress, creating a notable end result in the glass: the wine is more balanced and refined and presents softer tannins. It all starts on the highest level, where the grapes arrive and the bunches are hand-sorted by experts who eliminate those that are less than perfect.

The temperatures used to age the wine in barrels are generated by the soil and not by refrigeration systems, and this was another key element considered when designing the winery: maintaining an ideal temperature for producing and storing wine in an entirely natural manner.

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1. Moroso transforms the terracotta prototypes designed for the interiors of Antinori Winery, into La Terreria – a modular furniture system made by combining 3 elements: 3 different geometric configurations with a total depth of 30cm, a width that varies from 25 to 35cm and a height of 40cm. Marco Casamonti used them to cover extremely large walls and create partitions that

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become large bookshelves, but they have also been placed in areas suitable for keeping prestigious bottles of wine ‌ or in any case as containers holding culture, history and memories.

The terracotta elements of La Terreria are designed only a

few kilometres away, where Ceipo has its headquarters - the company appointed to produce them is located in the town of Chiusi - using local raw materials and ancient know-how for processing the clay that date back to the Etruscan period, as do the vines

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themselves.

2. Ceramica Cielo, located in the Viterbo area, still an ancient Etruscan land, has also succeeded in meeting the principal's requirements, custom-producing a unique ceramic finish, using a glaze in warm shades of brown inspired by the colours of the soils in the Chianti Classico area, with a soft surface texture.

In this way, the Le Giare collection and the washbasins of the Smile collection have become elements capable of establishing a dialogue with the architectural design of the winery itself.

In particular, the two freestanding washbasins of the Le Giare collection are positioned in a striking location: the tasting rooms, large glass

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panelled rooms suspended in the empty space of the great vault that covers the barrel cellar.

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Marco Casamonti He graduated in 1990 from Florence University, and in 2001 became Professor of Architectural and Urban Design in the Faculty of Architecture in Genoa.

In 1988 he founded Studio Archea, together with Laura Andreini and Giovanni Polazzi, and in 1999 they are also joined by another partner, Silvia Fabi.

Archea is a network of around 100 architects operating in 7 active offices in the cities of Florence, Milan, Rome, Beijing, Dubai, and São Paulo.

In addition to performing design-related research, each partner of the Studio also works in parallel in the Faculties of Architecture in Florence and Genoa. The most important projects tackled by the studio include: the city library in Nembro (BG, Italy); the new Antinori Winery in San Casciano Val di Pesa (Florence, Italy); the UBPA B3-2 Pavilion World Expo 2010 and the GEL – Green Energy Laboratory – in Shanghai in China; the extension and renovation of the Perfetti Van Melle facility in Lainate (MI, Italy). Projects in progress include the construction of the Tirana Tower in Albania; the “Wonderful Island” in The World a Dubai; the Changri-La Winery in Penglai and the Li Ling World Ceramic Art City, in China.

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Stockholm Waterfront,, Sweden A complex composed of 3 separate buildings located in the hub of the city The Stockholm Waterfront, with its innovative design solutions, offers Stockholm a conference centre that is one of its kind in Europe.

Built in a triangular area located between Central Railway Station, the City Hall and the Riddarfjärden, a fjord created by the most eastern bay of the Mälaren lake, the Stockholm Waterfront is located in the hub of the city and crossed each day by tens of thousands of passers-by.

The complex is divided into three separate buildings: an impressive office building on Klarabergsgatan, a conference centre on Riddarfjärden and, between the two, a four star

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hotel with 418 rooms, in addition to 24,600 square metres of areas destined for office use.

The White Arkitekter studio was appointed to design and build the architecture: “The conference centre is the result of an innovative puzzle which has pushed architectural solutions and technological possibilities to the limit.

We can definitely say that we have succeeded in completing the entire project as planned in an extremely limited area” says Hans Forsmark, one of the architectural minds behind the design concept.

The conference centre is definitely the most notable element, as it contains an auditorium that hosts 3,000

people and a dining room with a seating capacity of 2,000.

The designers were able to guarantee such large capacities by building a large part of the surface of the conference centre "suspended” beyond the edges of the site, almost creating an enormous “gallery”.

Then, inside the building, mobile seating systems were also adopted and multi-purpose areas were cleverly created.

But it is the top, external part of the conference centre which is the true focus point of the complex. It looks as if it is “veiled” by a palisade composed of 3,500 z-shaped extrusions and bars in stainless steel - laid at a specific distance from the wall so that they interact

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Location: Stockholm, Sweden Architectural studio: White Arkitekter Project team : Bengt Svensson, Hans Forsmark, Raimo Joss, Bengt Mührer, Linda Thiel, Karin Planting-Bergloo, Kaveh Ghorashi, Mats Anslöv, Thomas Peinert, Robert Niziolek, Mats Holmberg Start and completion of works: 2005 - 2011 Total surface area: 72,000 sqm Customer: Jarl Asset Management MATERIALS HIGHLIGHTED » » ardesia nera slate, bianco statuario levigato and white stone honed produced by FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti.

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visually with the movement of the surrounding structures: road flyovers, the piers looking out over the Riddarfjärden and the Klara Sjö canal.

The steel structure serves as a kind of exoskeleton to the building, giving it a unique colour that changes according to how the sun hits it.

Moreover, at nighttime, the semi-opaque finish of the steel profiles enables the customdesigned artificial lighting to exalt the imposing presence of the building on the banks of the Klara Sjö canal.

Beneath the metal skin, there is a facade in eco-sustainable glass, capable of capturing up to 1 MW of solar energy per day.

In line with the preliminary design requisites that involved the use of highly sustainable, long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing materials, the external wall covering on the facades of the interior design was created with products by FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti – in particular Ardesia Nera Slate, Bianco Statuario Levigato and White Stone Honed.

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MIC TILE ESE CERA 2 - CHIN 05 TABLE 1.

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Thailand

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Brazil

7

UAE

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Philippin

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India

12

Vietnam

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Malaysia

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Ghana

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Australia

16

Mexico

17 18

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19 20

Iraq

22

Japan

23

Tanzania

24

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Cambodi

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7.6 3.0 1.0 2.9

260.2

ACIMAC Via Fossa Buracchione 84 41126 Baggiovara (MO) - Italy T. +39 059 510 336 info@acimac.it www.acimac.it

14.9

8.6 0.9 3.2 4.2

3.9

341.7

9.3 2.4

9.9

449.7

13.1

9.4 2.7 6.9

4.9 44.7

96.1 500.2

s

ramic tile

ption of ce

d consum

duction an

World pro

12.7

6.6

4.7

2.2

1.0

0.8

3.8

2.4

1.1

0.6

0.1

11.3 3.5 7.4 100.3 570.0

7.2

12.8

8.5 9.1 4.5 8.0 111.8 584.5

7.7

10.4 10.0

9.3 7.1 9.3 133.4 714.7

12.6 12.3

8.5 10.0 10.4 121.3 829.9

12.0 11.4 10.9 137.2 914.7

38.6%

24.7%

1.4%

12.8

7.8

4.5

4.4

6.3

1.4%

12.8

10.3

9.3

6.4

6.4

4.4

2.8

1.9

1.4

0.7

6.8

5.4

5.0

3.8

10.8

8.4

7.0

7.3

7.4

14.6%

20.2%

1.4%

13.0

63.1%

-11.2%

1.5%

13.3

15.0

12.5

4.5

2.5

0.7

0.4

0.1

0.1

0.0

9.2

4.9

10.0

5.5

3.5

1.0

0.6

0.2

5.6

0.9

0.5

0.1

72.0%

43.2%

1.6%

14.6

10.2

-11.7%

12.6%

1.7%

15.5

13.8

9.9

7.9

7.9

7.0

20.4

16.3

18.5

16.0

26.7

40.1

56.7

61.9

53.9

Chile

21

11.0

10.7

5.5

Kuwait

14.8%

-14.2%

1.9%

17.5

64.6%

-4.2%

2.1%

19.2

20.0

16.6

15.7

15.7

10.2

10.7

16.9

11.7

8.6

11.2

8.1

4.3

0.9

0.6

0.2

8.2

5.6

4.7

3.5

20.9%

15.4%

2.1%

19.5

31.4%

9.3% - 0.6%

2.1%

19.6

19.7

18.6

15.4

15.2

12.9

13.8

10.9

14.0

10.0

6.3

4.8

3.4

1.8

10.0

9.5

7.3

8.6

10.7%

7.9%

2.3%

21.2

19.4

24.0%

-3.4%

2.4%

21.6

20.0

26.7

21.6

12.1

6.9

24.6

19.5

11.7

10.0

9.9

7.2

7.3

7.4

3.4

20.0

15.1

7.8

6.5

2.9

27.0%

-29.2%

2.6%

23.8

43.4%

17.2%

2.8%

25.2

35.5

21.9

13.6

22.2

21.9

18.5

13.1

10.4

14.8

7.5

2.5

3.0

1.0

South Africa

6.4

5.8

6.6

4.4

es

25.6%

22.7%

2.8%

25.7

28.6%

73.8%

3.7%

34.2

27.9

27.7

20.4

16.2

15.1

12.4

6.7

10.6

9.8

10.9

11.0

6.1

3.7

Indonesia

9

23.3

12.9

7.8

18.6%

6.0%

3.8%

35.0

20.2

139.5%

-2.6%

3.9%

36.1

34.1

35.3

37.1

41.3

33.2

39.8

37.2

24.1

11.6

10.0

6.8

2.3

0.4

0.0

0.0

10.8

7.6

4.1

1.3

46.2%

11.0%

4.0%

36.3

9.2%

2.1%

4.4%

40.6

36.6

29.0

19.4

15.5

12.1

40.2

35.4

29.8

33.6

36.0

24.2

18.7

21.8

18.6

27.3

25.2%

2.9%

4.5%

41.1

15.7%

-2.4%

4.5%

41.2

40.1

34.7

28.9

28.7

31.3

43.8

31.4

28.7

26.7

23.9%

36.4%

4.7%

42.7

16.8%

12.8%

5.3%

48.6

35.6

25.7

22.0

21.4

26.4

56.5

14.4

9.5

5.4

USA

55.3

22.6

11.5

ngapore

13.6

18.9

62.0

66.4

VIDU RTS (INDI TILE EXPO CERAMIC E ES IN CH 1.2. A GRAPH.

CAGR 12/03

Var 12/11

9.6%

87.4

77.5

p ro d uc -

l s in te rn a 

l % on tota export

2012

2011

2010

2009

56.8

37.5

43.3

14.0

8.7

7.1

Nigeria

2 3

2006

43.9

35.3

21.7

Saudi Arabia

2008

2007

t x te

1.4% 1.3% 1.3% 1.2% 1.2% 15.0% 100.0%

64.7%

65.0%

21.7% 23.4% 40.0% 13.8% 5.2% 13.1% 10.2%

53.3% 15.8% 17.6% 49.1% 22.3% 18.2% 18.0%

TR AL COUN

RT AND IES), SHO

NOW AVAILABLE THE STUDY: MEDIUM

WORLD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF CERAMIC TILES

n

Variatio TERM - %

The study, realized by Acimac Research Department, is providing accurate DATA and TEN-YEAR HISTORICAL TRENDS (from 2003 to 2012) for 66 COUNTRIES, both individually and as aggregates per MACRO-GEOGRAPHICAL regions.

World ACIMAC -

production

s

ramic tile

ption of ce

and consum

.63

Sheets and tables on: ➔ production ➔ consumption ➔ import ➔ export ➔ market shares

s e g a p 16

2

INFO: ACIMAC Research Department

mr. Luca Baraldi studi@acimac.it tel. +39 059 510 336

Showroom Forgiarini - Lampertheim

ESPOSITORI E SHOWROOM - CONCEPT, DESIGN E REALIZZAZIONE DISPLAYS & SHOWROOMS - CONCEPT, DESIGN & MANUFACTURING COVERINGS 2014

BOOTH L13020

Marocchi s.r.l.

Via G. Di Vittorio, 3 40020 Casalfiumanese (Bologna) Italy

Tel. +39 0542 666136 Fax +39 0542 666762

marocchi@marocchi.com www.marocchi.com

Exhibition Calendar THE BIG 5 SHOW Dubai, UAE – 9/12 March 2014 BUDMA Poznan, Poland – 11/14 March 2014 REVESTIR São Paulo, Brazil – 11/14 March 2014 MOSTRA CONVEGNO EXPOCOMFORT Milan, Italy – 18/21 March 2014 BATIMAT RUSSIA Moscow Crocus Expo, Russia – 1/4 April 2014 I SALONI Milan, Italy – 8/13 April 2014 MOSBUILD CERSANEX Moscow, Russia – 15/18 April 2014 KERAMIKA Jakarta, Indonesia – 17/20 April 2014 COVERINGS Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – 29 April/2 May 2014 BATIMATEC Algiers, Algeria – 4/8 May 2014 TURKEYBUILD Istanbul, Turkey – 6/10 May 2014 PROJECT QATAR Doha, Qatar – 12/15 May 2014 BUILDING, CONSTRUCTION, MINING&WATER TECHNOLOGIES Nairobi, Kenya – 2/4 May 2014 PROJECT QATAR Doha, Qatar – 12/15 May 2014 CARRARA MARMOTEC Carrara, Italy - 21/24 June 2014 EPF Feuchtwangen, Germany – 26 /28 June 2014 KAZBUILD Almaty, Kazakhistan – 3/6 September 2014 CERSAIE Bologna, Italy – 22/26 September 2014 TECNARGILLA Rimini, Italy – 22/26 September 2014

Tile International 1/2014

110

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