Tile International 3/2021

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Piano d’appoggio: GRIGIO VENATO Lavabo: RAK-CLOUD Specchio: RAK-JOY Pavimento e rivestimento: DESERT

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The sound of water.

Can you feel the sound of wellness?

Of course you can: the sound of water that pours down, descends, flows and leaves behind a sense of well-being and cleanliness.

A real symphony able to extend the pleasure of the shower, transforming a unique moment into sound.

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CONTENTS 7

EDITORIAL - The year to come

8

NEWS

ECONOMICS:

Gian Paolo Crasta

14 22 26

World production and consumption of ceramic tiles World construction set to see strong growth through to 2025 The European parquet market managed to remain flat in 2020

30

IN THE SPOTLIGHT - The green hydrogen revolution at Iris Ceramica

PROJECTS:

34 38 42 46

Reina Del Mar, Bulgaria Victoria Residence, South Africa: nature meets modernity Camping Village Garden Paradiso, Venice Top-class retreat on Spain’s Mediterranean Coast

50

WHAT ’S NEW - Ceramic tiles & laying technologies

Luca Baraldi -MECS MECS Research Centre courtesy of FEP Milena Bernardi

POWERED BY

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

60 64

“Artisan craftsmanship means exclusivity” Ricehouse: turning rice by-products into houses

PROJECTS “Talking” surfaces: El Txoko De Martín

72 74

PHOTONEWS

76

NEW MATERIALS FOR INTERIORS

68

The splendid brick vaults of the Imperial Kiln Museum The smoked oak for the Mt. Isthmus Lodge

COVER PICTURE: Marazzi – photo by Giancarlo Pradelli @ Cersaie 2021 • ADVERTISER’S LIST: pag. 58

5 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

Chiara Poggi Chiara Poggi

Visit us at Cevisama at N2P2B8

7-11 Feb. 2022

www.grupohalcon.com #walkingtogether

#100%MADEINSPAIN

The year to come Gian Paolo Crasta g.crasta@tiledizioni.it

There’s also a palpable desire for a fresh start in the distribution world, which has always played a leading role in our publications, and is constantly evolving to give customers fresh new stimuli all the time.

Growth is forecast for the construction industry over the next few years, both in Italy and the rest of the world, and incentives for renovations will continue to boost the private and contract sectors, in which coverings manufacturers mainly operate.

If you live in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, as we do, there’s a famous song you’ll hear a lot at this time of year. It’s by Lucio Dalla, one of Italy’s most important singer-songwriters, and it’s called “L’anno che verrà”, meaning “The year to come”.

All have been spawned by the outstanding creativity of the coverings industry, combined with the desire for extreme customisation and uniqueness expressed by designers and consumers.

This year, more than ever, we’re all hoping to see a transformation next year and a full return to the rich tapestry of our social and working lives, against the backdrop of the economic recovery that is now under way.

So there’s a lot to celebrate, but there are also critical issues that could undermine the recovery. Big increases in energy costs are taking a particularly heavy toll on European tile manufacturers, who are expecting to see 400% increases in their energy bills, so are resorting to production shutdowns in order to remain viable.

And we want to see more of the optimism and desire to do business that shines through these pages and that we witnessed first-hand at the first face-to-face trade shows held this autumn, which gave us all grounds for hope.

The hope is that local and national institutions might be able to attenuate these speculative pressures, thus swiftly reducing manufacturers’ energy costs in order to avert a fresh economic crisis.

Growth is forecast for the construction industry over the next few years, both in Italy and the rest of the world, and incentives for renovations will continue to boost the private and contract sectors, in which coverings manufacturers mainly operate.

In the words of Lucio Dalla: “L’anno che sta arrivando tra un anno passerà / Io mi sto preparando, è questa la novità” (“The year that’s just coming, in a year will fade from view, / So I’m getting ready, that’s what’s new”). ✕

7 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

EDITORIAL

The Surfaces International section, on the pages that follow, therefore hosts an extensive line-up of new products, designs and architectures that use new materials and combine them with existing ones.

NEWS

Cersaie 2021 exceeds all expectations Two years on from the last edition of the show, this year’s Cersaie had been eagerly anticipated by professionals working in all areas of the supply chain, from industry through to the end market. The excitement surrounding the event was evident as soon as the show opened on 27 September, with stands that hadn’t been this busy on the first morning for many years. This was an important result for the 623 exhibitor companies who had been keen to participate despite all the uncertainties regarding attendance, particularly the fact that visitors would be almost entirely from Europe given the continuing difficulties caused by the pandemic and the restrictions on intercontinental travel.

By the end of the five days of the show, the results of the most important international exhibition of ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings had far exceeded expectations, with the presence of 62,943 attendees (56% of the 2019 figure), consisting of 38,924 Italian and 24,019 international visitors (38% of the total).

The visitors who came to Bologna were able to appreciate the breadth and quality of the exhibition with its beautifully designed stands and plenty of new products. The 15 occupied halls (a total floor space of 150,000 square metres) hosted 361 companies from the ceramic tile sector, 87 from bathroom furnishings and 175 from the installation, raw materials, new surfaces and services sectors. There was also a strong international presence, with 238 foreign exhibitors (38% of the total) from 28 countries, first and foremost Spain.

Confirming the renewed vitality of international demand, the Italian ceramic tile industry closed the first half of 2021 with a 12.3% increase in sales compared to the pre-pandemic levels of the first half of 2019 (+10.7% in It-

aly and +12.6% in international markets).

With 148 companies and around 22,000 direct employees, the Italian ceramic industry has annual revenues of €5.2 billion, more than 85% of which is generated by exports (with around half of all exports shipped to EU markets). Italian tile maintains its leadership position in terms of international trade by value with a 31% market share, followed by China at 20% and Spain at 17%.

Next year’s Cersaie will be held in Bologna from 26 to 30 September 2022.

by the association’s Permanent Design Observatory.

The new production process basically uses two digital application technologies in sequence: the textured surface of the tiles (relief veins, ruffles and all possible three-dimensional and tactile effects) is no longer created at the pressing stage, with the related repetition constraints, but is digitally printed, in perfect synchrony with the decoration (marble, stone, wood effect, etc.).

Special software manages the application of relief glazes with unlimited variables in synchrony with glazes dedicated to the desired graphic effects.

Evoluta by Ceramiche Piemme is therefore a collection of porcelain stoneware tiles obtained by a completely revolutionised industrial process.

Adi Design Index indeed rewards designers, products or services for the degree of innovation in applied research.

There is also a strong connection to sustainability in a 2021 edition characterised by three words: People, Planet, Prosperity.

Ceramiche Piemme selected for ADI Design Index 2021 The Evoluta tile collection developed

by Ceramiche Piemme researchers, using the new digital printing technology Synchro Digit, has been selected by the Association for Industrial Design for ADI Design Index 2021 in the Design of materials and technological systems category.

In addition to being included in this particular ranking of Italian excellence, the special ceramic covering will compete for the next Compasso d’Oro award, which will be assigned in 2022

8 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

Tod Valickis of Schlüter-Systems America named president of TTMAC Tod Valickis, Product Manager of Schlüter-Systems America, has been

named president of the Terrazzo Tile & Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC). For the German multinational, this new appointment represents an important recognition of its long-standing commitment to developments and advances in ceramic tile laying.

Tod Valickis graduated in 1988 from the University of Toronto and has worked for Schlüter-Systems North America since 1999. He has been Global Product Manager since 2019. Tod has always maintained close links with the tile laying community and coordinates the design and development of new installation systems for ceramic and natural stone tiles on behalf of the entire Schlüter Group.

ing products to the market.

“We are proud to collaborate with ELIE SAAB and his team in the creation of a truly exclusive collection of tiles and bathroom furnishings, which raises the bar in terms of ceramic design and production,” says Abdallah Massaad, Group CEO, RAK Ceramics.

“This collaboration with RAK Ceramics,” adds Elie Saab Jr, CEO of ELIE SAAB Group, “extends the scope of our product offering and extends the brand’s DNA by introducing an alternative approach to luxury living, and translating the legacy of the ELIE SAAB label with our own distinctive style that combines the contemporary with the timeless.”

The five new porcelain tile collections, some of which have already been unveiled at Downtown Design in Dubai, are Glamour, Liquid Metal, Royal, Soft Lux and Travertinum, and draw upon sophisticated marble, wood and concrete effects, with gold details and precious elements that reprise the brand’s distinctive aesthetics for top-end public and private applications.

ELIE SAAB Maison chooses RAK Ceramics for line of finishings RAK Ceramics has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with ELIE SAAB, one of the world’s best-known and most prestigious fashion companies, for exclusive rights to the production of various ceramic collections under the ELIE SAAB Maison Surfaces and Bathroom Collection brand. The deal between the two brands is underpinned by a sense of creative harmony that has given rise to the shared intention of exalting materials, through precious, ornate details, aimed at bringing a range of modern, refined, international finish-

Progress Profiles opens in Alicante After the United States, the United Arab Emirates and a temporary showroom in the heart of Paris, Progress Pro-

9 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

files, a specialist manufacturer of technical and decorative finishing profiles and covering installation systems, has now landed on the Iberian peninsula, where it is opening a new branch in Alicante. Headquartered in Italy, among the hills around Asolo, the company

has deployed resources for 2021 aimed at developing new technologies and production areas, training and expansion on the foreign market, with a view to hitting double-digit growth.

Built on the basis of an initial investment of over 200,000 euros, the new headquarter in Alicante has a 1000 sqm warehouse, 150 sqm of office and showroom space, and an Academy area covering 100 sqm, where customers, architects, designers and agents will have the opportunity to discover the company’s latest innovations and technologies. Training and refresher courses will also be held, to equip attendees with in-depth knowledge of the most important and interesting building-related topics.

“The opening of the site in Alicante gives us a major opportunity to put ourselves to the test, because Spain, one of the world’s largest international ceramic manufacturers, has one of the most discerning and demanding markets for floor and wall covering installation products,” ex-

plains Dennis Bordin, President of Progress Profiles. “The opening of this new branch forms part of a major drive for international growth, development and expansion: it enables us to bring Italian manufacturing excellence to a strategic territory, and to consolidate the company’s positioning and its relationships with local customers.”

Progress Profiles already has two international branches - one in New Jersey in the USA, and one in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates - which give it the capacity to reach over 80 countries worldwide: these are vitally important bases, because business with foreign markets generates 40% of the company’s total turnover.

NEWS

Paris Photo 2021 to host the exhibition “Luigi Ghirri. Les années Marazzi 1975 – 1985”

© ESTATE OF LUIGI GHIRRI courtesy of Marazzi Ceramiche

As part of the “A Paris pendant Paris Photo” programme at Paris Photo 2021, the Italian Institute of Culture in Paris is staging an exhibition entitled Luigi Ghirri.

Les années Marazzi 1975 – 1985, curated by Ilaria Campioli, from November 10 to December 21, 2021. Marking the second stage of an exhibition that kicked off

in the Palazzo Ducale in Sassuolo (Modena, Italy) from 16 September to 31 October – the event will be showing, for the first time in France, a collection of almost entirely unseen photographs shot by Luigi Ghirri for Marazzi, between the 1970s and 1980s, by way of an international celebration of one of the most influential exponents of Italian photography. Deriving from a collaboration between the Italian Institute of Culture, the Luigi Ghirri Archive and Marazzi Group, the exhibition marks another step in a major initiative aimed at showcasing Ghirri’s work, that Marazzi has launched by sharing a unique cultural experience, which brings new insights to our understanding of the work and research of an absolute master of Italian photography, who is loved all over the world. Held in the hall of mirrors and paintings on the main floor of the 18th-century building that houses the Institute, the exhibition presents a selection of 24 of the photographs taken within the framework of the artist’s collaboration with Marazzi, which have been held in the company’s archives for almost 40 years.

“Luigi Ghirri. Les années Marazzi 1975 – 1985” thus reveals the extent to which Ghirri used ceramic to explore themes and reflections that were dear to him in those years, such as the function of photography itself, and its effectiveness as a tool for questioning the world, understanding collective and shared perception, and analysing architecture, the depiction of landscape, and illusion. In addition to the exhibition, the “Luigi Ghirri. Les années Marazzi 1975 – 1985” project also extends to a book of the same name, not intended for sale, and a website www.ghirri.marazzi.it - dedicated entirely to this special selection of work by Ghirri.

Mapei for the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai Creating new materials from natural components such as sand, coffee and

10 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

©️Massimo Sestini for #ItalyExpo2020

orange peel powder, as coverings for the large outdoor dune and the suspended walkway of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai; and giving visitors a memorable sensory experience: this is the innovative contribution that Mapei has made to the construction of the Italian Pavilion, designed by CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and Italo Rota Building Office, with F&M Ingegneria and Matteo Gatto.

By making it possible to use materials of iconic status within Italian and Arab culture, such as coffee, orange and desert sand, which are also natural, recycled materials, Mapei has given tangible form to two key ideas around which the Italian Pavilion was designed: the Mediterranean ethic, in the sense of coexistence of cultures, and sustainability, built on innovation. In order to meet the technical and aesthetic challenge of using perishable materials to create a covering that would withstand the expected traffic of five million visitors, Mapei deployed the full force of its expertise and technologies, while carrying out rigorous testing in its laboratories.

Inside the Pavilion, Mapei also supplied solutions for the resin and concrete flooring, for the installation of ceramic and marble, for the wall finishings and for the waterproofing systems, in particular for the five tanks containing three types of algae: Spirulina, Dunaliella and Haematococcus.

Thanks to the Expo site’s proximity to Mapei’s local base, which is an advanced

facility in the Dubai Investments Park (DIP), representing Italy’s largest investment in manufacturing capacity in the United Arab Emirates, Mapei has been a fully fledged project partner for the Italian Pavilion, capable of providing real-time consulting to solve the problems that can arise on a construction site.

Mapei’s contribution to Expo Dubai also extends beyond the perimeter of the Italian Pavilion. The company’s technologies have been used in more than 50 structures, from the public reception areas to the auditoriums, and the pavilions of other countries. What’s more, the Italian multinational took part in the construction of the underground railway that leads directly to the Expo Park.

Gruppo Romani acquires Ceramica Verde 1999 As part of its increasingly optimistic and ambitious vision of the future, Gruppo Romani has acquired Ceramica Verde 1999 - Campogalliano Ceramiche. This is a strategic decision that forms part of a wider growth initiative, with a particular focus on exports and extending the product range with lines that complement those of its existing brands – Serenissima, Cir, Cercom and Cersarda –

and its subsidiary, ISLA Tiles. Ceramica Verde 1999 is a design-oriented company with a strong commitment to technological research, which has succeeded in communicating the premium value of Italian manufacturing worldwide, thanks to its determination and creativity. Based in Fiorano Modenese, over the course of its 20-plus-year history, the company has achieved consistent growth and expects to close 2021 with revenues of over 15 million euros.

“With this important acquisition, we have chosen to invest in an internationally recognised company with a strong vocation for export,” explain Giorgio and Paolo Romani, President and CEO of Gruppo Romani Industrie Ceramiche S.p.A. “The sales lines will remain independent and Dr. Daniele Verde will remain in post as the company’s CEO in the years to come, assisted by his wife, Ellen Bahman, in new product Research & Development.”

Ceramica Verde 1999, acquired by the subsidiary of Gruppo Romani RGP srl (an effective formula and already road-tested by the subsidiary NGT for the acquisition of Isla Tiles), will retain its autonomy on the market, through a new sales network that will now benefit from Group synergies.

Gruppo Romani produces about 8 million sqm per year across its three production plants in Rubiera, Roteglia and Olbia. It generated revenues of over 100 million euros in 2020 and is enjoying growth of more than 20% for the current year.

Devon&Devon wins Green Good Design Award Devon&Devon’s Kalos washbasin has won a GREEN GOOD DESIGN AWARD®, a sustainability-driven spinoff of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD, the longest-standing and most prestigious award in the international design

11 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

arena. Now under the umbrella of the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, the programme was established in 1950 by Edgar Kaufmann Jr., the curator of New York’s MoMA, along with some of the pioneers of design, including Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen. Over the course of its 71-year history, it has become the linchpin of a community of professionals, companies and talents, who share a common vision of the nature and role of design and have the ability to blaze new trails towards the future. “We are honoured to be part of this, thanks to the award won by Kalos in the “Green Products” category,” says Graziano Verdi, CEO of Devon&Devon; “Kalos is emblematic of our passion for good design and our commitment to Research & Development geared towards green materials and production processes.”

Designed by Massimo Iosa Ghini, who drew inspiration from the organic shapes of the corolla of a flower, the washbasin is made entirely of White Tec, an innovative blend developed and produced exclusively for Devon&Devon to the highest standards of quality and sustainability.

NEWS

FILA joins 2021 ranking of Italy’s most sustainable companies Environmental integrity has always been one of FILA’s priorities, and the company’s constant commitment on the green front has spawned a lot of valuable design input. The company’s philosophy finds expression in a wide range of green products and solutions for surface cleaning and protection.

As proof of this, FILA has been added to the ranking – compiled by Credit Suisse and Kon Group, Media Partner Forbes – of Italy’s 100 most sustainable companies, with an ESG rating issued by Altis Università Cattolica and Reprisk, and has won a 2021 Sustainability Award.

“We look after the beauty of coverings, to bring balance and well-being into living spaces and other frequented environments, with innovative and sustainable methods and products,” explains FILA CEO Francesco Pettenon. “This prestigious award is the result of a process that started a long time ago: over the years, FILA has put in place a specific business strategy that involves every sector of the company.”

And it is because of this green ori-

entation that, for over 20 years, the company has been pursuing an important Research & Development programme, to give the market water-based protection products that deliver outstanding results in terms of quality and durability, with full respect for human health and the environment. Water-based products represent the latest state of the art, and are now every bit as effective as their solvent-based counterparts.

As a member of the Green Building Council, a non-profit association operating in over 70 countries, which supports the development of eco-sustainable buildings, FILA obtained ISO 14001 environmental certification in 2014 and is now the only major Italian company, alongside Atlantia, that subscribes to the Climate Pledge – an initiative promoted by Amazon and Global Optimism, which includes over 100 leading companies in their respective fields, and commits its signatories to achieving zero CO2 emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the schedule set by the Paris Agreement.

Thanks to its professional solutions with low environmental impact, furthermore, FILA also plays a leading role in Green Pea, the world’s first Green Retail Park dedicated to environmental integrity. Because of the company’s culture, being green at FILA means standing out in the market, improving performance and being an active part of an international network of companies with a crystal-clear vision of what the future of business should look like.

New Profilpas app available for IOS and ANDROID Profilpas, leading company in the production and sale of technical and finishing profiles for floors and cov-

12 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

erings, skirting boards, floor-level shower drains and installation systems, has always paid close attention to innovation, not only in its products but also in the services offered.

For this reason, it has created a new practical and functional tool dedicated to retailers, distributors, building companies, flooring installers and architects, able to offer rapid and constant support in carrying out their business.

The new app allows users to take advantage of two useful calculation tools. With PP Level DUO calculator, it will be possible to quickly obtain an estimate of the quantity of supports for outdoor raised floors. With Protiler calculator, it is possible to determine the number of levelling spacers for the laying of ceramic or marble floors and coverings. With both, at the end of the calculation, there is the possibility to receive an email with a detailed recap of the articles recommended for the project development. Through this app, Profilpas also gives users the possibility to browse the catalogue and stay up to date on all the latest product news, as well as always having telephone and email contacts of the headquarters and branches at hand.

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S C A N O R G O TO I M P E R T E K .C O M

WORLD PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF CERAMIC TILES Luca Baraldi, MECS / Acimac Research Centre (l.baraldi@mecs.org)

The ninth edition of the study entitled “World production and consumption of ceramic tiles” produced by MECS / Acimac Research Centre is due to be published in October. Consisting of

almost 300 pages of charts, tables and commentary, the study provides detailed analysis of the trends occurring over the ten-year period up to 2020 in terms of industry, markets, per capita consumption

and export flows in geographical macro-regions and in the 76 largest tile producer, consumer, exporter and importer countries. It also includes forecasts for 2021 and for the five-year period to 2025.

Entire contents Copyright MECS - Machinery Economics Studies by ACIMAC - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ECONOMICS

1)

While the two-year period 2018-2019 was marked by a downturn in global tile production and consumption, 2020 saw a reversal of this trend, bringing an initial partial recovery in spite of the pandemic. By contrast, import-export flows fell by 2.4% overall, a contraction which as we will see was not attributable to the Covid crisis.

South America, the region worst hit by the extended 2020 lockdowns, production fell to 1,088 million sqm (-7.6%).

Growth continued in Africa, where production was estimated at around 918 million sqm in 2020 (+6.1%).

In addition to Egypt, which maintained its leadership position in the continent despite the fall in production to 285 million sqm, and Algeria, which stood at 185 million sqm, sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola) continued to grow with levels of production of between 10 and 50 million sqm (mostly attributable to Chinese investments), while Nigeria’s production amounted to 114 million sqm.

2) In 2020, world tile production rose to 16,093 million sqm, up 1.7% from the 15,827 million sqm of 2019. Production in Asia grew by 2.8% to 11.9 billion sqm, equivalent to 74% of global production; this positive result was mainly due to the increase in volumes produced in China, India and Iran, which offset the contraction in Vietnam and Indonesia. The European continent produced a total of 1,856 million sqm (11.6% of world production): production in the European Union fell by 6.6% (from 1,304 to 1,218 million sqm), while production in non-EU Europe recovered (638 million sqm; +11.9%), thanks to the sharp upswing in Turkey.

Production on the American continent fell to 1,409 million sqm: in North America the losses amounted to just -2.7% (321 million sqm), while in Central and

3) In 2020, world tile consumption resumed its upward trend, climbing from 15,650 to 16,035 million sqm (+2.5%), although it remains at the lowest levels of any time in the last 7 years. Almost all areas saw a recovery. In Asia, demand rose to 11.4 billion sqm (+2.8%), equivalent to 71.5% of global consumption. In Europe, consumption increased in both European Union

WORLD MANUFACTURING AREAS

WORLD CONSUMPTION AREAS

2020 (Sq.mt Mill.)

% on world production

% var.

20/19

AREAS

1.218

7,6%

-6,6%

EUROPEAN UNION (28)

638

4,0%

11,9%

321

2,0%

-2,7%

CENTRAL-SOUTH AMERICA

1.088

6,8%

-7,6%

ASIA

11.905

74,0%

918

AREAS EUROPEAN UNION (28) OTHER EUROPE

(Turkey included) NORTH AMERICA

(Mexico included)

AFRICA OCEANIA TOTAL

2020 (Sq.mt Mill.)

% on world production

% var.

20/19

1.035

6,5%

1,4%

563

3,5%

11,3%

541

3,4%

-0,6%

CENTRAL-SOUTH AMERICA

1.249

7,8%

-1,0%

2,8%

ASIA

11.470

71,5%

2,8%

5,7%

6,1%

AFRICA

1.124

7,0%

1,4%

5

0,0%

0,0%

OCEANIA

53

0,3%

6,0%

16.093

100,0%

1,6%

TOTAL

16.035

100,0%

2,5%

OTHER EUROPE

(Turkey included) NORTH AMERICA

(Mexico included)

14 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

The major new feature of this year’s study is the in-depth revision of the 10-year historical series for tile production and consumption in China based on the extensive market analysis conducted by MECS

and involving more than a thousand companies operating in 27 Chinese regions. The study, which culminated in the 800-page publication “China: Ceramic tiles and slabs”, includes data on production capacity, number

countries (1,035 million sqm; +1.4%) and non-EU European markets (563 million sqm; +11.3%). In the Americas consumption remained almost stable, standing at 1,249 million sqm in Central and South America (-1%) and 541 million sqm in North America (-0.6%). Demand in Africa also increased, reaching 1,124 million sqm (+1.4%).

4) In 2020, global exports fell by 2.4% to 2,769 million sqm, 67 million sqm down on 2019. Apart from minor variations between individual exporting countries, the result is effectively the combination of a sharp contraction in Chinese exports (down 157 million sqm; -20%) and an equally steep increase in exports from India (up 77 million sqm, +21.4%). In terms of macro-regions, exports from Asia fell to 1,385 million sqm (-4.5%), equivalent to 50% of world exports.

The European Union’s exports remained stable at 922 million sqm (+0.2%), corresponding to one third of the world total, while exports from non-EU European countries also performed strongly (207 million sqm; +11.9%), largely due to the significant growth in exports from Turkey. This contrasted with the decline in export volumes from Central and South America (from 148 to 133 million sqm; -10%) and from North America

(from 45 to 41 million sqm; -8.9%). Africa’s exports also fell by 8% to 81 million sqm.

5) Regarding the export propensity of the various continents or macro-regions, the European Union remains the area with the strongest focus on international markets after seeing a further year-on-year increase in its export share in 2020 (from 70.6% to 75.7% of production). All the other areas lagged well behind: non-EU Europe exported 32.4% of its output volumes, North America 12.8%, South America 12.2%, Asia 11.6% and Africa just 8.8%.

The import/export flow dynamics increasingly confirm the trend for tiles to be produced close to markets. World exports stood at 14.5% of production and 17.2% of global consumption, with 61.9% consisting of exports shipped within the same geographical region as that of production (76.5% of South America’s exports remained in South America, 82.8% of North America’s exports were sold within the NAFTA region, and 68.4% of Asian exports were shipped to other Asian countries). The European Union remained a Tabella 1 partial exception with 45.3% of its exports sold in nonEU markets.

This analysis is confirmed by the fact that the shares

17,2

82,8

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020

WORLD EXPORTING AREAS AREAS EUROPEAN UNION (28) OTHER EUROPE

(Turkey included) NORTH AMERICA

(Mexico included) CENTRAL-SOUTH AMERICA

(on Total World Consumption)

2020 (Sq.mt Mill.)

% on world production

% var.

20/19

922

33,3%

0,2%

207

7,5%

11,9%

41

1,5%

-8,9%

133

4,8%

-10,1%

1.385

50,0%

-4,5%

AFRICA

81

2,9%

-8,0%

OCEANIA

53

1,9%

6,0%

2.769

100,0%

-2,4%

ASIA

TOTAL

of lines, types of products and investments underway or planned during the current three-year period for each company. The revision of the Chinese data led to a parallel update of the overall time series.

EXPORTS 17,2%

DOMESTIC SALES 82,2%

15 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

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ECONOMICS

of world production and consumption tend to be similar in each continent. Asia accounted for 74% of production and 71.5% of world consumption, Europe (EU + non-EU) 11.6% and 10% respectively, the Americas 8.8% and 11.2%, and Africa 5.7% and 7%.

6) In China, the world’s largest producer, consumer and exporter of ceramic tiles, 2020 marked the end of the period of severe contraction in domestic tile production and consumption that had resulted in the loss of around 2 billion sqm of output volumes over the three-year period 2017-2019 and led to the closure of 205 companies. Last year, production rose to 8,474 million sqm (+3% or 250 million sqm more than in 2019), equivalent to 52.7% of global production. As reported in the MECS study “China: Ceramic tiles and slabs”, in 2020 installed capacity reached 12.4 billion sqm across 2,275 lines operated by 1,161 companies or groups. The large slab segment has been expanding particularly rapidly since last year and already accounts for 173 production lines with a capacity of 589 million sqm, while investments are being made to install a further sixty or so new lines this year.

Domestic consumption also rose by 5.4% from 7,453 to 7,859 million sqm, equivalent to 49% of world tile consumption.

After peaking at 1.15 million sqm in 2013, Chinese exports continued to decline for the seventh consecutive year, falling from 779 to 622 million sqm (-20.2%) and amounting to 22.5% of world exports. The contraction was severe in all geographical areas: +13.9% in Asia (411 million sqm); -24.7% in Africa (90 million sqm); -24% in Latin America (57 million sqm); -77.8% in North America (12 million sqm), where the introduction of tariffs on Chinese imports to the US in the final quarter of 2019 has effectively closed the market to Chinese producers. China also saw a decline in its exports to the European Union (just over 8 million sqm; -16.8%) and to the rest of Europe (8 million sqm; -21%).

The only growth market was Oceania, where Chinese exports rose from 32 to 35 million sqm (+9%).

Notably, the average selling price of exported Chinese tiles increased by 16%, from 5 to 5.8 €/sqm.

7) In 2020, India not only maintained its position as the second largest tile producer with volumes climbing from 1,266 to 1,320 million sqm (+4.3%), it also overtook Spain as the world’s second largest exporter. While the pandemic caused a 2.7% decline in domestic consumption to 885 million sqm, the country’s exports continued to grow, rising by 21% from 360 to 437 million sqm. With volumes almost doubling in the

TOP MANUFACTURING COUNTRIES

COUNTRY

2016 (Sq.m Mill.)

2017 (Sq.m Mill.)

2018 (Sq.m Mill.)

2019 (Sq.m Mill.)

2020 (Sq.m Mill.)

% on 2020 world production

% var.

20/19

3.0%

1.

CHINA

10,265

10,146

9,011

8,225

8,474

52.7%

2.

INDIA

955

1,080

1,145

1,266

1,320

8.2%

4.3%

3.

BRAZIL

871

867

872

909

840

5.2%

-7.6%

4.

VIETNAM

485

560

602

560

534

3.3%

-4.6%

5.

SPAIN

492

530

530

510

488

3.0%

-4.3%

6.

IRAN

340

373

383

398

449

2.8%

12.8%

7.

TURKEY

330

355

335

296

370

2.3%

25.0%

8.

ITALY

416

422

416

401

344

2.1%

-14.2%

9.

INDONESIA

360

307

383

347

304

1.9%

-12.4%

10.

EGYPT

250

300

300

300

285

1.8%

-5.0%

TOTAL

14,764

14,940

13,977

13,212

13,408

83.3%

1.5%

TOTAL WORLD

17,110

17,414

16,557

15,827

16,093

100.0%

1.7%

Source / Fonte: Acimac Survey dept. “World production and consumption of ceramic tiles”, 9th edition 2021

16 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

lion sqm; +27%), North America (NAFTA) 9% (39 million sqm; +33%), Europe (EU + non-EU) 11.6% (50.3 million sqm; +61%) and South America 3.5% (15 million sqm; +17%).

space of just four years, Indian exports now account for 15.8% of world exports and no less than one third of the country’s total production. In value terms, exports reached 1,350 million euros, equivalent to an average selling price of 3.1 €/sqm, which remains one of the lowest values amongst all major exporter countries.

Saudi Arabia remained India’s largest export market with a 20.8% share of total exports and a 24.8% increase in sales from 73 to 91 million sqm. This result is particularly significant in the light of the tariffs imposed on Indian tiles imported into GCC countries in 2020 and which might have been expected to result in a decrease in exports.

India’s sales in its other main export markets also grew strongly: Iraq (23 million sqm; +26%), Indonesia (which did not become an Indian export market until 2018 but where sales reached 22 million sqm; +22%), the United Arab Emirates (20.6 million sqm; +8.5%) and above all the United States, where sales of Indian tiles doubled from 9.2 to 18.6 million sqm.0} Indian exports also increased significantly in South Africa (12.6 million sqm; +145%), Poland (11.4 million sqm, +65%) and Russia (5.6 million sqm, +400%).

Overall, the Asian continent absorbed 62% of India’s exports (270 million sqm; +14%), Africa 14% (60 mil-

8) Brazil, the world’s third largest producer and consumer, suffered a significant drop in production in 2020 due to the lockdowns (from 909 to 840 million sqm; -7.6%), while domestic demand continued to grow (829 million sqm; +3.4%), driven by the expansion in construction activity. Exports fell to 96 million sqm (-5.9%), despite further growth in sales in the United States, the largest export market for Brazilian tiles at 25 million sqm (up 25% on 2019).

9) Spain, Europe’s largest producer and the 5th largest producer country in the world, produced 488 million sqm in 2020, down 4.3% on 2019. The country’s consumption fell to 144 million sqm (-3.3%) and was almost entirely met by domestic production (imports amounted to just 10 million sqm). Domestic sales generated revenues of 901 million euros (-4%).

Despite being overtaken by India, Spain remains the world’s third largest exporter with total exports of 422 million sqm (+1.7% on 2019) and export revenues of 2,954 million euros (+4.4%) thanks to an average price

TOP CONSUMPTION COUNTRIES

COUNTRY

2016 (Sq.m Mill.)

2017 (Sq.m Mill.)

2018 (Sq.m Mill.)

2019 (Sq.m Mill.)

2020 (Sq.m Mill.)

% on 2020 world production

% var.

20/19

9,245

9,244

8,163

7,453

7,859

49.0%

5.4%

1.

CHINA

2.

INDIA

785

861

876

910

885

5.5%

-2.7%

3.

BRAZIL

789

765

775

802

829

5.2%

3.4%

4.

VIETNAM

412

580

542

467

400

2.5%

-14.3%

5.

INDONESIA

369

336

450

413

357

2.2%

-13.6%

6.

USA

274

284

289

273

264

1.6%

-3.3%

7.

MEXICO

235

242

236

238

242

1.5%

1.7%

8.

TURKEY

239

251

236

185

241

1.5%

30.3%

9.

SAUDI ARABIA

248

203

176

190

238

1.5%

25.3%

10.

EGYPT

215

252

236

239

237

1.5%

-0.8%

TOTAL

12,811

13,018

11,979

11,170

11,552

72.0%

3.4%

TOTAL WORLD

16,859

17,229

16,426

15,650

16,035

100.0%

2.5%

Source: Acimac Research dept. “World production and consumption of ceramic tiles”, 7th edition 2019

17 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

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that has risen to 7 euros per sqm.

Overall, Spain’s domestic sales and exports amounted to 556 million sqm in 2020.

France maintained its position as the top export market in terms of volumes (43.7 million sqm, +6.2%) and second in terms of value (340 million euros, +5,4%), followed by the United States with 43.4 million sqm (+17.7%), corresponding to a value of 363 million euros (+19%), the UK (23.4 million sqm, -2.1%) and Saudi Arabia, where Spanish exports grew by almost 10 million sqm in a year to reach 21.6 million sqm (+84.4%). Exports to the other three major markets (Morocco, Israel and Italy) fell by between 9% and 15%.

In 2020, Spanish exports in volume terms were divided up as follows: 43.5% in Europe (184 million sqm), 20.7% in Asia (87.4 million sqm; +3.8%), 16.4% in Africa (69.4 million sqm; -8.9%) and 18.8% in the Americas (79 million sqm; +5.7%).

10) In 2020, Italy experienced a 6-week nationwide lockdown that resulted in a slump in production from 401 to 344 million sqm (-14.2%). However, it managed to maintain a high level of total sales (391 million sqm;

% on 2020 national production

% on 2020 world exports

% var 20/19

average export price (€/sq.m)

TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES value 2020 (million €)

ECONOMICS

-4%) corresponding to total revenues of 5.13 billion euros (-3.9%). The domestic market lost 10 million sqm as sales fell to 73.3 million sqm (-12.2%), corresponding to a value of 720 million euros and an average price of 9.82 €/sqm. Adding in imports (27 million sqm), domestic consumption reached 100 million sqm.

The world’s fourth largest exporter, Italy closed 2020 with exports of 318 million sqm (-1.5%), generating revenues of 4,410 million euros (-2.2%), while average price remained stable at 13.9 €/sqm.

The Italian tile industry succeeded in maintaining its positions in European markets, where it sold 227.5 million sqm, equivalent to 71.6% of exports in volume, including 202 million sqm in EU countries (+1.6%). Its sales in other geographical regions declined: -5.6% in North America (43.7 million sqm), -13.3% in Asia (30 million sqm), -8.8% in Africa (10.5 million sqm). Oceania was an exception, up 3.6% to 6 million sqm.

The rankings of Italy’s largest export markets remained unchanged. Germany was again the largest market with 59.9 million sqm (+10%), followed by

622

7,3%

22.5%

-20.2%

3.602

5.8

437

33,1%

15.8%

21.4%

1.350

3.1

415

422

86,5%

15.2%

1.7%

2.954

7.0

328

323

318

92,4%

11.5%

-1.5%

4.410

13.9

148

151

162

179

39,9%

6.5%

10.5%

330

1.8

93

101

112

132

35,7%

4.8%

17.9%

686

5.2

BRAZIL

90

100

102

96

11,4%

3.5%

-5.9%

289

3.0

8.

POLAND

45

43

50

58

43,9%

2.1%

16.0%

361

6.2

9.

EGYPT

57

68

66

53

18,6%

1.9%

-19.7%

105

2.0

10.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

46

42

45

52

65,0%

1.9%

15.6%

161

3.1

TOTAL

2,360

2,375

2,414

2,369

18,5%

85,6%

-1,9%

TOTAL WORLD

2,789

2,810

2,836

2,769

17,2%

100,0%

-2,4%

COUNTRY

2017 (Sq.m Mill.)

2018 (Sq.m Mill.)

2019 (Sq.m Mill.)

2020 (Sq.m Mill.)

1.

CHINA

908

2.

INDIA

228

854

779

274

360

3.

SPAIN

407

414

4.

ITALY

338

5.

IRAN

6.

TURKEY

7.

Source / Fonte: Acimac Survey dept. “World production and consumption of ceramic tiles”, 9th edition 2021

18 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

France (45.6 million sqm; -2.8%), the United States (stable at 32.6 million sqm), Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK. 11) The two Asian giants China and India and the two largest European producers Spain and Italy together accounted for 65% of global exports last year.

When the other 6 major exporting countries are included, the figure rises to 85.2%. Italy and Spain extended their lead in terms of export share, respectively 86.5% and 92.4% of production (or 75.9% and 81.2% of total sales), compared to 65% in the United Arab Emirates, 44% in Poland, 40% in Iran, 36% in Turkey, 33% in India and just 7% in China. In addition, Italy maintained its leadership in terms of average selling price at 13.9 €/sqm compared to the 7 €/sqm of Spain, the 6.2 €/sqm of Poland and the 5.8 €/ sqm of China.

12) Vietnam and Indonesia remained the largest producer and consumer countries in the Far East, while Iran retained its dominant position in the Middle East. Vietnam and Indonesia showed very similar trends in 2020, with both countries seeing a further 14% decline in domestic consumption as well as a fall in production (-4.6% in Vietnam to 534 million sqm and -12.4% in Indonesia to 304 million sqm). By contrast, Iran reported another sharp increase in production (449 million sqm; +12.8%), again driven by the growth in exports (179 million sqm; +10.5%).

13) Unlike the majority of countries, Turkey recorded a solid increase in 2020 both in production, which rose from 296 to 370 million sqm (+25%), and in domestic consumption, which grew by 30% to 241 million sqm.

Exports also continued to grow, climbing by 18% to 132 million sqm, corresponding to a value of 686 mil-

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sumption. 88.7% of US imports were from the 6 largest supplier countries: Spain (43.4 million sqm; +17.7%), Italy (32.6 million sqm; -0.9%), Mexico (31.6 million sqm; -5.5%), Brazil (25 million sqm; +25%), Turkey (23.5 million sqm; +36%) and India (18.6 million sqm; +102%).

2021 FORECASTS Given the high level of investments being made in the major tile producing countries, further growth can be expected in 2021. China closed the first half of 2021 with a 14.7% increase in production compared to the first half of 2020; Brazil with +52% (+24% forecast for the whole year); Spain with +34%; Iran with +10% and Mexico with +48% (+18% forecast for the end of the year). Italian production is also expected to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels driven by surging exports amid double-digit growth rates in several key markets in the first half of the year.

The five-year outlook published by MECS is also very positive and suggests that world tile production may reach 20 billion sqm by 2025, with the strongest growth in Asia and Africa. ✕

14) In 2020, the 10 largest importing countries imported a total of 1,104 million sqm (up 6.4% on 2019) and accounted for 39.9% of global import/export flows.

With the sole exception of Indonesia which imported just 20% of its consumption, in all the other top-10 countries imports covered more than 65% of domestic demand, with peaks of 99.4% in Iraq and between 90% and 95% in France, Germany, Israel and the UK.

While remaining firmly at the top of the ranking of the world’s largest tile importers, the United States reported a slight fall in imports to 197 million sqm (-3.4%), in line with the 3.3% decline in domestic demand (264 million sqm) and stable at 74.6% of domestic con-

% on 2020 world imports

% var.

20/19

TOP IMPORTING COUNTRIES % on 2020 national consumption

ECONOMICS

lion euros. Turkey’s exports were mainly spread out over three macro-regions: 46% to the EU (61 million sqm, +12%), 23% to the Middle East and Asia (30 million sqm; +20%) and 22% to the NAFTA region (29 million sqm; +34%). The USA maintained its position as the largest export market for Turkish tiles with a further 36% increase over 2019 to 23.5 million sqm. Next came Germany (17.9 million sqm; +25.5%), Israel (14.2 million sqm; +9.2%) and the UK (13 million sqm; +12%).

1.

USA

194

202

209

204

197

74,6%

7,1%

-3,4%

2.

SAUDI ARABIA

167

131

116

126

167

70,2%

6,0%

32,5%

3.

IRAQ

112

129

124

138

161

99,4%

5,8%

16,7%

4.

GERMANY

115

109

106

110

123

93,9%

4,4%

11,8%

5.

FRANCE

104

112

111

113

114

89,8%

4,1%

0,9%

6.

PHILIPPINES

75

82

91

86

77

65,8%

2,8%

-10,5%

7.

INDONESIA

57

64

77

72

73

20,4%

2,6%

1,4%

8.

SOUTH KOREA

75

78

77

70

69

71,9%

2,5%

-1,4%

9.

ISRAEL

57

58

61

60

63

95,5%

2,3%

5,0%

10.

GREAT BRITAIN

52

52

51

59

60

90,9%

2,2%

1,7%

TOTAL

1.008

1.017

1.023

1.038

1.104

67,9%

39,9%

6,4%

TOTAL WORLD

2.825

2.789

2.810

2.836

2.769

17,3%

100,0%

-2,4%

COUNTRY

2016 (Sq.m Mill.)

2017 (Sq.m Mill.)

2018 (Sq.m Mill.)

2019 (Sq.m Mill.)

2020 (Sq.m Mill.)

Source / Fonte: Acimac Survey dept. “World production and consumption of ceramic tiles”, 9th edition 2021

20 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

WORLD CONSTRUCTION SET TO SEE STRONG GROWTH THROUGH TO 2025 MECS Research Centre – www.mecs.org

ECONOMICS

Following the darkest year of the Covid-19 crisis, the world construction market has been seeing a strong recovery in 2021, with growth reaching record levels (+6.4%, higher even than prepandemic figures). The growth

trend is expected to continue strongly in 2022 (+3.5%) and then drop back to levels more in line with those of the last decade, fluctuating at around +3%. These forecasts, presented

by Cresme Ricerche during the

“Despite the lingering repercussions of the Covid pandemic and the risk of a resurgence of infections coupled with ongoing political uncertainty and factors of financial instability, all the indicators are pointing to an expansion phase for the construction industry, the target market for ceramic and brick products and above all the main driver of the current and future economic recovery,” said Antonio Mura, technical director of Cresme Ricerche and head of Simco, the information platform that monitors the scenarios in 150 countries (99% of the world’s GDP) on a quarterly basis and cross-references 160 different statistical sources to make five-year projections.

According to the survey, the monetary and fiscal stimuli introduced by national and international institutions (including the unprecedented boost to infrastructure set to come with the NRRP) and the huge amounts of savings accumulated by households during the lockdown year (when incomes remained stable but consumption fell sharply) have already boosted the growth rates of construction investments, which are well above GDP trends in almost all world markets with the sole exceptions of Japan, Germany and the USA.

ACIMAC members’ meeting on 10 September, reflect the general global economic recovery and the initial positive impact of the Italian government’s Superbonus tax incentive scheme on the national building industry.

FIG. 1 - THE GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION MARKET IN 2021

TRENDS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES Taking a more detailed look at the figures for the construction industry, Cresme notes that in 2021 the global market amounts to a total value of €8,807 billion, with the residential sector accounting for €3,209 billion, 36.4% of the total, and is expected to grow by €200 billion by 2025. At a global level, non-residential construction accounts for 31% of the total (€2,651 billion) and public works the remaining €2,947 billion (33%), while the Italian market is strongly skewed towards residential construction which accounts for half of all investments.

In terms of macro-areas, Oceania is the region with the strongest projected recovery in construction output in 2021 (+7.6% compared to +6.4% worldwide), following a modest proportionate decline in 2020 (-3.6%). This is followed by Asia, where Cresme forecasts an increase in investment of +7.4% (after -3.2% in 2020, with China and India as the key drivers), North America (+6.3% in 2021), South America and Africa with +5.7%. In Latin America, however, the growth rate is insufficient to make up the ground lost in the previous year, when construction fell by 13.5%. Trailing in last place is Europe with +4.1%, compensating for the 4.8% losses of 2020.

22 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

FIG. 2 - EVOLUTION OF GLOBAL GDP

FIG. 3 - FORECASTS TO 2025 FOR GDP AND INVESTMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION (% VAR. AT CONSTANT VALUES)

Construction

Extending the analysis to individual countries, Mura notes that high investment in construction is no longer limited to wealthy developed countries such as Canada or Germany but is also observed in countries such as China, India and Indonesia, which are reaching the same levels of construction spending as western countries despite their much lower per capita GDP. In particular, the Chinese construction market is estimated at €2,730 billion in 2021 (30% of the global market) and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.1% through to 2025, while the US market (€1,241.1 billion; 14.1% of the total) will grow by less than half of that amount, 1.5% per year. Next come Japan and Germany, which account for 5.4% and 4.4% of total world construction respectively, with Japan expected to see a 2.1% annual decline through to 2025 (the only such case among the major markets) and Germany set to remain stable at an average annual growth rate of 0.2%.

GDP

The Cresme forecasts for Italy, which ranks tenth in terms of construction market size (€186.2 billion and 2.1% of the world total), are for an average annual growth of 3.6%.

MEDIUM-LOW RISK AREAS WITH GREATER OPPORTUNITIES Finally, the study centre’s platform lists a series of countries where it predicts sustained growth of the medium- to lowrisk construction market and therefore excellent competitive opportunities for industry players. Malaysia has been leading the ranking for years and has retained this position in 2021 (+8.3%), while Thailand has climbed to second place with +4%, confirming Southeast Asia as one of the most interesting areas for investors. As for Europe, the biggest growth is expected in France (+5.1%), Romania (+6.7%) and Spain (+3.3%), while promising scenarios are also opening up in the Pacific Alliance countries and Morocco.

23 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

FIG. 4 - THE TOP 15 WORLD MARKETS: COMPARISON BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENTS AND GDP GROWTH IN 2021 (% VAR. AT CONSTANT VALUES)

ECONOMICS

FIG. 5 - RENEWAL AND RENOVATION MARKET SHARE IN THE BUILDING SECTOR (%, 2021)

“The figures must be interpreted on the basis of the underlying socio-political factors,” explains Antonio Mura. “In particular, the expected upturn must be seen in the light of the (permanent?) movement away from the model of economic austerity that has dominated the Western market for decades.”

This will allow Member States to make long-term investments in the real economy and place infrastructure development at the heart of a new Marshall Plan, effectively ensuring that the construction market is no longer pro-cyclical (i.e. strongly linked to the state of the economy, as in the case of the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of the property market) but anti-cyclical and consequently more resistant to periods of downturn.

curred in 2020 should also not be underestimated. It appears very likely that these additional resources will feed into the private construction sector, further boosting demand and creating a virtuous cycle.

SUSTAINABILITY AND BUILDING RENOVATION In this context, we are seeing the emergence of another macro-trend that is closely linked to the real estate sector, namely sustainability, which in turn will drive demand for new, renewable, durable and insulating materials and above all will push western markets towards renovation of existing properties and away from investments in new buildings. Italy stands out for its record level of investments in renovation projects (driven by government incentives, especially the 110% Superbonus scheme), which are expected to account for 77% of all building investments this year compared to an average of around 50% in Europe as a whole and less than 9% in China.

With their characteristics of healthfulness, durability and recyclability, ceramic and clay products play a key role in increasing energy efficiency and improving environmental sustainability. ✕

PRICE INCREASES EXPECTED The return of inflation will also play a key role: after a prolonged period of price stagnation and in some cases even deflation, a combination of several events - such as the sudden rise in commodity prices, disruptions in logistics chains, the introduction of new tariffs and the increase in demand in the construction sector (partly stimulated by speculative buying) - will trigger a rise in construction prices. The growth in private savings that oc-

24 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

www.seramiksan.com

60x120 Tropical - 30x180 Classwood Livello Washbasin Ocean Plus WC Pan - Bidet

T H E E U R O P E A N PA R Q U E T M A R K E T M A N AG E D TO R E M A I N F L AT I N 2020 FEP - European Federation of the Parquet Industry

The good start of the year observed at the very beginning of 2020 had unfortunately to be balanced with the surge of the covid-19. During

spring 2020, the situation got worse when going from north to south of Europe which was hit earlier and harder by the pandemic.

Italy, Spain, but also France or Belgium have been locked down for weeks. Non-German speaking parts of Switzerland and Austria were

Whole in whole, the parquet market in Europe remained stable in 2020 despite the pandemic. As usual, the results show variations from country to country, also reflecting the evolution of the illness and the related governmental measures in the different Member States.

Austria, Sweden and Switzerland have totally compensated, during the second half of 2020, the bad performance observed in March-April. Still on the posTAB. 1 - PARQUET PRODUCTION IN EUROPE Non-FEP countries in Europe (**)

ECONOMICS

FEP Countries 000 m²

+/-%

000 m²

TOTAL 000 m²

2000

69,812

7.78%

69,812

2001

75,621

8.32%

75,621

2002

76,741

1.48%

76,741

2003

81,039

5.60%

81,039

2004

91,453

12.85%

91,453

2005

93,977

2.76%

93,977

2006

95,911

2.06%

95,911

2007

98,634

2.84%

98,634

2008

83,024

-15.83%

83,024

2009

66,522

-19.88%

66,522

2010

69,000

3.73%

69,000

2011

69,654

0.95%

2012

66,570

-4.43%

7,000

69,654 73,570

2013

66,077

-0.74%

10,000

76,077

2014

64,407

-2.53%

13,500

77,907

itive side, German market for parquet, the biggest one in Europe, has grown further, driven by renovation. On the other +/-% hand, despite a good summer and a good renovation rate, Italy, France and Spain have not been able to offset the loss experienced during the spring lockdown.

The production in FEP territory remained stable in 2020 and exceeded the 76 million square meter threshold. The European production outside FEP countries is at an estimated 13.5 million square meters – 8.5 million square meters produced in EU countries and 5.0 million square meters in European non-EU 3.41% countries.

2.41%

2015

65,842

2.23%

14,600

80,442

3.25%

2016 (*)

74,749

13.53%

14,500

89,249

10.95%

2017

76,840

2.80%

14,500

91,340

2.34%

2018

76,601

-0.31%

14,800

91,401

0.07%

2019

75,728

-1.14%

14,200

89,928

-1.61%

2020

76,172

0.59%

13,500

89,672

-0.28%

(*) As of 2016, figures are covering all European FEP countries – data for Croatia, Estonia & Portugal have been added. (**) Best estimates according to information received from FEP affiliates (***) Italian figures of production and consumption have been revised as of 2007.

26 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

The total production in FEP territory slightly increase (+0.59%) to a volume of 76,172,040 m².

Taking into account the total production in Europe (FEP countries + non-FEP countries in Europe) implies that production in 2020 declined slightly by 0.28% but exceeded 89 million m².

also confronted to this kind of situation. On the other hand, the activity never really stopped in Germany and some shops, such as DIY, were

open during the first wave. And no drastic confinement measures were taken in Scandinavia where life remained as normal as possible.

Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

TAB. 2 - PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION 120,00 Production FEP countries Consumption FEP countries 100,00

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0

In absolute production figures by country, Poland maintains its top position at 16.29%. Sweden consolidates its second place on the podium with 15.87%. It is followed by Austria at 12.82%, while Germany comes in as fourth (9.86%).

Consumption in the FEP area stabilised (-0.25%), to a level of 81,741,530 m².

The 2020 total parquet production per type remains similar to the picture already presented from 2010 onwards, whereby multilayer comes in first with 82% (compared to 83% in 2019), being followed by solid (including lamparquet) at a stable 16% and mosaic with 2% of the total cake (compared to 1% in 2019).

Consumption in the FEP area remained flat in 2020 (-0.25%) and reached 81,741,530 m² compared to 81,946,440 m2 the year before.

In terms of consumption per country, Germany keeps

27 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

its first position with 20.47%.

Sweden takes the second position (10.14%) before France at 9.94% and Italy at 9.37%.

Austria with 8.10% keeps its fifth position while Switzerland (7.16%), the Nordic Cluster (7.14%) and Spain (6.80%) follow.

As regards the per capita parquet consumption, Sweden keeps the first seat (0.80 m2) before Austria (0.74 m²), Estonia (0.73 m2) and Switzerland (0.68 m2). In the total FEP area, the consumption per inhabitant remains stable at 0.19 m² in 2020.

ECONOMICS

OUTLOOK FOR 2021 & 2022 The European parquet market has generally slowly started the year 2021 with stable to slightly increasing consumption in January and February.

This positive trend accelerated in March and April, still driven by renovation.

TAB. 3 - PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION

PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT 2020/2019

CONSUMPTION DEVELOPMENT 2020/2019

AT

1.00%

1.01%

BE

12.53%

3.56%

CH

-5.53%

2.45%

CZ

-29.96%

-0.98%

DE

6.01%

5.91%

EE

-13.46%

12.03%

ES

0.62%

-2.92%

FR

-5.42%

-5.38%

HR

15.20%

-1.10%

HU

-0.66%

-4.00%

IT

-9.22%

-11.10%

NL

15.48%

9.47%

PL

4.92%

-0.15%

PT

-5.26%

-0.81%

RO

-0.93%

-2.50%

SK

-2.14%

0.33%

DK/FIN/NO

-4.44%

-0.60%

SE

-1.75%

1.00%

FEP

0.59%

-0.25%

The provisional results for the first quarter 2021 indicate increasing parquet consumption (also compared to 2019, as 2020 was a very specific year with the surge of covid-19) in all countries but Spain. Germany and Italy report stable consumption levels during the two first months of the year but which were already rising in March and especially April.

While there are uncertainties for the future regarding the continuous impacts of the pandemic, the restart of travels thanks to vaccines and the long-term economic consequences (recession, reduced public spending and decline in new projects), some habits have changed and this crisis also represents an opportunity for the Parquet industry, which has already well benefitted from the increase of the renovation rate and of its relatively higher use of wood.

It seems that not only the European authorities have now understood the positive role played

TAB. 4 - TOTAL FEP PRODUCTION PERCENTAGES FOR 2020

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TAB. 4 - TOTAL FEP CONSUMPTION PERCENTAGES FOR 2020

MARKET OVERVIEW - 1ST SEMESTER 2021

Consumption of parquet rose by 10% on the Austrian market during the 1st half of 2021.

The market is now slowing a bit but is still and should be positive for the rest of the year.

Raw material (oak, spruce) availability is an important issue.

Croatia

The Croatian parquet market is improving compared to a critical year 2020.

Investments are restarting and demand for new buildings is increasing.

é

Austria

Compared to the first semester 2020, characterised by two months of lockdown, French consumption shows a double-digit growth for the first semester 2021. If compared to the same period in 2019, it shows an increase of 5%. DIY is still one of the drivers of the demand while sourcing of raw materials is and will probably remain an issue until spring 2022.

Germany

German consumption of parquet rose by 8-10% during the first half of 2021 compared to last year.

The market is now flattening when compared to the 3rd quarter 2020 which showed already positive developments. Availability of raw materials remains an issue.

Italy

é é é

France

The Italian market for parquet grew by 6-7% during the 1st semester 2021 supported by renovation, new buildings remaining subdued. Wood availability is critical.

Scandinavia in general is showing the same trends as Sweden, with a still good demand, supposed to remain high in the coming months, but there are problems of supplies.

Spain

The Spanish market for parquet is stable with low import-export flows and shortages of raw materials and labour.

Sweden

Parquet consumption in Sweden showed a double-digit growth during the first six months of the year thanks to a refurbishment rate reflecting the adaptation to “post-covid-19” way of living. However, traffic in retail shops is diminishing and expenses are starting to be dedicated to other activities which were not possible during the sanitary crisis. New buildings are also delayed due to a lack of concrete.

é

Nordic cluster

Switzerland

The Swiss parquet market increased by 9.6% during the 1st semester 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. This development is supported by the new habits created by the sanitary crisis: extra room, home office… It is nevertheless difficult to predict how long will last this positive situation.

by wood and wood products to tackle climate change by saving CO2, but the end-consumers as well, bringing nature into their homes.

These positive developments are nevertheless tem-

pered by the issue of tight supplies of raw materials and their significantly increasing costs. This phenomenon does not only concern wood and wood- based products but also glues, lacquers, packaging, etc. ✕

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Milena Bernardi

THE GREEN HYDRO GEN REVOLUTION AT IRIS CER AMICA

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The world’s first ceramic factory powered by green hydrogen obtained from solar energy will be built in Italy by Iris Ceramica Group

with the support of energy infrastructure company Snam by the end of 2022. The news was announced – with understandable pride given the

The new plant will be built in Castellarano (RE) and by next year will be equipped with native technologies allowing green hydrogen to be used as an energy source.

Specifically, these consist of a 2.5 MW large photovoltaic plant installed on the factory roof combined with an electrolyser and a storage system for renewable hydrogen produced on site.

“The plant will initially use a blend of hydrogen and natural gas, bringing an immediate reduction in CO2 emissions. At the same time, however, we will carry out technological research with the aim of using only the hydrogen we produce ourselves and become completely self-sufficient,” explained Federica Minozzi, noting that the plant is designed to run on 100% hydrogen.

revolutionary nature of the project – by Iris Ceramica Group’s CEO Federica Minozzi at a press conference held on 30 September at Cersaie.

The project also saw the involvement of experts from the Chemistry Department of the University of Milan, who have already collaborated with the Iris Ceramica Group in the past on the development of Active Surfaces®. In addition to searching for the most suitable electrolysers for the required application, the university team is also studying ways of using rainwater as a raw material for hydrogen production in order to save water resources.

At the head of a group with a 2020 turnover of €415 million, facilities in Italy, Germany and the United States, more than a thousand employees in Italy and around 500 abroad, Federica Minozzi is well aware of her pioneering role in the world of ceramic production,

30 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

gen strategy plan of one million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2024, 10 million tonnes by 2030 and then large-scale availability.

It is hardly surprising that it should be the Iris Ceramica Group that has embarked on this new challenge. The pioneering approach adopted by the group’s founder and chairman, Federica’s father Romano Minozzi, has been well known since he set up the company in 1961. It was he, again with Snam, who brought natural gas to the Sassuolo ceramic district in the 1980s. And again it was he who, back in the 1960s, stressed the need for a strong focus on the environmental sustainability of the ceramic manufacturing process. “Our actions have always been guided by the equation Economy=Ecology, a concept invented by my father back in the 1960s to describe the path we would travel,” says Federica Minozzi.

This forward-looking approach has prompted the group to keep ahead of the curve by turning to green, zero-emission hydrogen production, but has also led to a long series of sustainable innovation projects during its 60 years of operations. In addition to achieving the UN 2030 emission targets, the group is involved in reforestation projects and has set up a foundation focused on environmental issues. “Sustainability is a fundamental part of our strategy and corporate culture that defines not just how we do things, but also who we are,” explains Federica Minozzi.

Federica Minozzi, CEO Iris Ceramica Group

but hopes that other companies will soon follow suit.

“This is the only case in which I hope to be copied by my competitors,” she said, smiling. “With this in mind, we are making our experience available to everyone because the future of the entire industry is at stake, not just that of our group.”

European projects devoted to the industrial use of green hydrogen are still relatively rare and are limited almost exclusively to the iron and steel sector. However, they will be a route to achieving the European goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and the ambitious EU hydro-

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Product development is another major focus for the group, as in the case of the Active Surfaces® series which achieved another important milestone last July when they were shown to be capable of destroying over 99% of the bacteria they come into contact with in just 30 minutes in the absence of light. First developed in 2009 and the focus of ongoing study and research over the years, Active Surfaces® are eco-active ceramic materials with anti-bacterial, anti-viral (including anti-Covid-19), anti-pollution, anti-odour and self-cleaning properties. They are produced using an innovative process that combines titanium dioxide and silver, a technology patented by the Iris Ceramica Group and developed through extensive scientific research conducted in collaboration with the Chemistry Department of the University of Milan.

LUCE collection showcased at Cersaie

the soft elegance of high-quality traditional tailoring.

The collection is available in 6 neutral colours: Pearl, Black, Blue, Gold, Silver and Grey. The 300x100 cm and 100x100 cm sizes emphasise the play of colours and the decorative pattern, bringing a sense of warmth and opulence to interiors. Designed for indoor and outdoor applications, it is ideal for use both in interior commercial and residential spaces as well as on exterior façades for upscale architectural and urban redevelopment projects.

Like all the other 6 mm thick collections offered by the Group’s brands, the material’s functionality and versatility means it is also suitable for creating furnishings and accessories.

Also available in an eco-active Active Surfaces® version, Luce is marketed by the brands Iris Ceramica, Fiandre Architectural Surfaces and Ariostea. ✕

One of the most innovative surfaces premiered at Cersaie 2021 is LUCE, the new collection designed

by Guillermo Mariotto which combines the Iris Ceramica Group’s technological expertise with the designer’s creative flair to create a three-dimensional effect based on the communicative and expressive power of light. The surface offers a contemporary interpretation of classical elegance and plays with the idea of light falling onto the folds of a fabric. It is an exclusive project that transports architectural spaces into a new dimension made up of a multitude of reflections, chiaroscuro effects and gentle curves. It goes beyond the concept of a mere wall covering, giving the most technical ceramic surface the weightlessness and luminosity of fine fabrics combined with

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R E I NA DE L M A R , BULGARIA The Reina Del Mar tourist complex is nearing completion in Obzor, Bulgaria. The project is distinguished by a modern and dynamic architectural vision that

For the interiors, the Bulgarian studio of Arch. View Gradinarska Ltd chose a modern, contemporary look enhanced by the finishing touches of Progress Profiles.

alternates hotel rooms, apartments and independent luxury villas with green areas, restaurants and a large spa for guests to relax in.

als. Proelegant, a C-shaped profile, features a perforated horizontal fin that fits under the floor tiles and vertical channels that anchor it to the wall plaster. Proelegant Curve can be adapted to different technical and stylistic requirements and is characterised by specially shaped cut-outs that allow original geometric shapes to be produced with ease.

PROJECTS

In the main lobby, the natural brass look of Proelegant and Proelegant Curve profiles provides a perfect surrounding for floor areas finished in different materi-

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Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

35 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

PROJECTS

Projolly Square and Proterminal are anodised aluminium profiles with a titanium finish, and have been chosen for the reception-patisserie and restaurant of the Reina Del Mar complex. Projolly Square is a right-angle profile that is ideal for protecting the outside corners of walls and as edging for tiled wall sections. It can also be used as nosing between risers and treads on ceramic tile or natural stone stairs, and as a join between floors and walls.

Projolly Square is an extremely elegant and stylish profile and is complemented by a range of special pieces that includes internal and external capsules, joining pieces and end plugs. Proterminal, on the other hand, is an L-shaped profile. It too can be used on the outside corners of walls and around tiled wall sections, as nosing between risers and treads on ceramic tile or natural stone stairs, and as a join between floors and walls. ✕

PRODUCT FOCUS: • PROELEGANT is ideal for all environments that demand good resistance to mechanical stress and chemical attack.

• PROELEGANT Curve can be adapted to meet different technical and aesthetic requirements and can be used to form original shapes.

• PROJOLLY SQUARE is an extremely elegant and stylish profile and is complemented by a range of special pieces that includes internal and external capsules, joining pieces and end plugs.

• PROTERMINAL satisfies a wide range of architectural requirements: it can be used to protect the outside edges of walls, as nosing between risers and treads on ceramic tile or natural stone stairs, and as a join between floors and walls.

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VICTORIA RESIDENCE, S O U T H A F R I C A : N AT U R E MEETS MODERNITY The popular “Waterfall” estate in Midrand, South Africa, provides a secure and luxurious environment for its inhabitants. The South African architect Nico van der Meulen conceived and designed the impressive Victoria Residence in this district.

The serene design language creates a place of refuge with a host of possibilities for a snug and cozy home.

The house was designed as a functional residence that simultaneously boosts its inhabitants’ quality of life with its pleasant, spacious ambience.

Deliberately reduced to just three materials, the rugged outer façade has a stylish, contemporary feel.

Alongside refined dark stone slabs and exposed concrete, the external aspect also features striking dark wooden slats, which are decorative whilst also providing privacy.

Indoor & outdoor spaces

PROJECTS

The property is surrounded by plentiful green space. The large front windows of the residence cover the whole north-facing side of the house, providing the residents with a clear view of nature stretching out before them.

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Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

39 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

ABOUT DURAVIT

Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms. The company is

PROJECTS

active in more than 130 countries worldwide and stands for innovation in the fields of signature design, comfort-enhancing technology and premium quality. In cooperation with an international network of high-profile designers

such as Philippe Starck, sieger design, Christian Werner, Cecilie Manz and young talents such as Bertrand Lejoly and Kurt Merki Jr., the company develops unique bathrooms that enhance quality of life for users on a sustained basis. Duravit’s product portfolio comprises sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs and shower trays, wellness systems, showertoilets, tap fittings and accessories as well as installation systems.

The perfectly harmonized color palette on the outside of the building continues inside. Marble and granite stone surfaces, in part accentuated with fine threads of bronze, are complemented by natural oak.

tration on the day’s work. The indoor pool on the ground floor is an unusual eye catcher.

The residents can pursue their hobbies in the small gym and a sewing room on the upper floor. The Victoria Residence also has three bedrooms, two dressing rooms, several bathrooms, two children’s rooms and a lounge.

On entering the residence, there is a clear separation between the living and the leisure areas.

The basement is given over entirely to free time, featuring not only a home cinema, but also further entertainment options in the form of a games room with a billiard table and more.

With its generously-sized living and dining area and open kitchen, the ground floor is designed as a place for convivial family life. The office in a modern design offers a place for retreat and concen-

Elegant bathrooms with Duravit elements The en-suite bathrooms are fitted with Duravit products. DuraStyle wall-mounted toilets and semi-recessed DuraStyle wash bowls harmonize with the straight-lined, contemporary furniture, helping to create environments based on well-being, with high aesthetic value and high functionality. ✕

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www.pietredarredo.com | info@pietredarredo.com Collection Sakar Grigio Fumo

ufficio marketing colmef

For you, for your home.

CAMPING VILLAGE GARDEN PA R A D I S O , V E N I C E Camping Village Garden Paradiso is a corner of paradise, surrounded by nature and located along Cavallino-Treporti coast, near Venice. The 4-star campsite is constantly evolving to offer an always exceptional The campsite offers a wide variety of services for adults and young people, including an indoor swimming pool with wave generator and play area, a SPA equipped with all comforts, while outside you can find the other pools, the water park and the solarium. The entire swimming pool complex is connected by a raised floor made with more than 4,000 Impertek supports.

experience to its guests, this mission was recently rewarded with the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award.

Attention to safety and environmental protection is Refurbishment of the pool side with Impertek solutions

PROJECTS

The project for the refurbishment of the pool side has been thought out down to the smallest detail, both to improve its aesthetic performance and to allow an easy maintenance of the covering and reduce the risk

42 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

developed in every aspect of its structure. Garden Paradiso is actively committed to reduce the environmental impact in its structure: Impertek supports are produced from controlled industrial plastics, recycled and recyclable again at the end of their life cycle. of surface breakage. The project has been realized with 60 cm wood-effect ceramic tiles.

The structure of the raised floor is made up of 4,050 Impertek supports with heights from 10 to 100 millimeters. For the realization have been used three different sizes of supports, Jack supports and PrimeUP, the smallest pedestal of the PEDESTAL LINE fami-

ly. The peculiarity of this project is that the flooring was not levelled but it follows the different slopes in order to connect the heights of the existing floors.

To connect the slope changes in the best possible way, it was decided to use Rail System, the modular system consisting of joists that make the underlying support structure more compact and adaptable to sud-

43 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

PROJECTS

den changes in slope. Furthermore, Rail System is ideal both for decking and stone or ceramic tiles of any shape and size. For example, in the various corners of the swimming pools, the ceramic plates were cut diagonally to follow the change in slope, then the aluminium Rail were locked along the diagonals to improve their stability.

In some areas were created some steps and it was possible to insert a lighting system in the riser. In addition, to ensure greater safety to the flooring, the areas where the machinery for the recovery of the sheets move, which cover the swimming pools during the night, have been reinforced, adding further support to the center of the large ceramic tiles.

When it comes to Impertek, nothing is left to chance, whether we are talking about safety or environmental sustainability, PEDESTAL LINE offers the optimal solution for every construction need. ✕

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T O P - C L A S S R E T R E AT O N S PA I N ’ S M E DI T E R R A NE A N C OA ST A sun-blessed holiday home in southern regions which can be used almost all year round thanks to the mild climate is the dream of many people. A family from Belgium has turned this charming idea into

reality on the Costa Blanca (Alicante province, Spain). There, a timelessly elegant villa was created which is impressive because of its noble architecture, breathtaking location and careful use of materials.

The client family had very specific demands with regard to colour and design language: they wanted clear lines and visual axes, no exaggerated colourfulness or exuberant opulence, but rather cultivated minimalism as well as durable components with a natural look and discreet perceived value.

Ceramic tiles as an aesthetic link

PROJECTS

In addition to the location and profile of the plot and the architecture itself, the furnishings, accessories and materials used determine the overall effect of a building.

46 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

47 T I L E I N T E R N AT I O N A L 3 / 2 0 2 1

PROJECTS

The latter becomes evident, for example, in the case of the floor and wall coverings, which, due to the high proportion of surface area, have a decisive influence on the whole. For this, the owners chose ceramic tiles from the Quarzit collection of the brand Agrob Buchtal: consistently in uniform formats (60 x 60 cm on the floor, 30 x 60 cm on the wall), which were used both inside and outside for reasons of architectural stringency. This seamless connection of the living spaces with the open-air areas (pool, terrace, stairs) and the literally “continuous” covering with ceramic tiles from the Quarzit series created an overall ensemble which appears homogeneous, sovereign and generous, even though the plot area of around 1,300 square metres is comparatively manageable.

Intelligent architecture and zoning The individual areas of the villa also correspond to the general demands mentioned above: everything appears airy and refreshingly unpretentious, but at the same time has that certain something and embodies stylistic competence at a high level.

The heart of the house is a central room with kitchen, breakfast bar, dining and living area. It offers fantastic views around the clock thanks to generous glass surfaces on the long and short sides, in front of which there are two partially covered outdoor seating arrangements pro-

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strained furnishings and skilful room layout, which even allowed for a bathtub and a large walk-in shower. The attention to detail is also remarkable: it is evident in the well thought-out arrangement of the fittings or the floor and wall tiles, which were carefully laid including neat finishes at projections and edges.

tected from the wind and view. Depending on the time of day, these are in the sun, partially or completely in the shade, so that variable use is possible spontaneously without any rearranging.

The bedrooms are climatically cleverly located on the west side of the building on the ground floor and in the particularly cool basement: there, too, you can end the day relaxing or welcome it in the fresh air through another small but fine terrace. On this lower floor, 60x60cm floor tiles from the Quarzit series were also used, which then create the design link to the upper floor via a staircase covered with them.

The bathroom is located adjacent in a projecting part of the building and thus combines easy accessibility with the necessary discretion. This important sanitary room is relatively small in terms of surface area, but conveys a pleasant feeling of calm and space thanks to its re-

Additional benefits of a special kind

PRODUCT IN FOCUS

With its natural appearance, Quarzit ceramic serie by Agrob Buchtal is

In order to enjoy the wonderful ambience to the full and to spend as little time as possible on annoying maintenance work, the owners paid attention from the very beginning not only to visual aspects but also to the practical properties of the materials used.

For this reason, the decision was made in favour of glass, stone, anodized metal, lacquered furniture surfaces without handles, smooth leather or ceramic tiles, which fulfil this high demand in a special way: just as many series of the comprehensive range of the brand Agrob Buchtal, the Quarzit collection used here is already provided with “Hytect” ex works. This innovative coating reduces the cleaning effort to a minimum, eliminates air pollutants and odours, and has an antibacterial effect without the use of chemicals - all aspects which fit into today’s world and offer valuable additional benefits day after day. ✕

convincing thanks to unusual properties based on an innovative glaze process. The glaze is enriched with granulate prior to application and enters a permanent bond with the tile body during firing. Resulting in a lively surface with subtle sheen and shimmer highlights in an authentic stone design. These aesthetic advantages are supplemented by practical ones: pleasant haptic properties are combined with a high degree of non-slip safety and extensive resistance to wear.

Colours range from basalt grey through quartz grey, white grey and sand beige to sepia brown. Exact rectification and uniform edges facilitate laying in creative format combinations while permitting homogeneous areas featuring elegantly slim joints. Offering non-slip safety in R10/A, R11/B and /C, Quarzit is suitable for a particularly broad range of applications.

Floors and floor-level showers in private bathrooms, for example, can be attributed consistent designs. And the same applies for changing rooms and pool rims in public pool facilities.

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RAK CERAMICS

W H AT ’ S N E W ?

Through-Body Veining is RAK Ceramics’ innovative breakthrough in reproducing natural marble and stone veins that pass through the thickness of the porcelain slab’s body. This technology gives porcelain slab a unique design feature, having a consistent marble veining, from the surface to the body until the base - a total synchronization. With the use of advanced printing technology, the design repetition is minimized resulting to mesmerizing geometric patterns and creative random motifs.

Highly distinctive products of outstanding quality and aesthetic depth, and perfectly matched through-body decoration and surface effects making continuous veining of desired patterns extending through the entire thickness of a product in both large floor and wall slabs for special use in furnishing items such as tables tops and high-end kitchen counter tops.

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C O R TA G Cortag Revolution Tools is a Brazilian manufacturer tools company specialized in providing with solutions for tile cutting and placement. Since 1995, based in Mogi Mirim - São Paulo, Cortag designs, innovates, produces, and commercializes professional manual and electric tile cutters as well as large format solutions and levelling systems.

During the current year, Cortag has made important product launches: - MEGA manual tile cutter: the most innovative Cortag product currently. With reinforced, fixed and robust guides, that provide great stability and precision cuts, enables to cut tiles up to 15mm thickness from 75cm to 180cm length. Besides that, it has a scoring and breaking system that returns to the cutting position at one movement.

- ZAPP Titan electric tile cutter: the most powerful Cortag’s machine today! Its engine has 1,500 Watts power, that enables to cut porcelain tiles, marble, granite and other materials up to 50mm straight cuts and 40mm angled cuts. Besides that it has the plunge function that enable making special cuts such as niches and outlet holes, friezes and others.

In its innovative spirit, Cortag constantly invests in research and development, aiming to combine: the best existing technology in production processes and materials with the understanding of the construction professionals needs. Cortag’s philosophy is to make professional’s work on the jobsite more productive every day!

Besides that, a lot of investment in the digital environmental has been made both in the processes and in customer services.

Among the main values of the company, care for human resources and environmental play a big role. Due to that, Cortag has achieved several important ISO certifications: 9001: Quality Control, 14001: Environmental and 45001: Health and Safety Work.

This has brought Cortag to Brazilian market leadership in the last years, with constant awards, among them, TOP of MIND in several categories. Nowadays, Cortag is present in more than 20 countries and plans extend its borders even more.

All this work is carried out in synergy with a team with national and international coverage, through operational offices in Brazil, Latin America, USA and Europe, which provides a presence, agile and personalized service to various groups of clients and distributors.

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SCH LÜTE R-SYSTE M S

W H AT ’ S N E W ?

Modern colours combined with a high-quality powder coating: the Schlüter-TRENDLINE series allows for a comprehensive and creative room design in combination with attractive ceramic and natural stone coverings.

TRENDLINE products have a textured surface and combine a haptic experience with ten colour shades.

With Schlüter-QUADEC, -RONDEC, -JOLLY and -FINEC, as many as four finishing profiles protect the outer edges of ceramic tiles from mechanical impact while simultaneously acting as a design element. Covering the full range from classic black and white to wood and metal looks and attractive greige tones, they can be used to accompany current ceramic trends – either tone-in-tone or as a deliberate contrast.

In addition to the edge finishing profiles, multiple other Schlüter-Systems solutions are equipped with the textured TRENDLINE surfaces – for example the stylish drainage profiles for the KERDI-LINE-VARIO system for linear showers. The same goes for the practical storage shelves Schlüter-SHELF, which are available in five different formats. They can be integrated directly into the tile assembly or retrofitted into the joint of tiled walls.

The clever accessory system Schlüter-ARCLINE combines design and functionality: it allows for the flexible installation of bathroom accessories without drilling into the wall. They are attached to decorative profiles for joint design which are also available with the TRENDLINE surfaces.

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MONTOLIT Brevetti Montolit presents FL3, the third generation of manual cutting system for all extra-large sizes (from 0 to 340 cm). The new equipment, created in collaboration with the “Politecnico di Milano”, consists of an incision trolley, modular rails and nibbler, all inside in a practical and strong “cordura” bag.

The futuristic incision slider, made of die-cast aluminum, slides on the guide bars thanks to three wheels in anti-friction material, but the “Real Heart of the system” it’s Revolution 3WD, that’s consist in a loader that supports the incision wheels, it is a polygon made of aluminum alloy, of aeronautical derivation, that houses three wheels of different diameters: 8, 12 and 20 mm all with surface treatment in Titanium to ensure greater smoothness and durability.

The tiler can select the most suitable wheel for the work to be done, with a simple rotation of the support, without using specific equipment.

The three engraver wheels are naturally able to deal with any kind of porcelain stoneware, ceramic or glass without problems, but the us-

er will have the right to choose the most suitable tool according to the type of material, (its consistency / compactness or surface finish) to guarantee precise cuts with a better finish and obtain a “workmanlike execution”, following the indications of Montolit technicians and above all his instinct and experience.

The three aluminum modular guide bars, each 120 cm long, are positioned directly on the slab to be cut without any particular fixing system; the grip is obtained thanks to the special silicone strips placed on the contact surface and the fixing increases with the power of the pressure exerted on the slide carriage. The clamps or suction cups are completely useless (unique and internationally patented system).

The operation of the incision it’s facilitated by the ergonomic handle that allows the user a total control and always optimal pressure.

At the end, with the nibbler consisted in a double splitting system, the separation is carried out along the traced incision line.

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ABK GROUP

the kitchen space for all activities from ingredient preparation to cooking. The induction system integrated into the worktop cooks more quickly than a gas cooker, transferring the heat directly to the cookware without heating up the surface. This saves energy and allows the worktop to be used for other activities when not cooking.

The COOKING SURFACE Prime induction cooking system must be installed in conjunction with ABK Group slabs sold under the ABKSTONE, MATERIA and GARDENIA SLABS brand names as they are specially designed to reduce stresses within the material.

These slabs are covered by a 25-year warranty and are ideal for both domestic and professional use. They are naturally resistant to high temperatures as well as stains, scratching and knife blades, allowing food to be cut and prepared directly on the surface. The cooktop material is waterproof and porosity-free, making it easy to clean and extremely hygienic.

W H AT ’ S N E W ?

What looks like a simple kitchen worktop hides an integrated induction cooking system: we are talking about COOKING SURFACE Prime, the brand-new project by ABK Group that combines the aesthetics of large sintered slabs with an innovative patented technology that makes traditional cooking methods obsolete.

Protected by a European patent for an “Induction cooking system on a porcelain surface” that has been validated in numerous countries, COOKING SURFACE Prime features interesting technical innovations such as a remote control and the use of customised cookware.

In addition to the legal protections granted by the European patent in the countries of validity, which give ABK Group exclusive manufacturing and marketing rights, ABK Group’s induction cooking system is covered by the CE Certificate and the ETL Certificate for the United States.

COOKING SURFACE Prime allows for optimal organisation of

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RAIMONDI In 2009 RAIMONDI introduced the first pro-grade wedges & clips levelling system, the well known RLS (Raimondi Levelling System) which quickly became a worldwide benchmark. Now RAIMONDI improves it presenting the brand-new HD clips.

HD stands for Heavy Duty, since they offer the highest tensile strength within the Raimondi’s range. Also, HD clips bear the peak at the maximum tensile strength longer. This means that the HD clips not only have more tensile strength, but also offer more tolerance when tightening the wedges. Final result is the HD clips are the best performant and easier to use clips ever offered by Raimondi, which flawlessly level even heavier tiles.

HD clips offer other advantages. The design makes it much easier to insert the clips underneath the tile, conferring the product greater ease of use. Another improvement is the packaging which now allows for a faster and better product presentation.

Boxes containing bags are provided with an easyto-remove corner: just open the box and the product is ready for sale. Each box has clear indications to recognize the kind of clips and the quantity. Multiple boxes (with corner removed or not) can be stacked on top of each other so to create the desired display combination without the need to assign them a shelf, a floor portion it is sufficient. Also, it is available a “not-openable” box containing 2.200 clips.

A brand-new kit has been developed for the HD. It contains 250 HD clips 1.5 mm (1/16”), 250 wedges and 1 floor pliers. It comes into a four-color high quality print box. Just stack multiple kits to create a great visual impact in the show-room. HD clips work with the same wedge and the same traction pliers as all other Raimondi’s clips. So, end-user can use his existing set of wedges and pliers.

Mega Zapp

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F L O O R I TA L I A C E R A M I C H E

W H AT ’ S N E W ?

The concept of the “infinite” finds tangible expression in the new Endless Love series of marble-inspired, edge-ground, porcelain tile designed for visual continuity. Thanks to the development of a specific algorithm applied during production, all the panels match up perfectly to give elegant, uninterrupted vein patterns on a large scale. The result is coordinated floor and wall coverings with a seamless, marble-effect aesthetic, which can be laid either in book-matched combinations or with the vein patterns arranged in the same direction.

The new collection is available in over 60 different graphics, with both the full-field polished finish and the satin finish. Produced in size 60x120cm as standard, it can also be made to order in size 80x160cm to meet specific design requirements.

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G RUPO HALCÓN CER ÁMICAS Materium is the new porcelain collection by Halcón Cerámicas, inspired by concrete with material touches. A versatile series in terms of decoration, shades and sizes for a modern industrial look.

Its resin effect also gives the tiles a strong character and personality, while their pleasant texture makes them the ideal choice for any room.

Rectified porcelain tiles are available in 4 colours - avorio, terra, cenere, cemento - and in different formats - 120x120, 60x120, 75x75, 60x60 and 30x60.

The collection is completed by a rectified white-body wall tiles with two different decors: Candy and Delice.

Materium by Halcón Cerámicas Emotion Ceramics presents the new Sunset collection, that combines the elegance of natural stone with an extraordinary, polished finish.

Its beauty, natural strength and richness of colour make this marble effect one of the most popular materials with interior designers and decorators. Sunset is a rectified polished porcelain tile available in sizes 120x120cm and 60x120cm.

Sunset by Emotion Ceramics

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W H AT ’ S N E W ?

MARAZZI

The new “Cementum” collection harnesses the innovative prowess of Marazzi’s laboratories to replicate the appearance and properties of cast concrete, using sophisticated BodyPlus production technology. Hints of colour enhance the depth and richness of the collection, while the application of anti-reflective glazes – with special body mixes for each shade – make the soft-touch, anti-slip surface extremely realistic through the integration of StepWise technology.

The tiles from this collection are available in nine sizes – 120x120 and 60x120 with a thickness of 6mm; 75x150, 75x75, 60x120 and 60x60 with a thickness of 20mm; 60x60, 30x60 and an 18x21 “cementina-effect” hexagon – accompanied by a series of elements that vastly extend the range of applications they can be used for. The four natural colours – Ash, Sand, Nickel and Lead – plus four fashion-led colours – Indigo, Carbon, Olive and Cotto – are embellished by a series of graphic patterns – Spring, Mosaic, Striato and Arco – that reinvent the essence of concrete with a contemporary, decorative slant, for the tiling of both residential and high-footfall commercial environments.

ADVERTISER’S LIST Colmef ...................................................................................................41

Profilpas....................................................................................................2

Cortag..................................................................................................... 19

Raimondi..................................................................................................4

Floor Italia Ceramiche................................................................37

RAK Ceramics...............................................inside front cover

Halcón.......................................................................................................6

Seramiksan.........................................................................................25

Impertek................................................................................................13

Schlüter-Systems..............................................................................1

Kajaria......................................................................................................21

Somany................................................................................................. 80

Marocchi............................................................................................... 33

Top Cer...................................................................................................59

Montolit............................................................. inside back cover

Turkish Ceramic Federation...................................................45

Progress Profiles........................................................back cover

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“ARTISAN CR AF TSMANSHIP MEANS EXCLUSIVITY ” Chiara Poggi

Areae is a trendsetter in interior decoration. Its Milan showroom is centrally located at 5, Via Palermo – just a stone’s throw from the heart

of the Brera district – in a period building, whose delightful courtyard hosts frequent cultural events and exhibitions. Its display window

is reminiscent of historic Parisian shops, with large areas of glass divided by mullions and transoms.

The interior is designed to show-

based on hand-crafted products, to which we always apply custom touches.

For example, we decorate majolica with colours and patterns presented to us by architects or designers, and we create flooring with all types of materials, including concrete, terracotta, marble and stone. We

Surfaces International: What are the main types of material you sell?

Roberto Vignoni: We sell almost all types of interior and exterior covering material. We always focus on products that we select and display here, in our showroom. However, our core business is almost entirely

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case the products to perfection and help keep customers focused as they assess the various options at their disposal.

Roberto Vignoni metals

textured marbles

stones and slates

Japanese paper

polychrome marbles

cosmatesque

Cocciopesto

also sell opus signinum, a unique and versatile material dating back to ancient times. Made from fragmented tiles mixed with mortar, it is deeply appealing, and opens up a wide range of creative options. We also have a wide range of more commercial products on display, to meet all the market’s needs, such as glass mosaic, porcelain tile and pre-finished wood flooring.

Cocciopesto

colored terracotta

ucts, and we’re always happy to listen to them and select the goods that are the best match for our product mix.

Surfaces International: Does your search for niche companies extend outside Italy too?

R. Vignoni: Yes. Our showroom range includes French cementine cement tiles, Belgian wood flooring... And we have English-style Winckelmans mosaics, made in France, which are often used for the coverings of swimming pools and showers. They’re very small, but they’re porcelain tiles, so they’re practical and hard-wearing.

Surfaces International: What criteria do you apply to selecting the coverings you sell?

R. Vignoni: All our products, including the commercial ones, are painstakingly selected. We go to trade shows, exhibitions and other trade events, so that we can see, feel and get to know the work of the myriad of companies that produce the widest imaginable range of covering materials, and choose the ones that are best suited to our core business.

We also receive frequent visits from representatives and craftspeople, who are keen to talk us through their prod-

Surfaces International: What is the inspiration behind such a geographically eclectic range?

R. Vignoni: We’re driven by our taste for custom products and enthusiasm for producing designs we receive directly from designers. Above all, this is to give our customers an additional service, but it’s also because

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cement tiles and grits

mosaics

cement tiles and grits

our corner of market has a strong preference for goods that go beyond the scope of commercial distribution: if a customer doesn’t want off-the-peg flooring as posted on Pinterest or Instagram, but wants a truly personalised home, they come to us for totally unique products that meet their needs for customisation.

Surfaces International: What prompted you to choose these niche materials?

R. Vignoni: Since starting out in 1999, we’ve proudly pioneered the promotion of this type of interior design finish.

We’ve opted to place a firm emphasis on sourcing materials that are difficult to find elsewhere, and on using craft techniques to put a modern slant on historic manufacturing processes. This means we’ve carved out a small niche in the market, which appeals strongly to professionals and connoisseurs.

For example, Cosmatesque marble and mosaics have geometric shapes that reprise the flooring of churches such as San Marco. Majolica from the late 18th and early 19th centuries is reclaimed from historic farmhouses and put through a thorough clean-up process.

Terracotta is hand-made using traditional techniques, with clay fired in wood-burning kilns, that is then treated with beeswax and natural oils...

Surfaces International: Is artisan craftsmanship your great strength?

R. Vignoni: We take a lot of pride in exceeding the limitations of standard products, and really listening to customers’ needs, so that we can give them authenticity, originality, flexibility and adaptability to all their requirements (and hence complete exclusivity).

We can offer customised solutions, in the same way that a bespoke tailor can. We can also faithfully reproduce mosaic and Cosmatesque floor and wall coverings, using antique and reclaimed marble. This is a vital service when it comes to high-end restorations.

ancient marbles

metals

colored parquet

Hungarian herringbone parquet

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precious metals

Gres

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Enamelled polychrome terracotta

metals

terracotta

Surfaces International: What about Japanese paper coverings?

slate on a flexible resin support, which makes it possible to use this natural stone even in the most challenging situations. It’s a genuine slate surface, but with a thickness of 2 mm, which can be bent, so it can be used to cover domes, vaulted ceilings and items of furniture with curved surfaces, or it can be laid over existing flooring.

R. Vignoni: It’s called Washi and is a form of Japanese paper made by hand, sheet by sheet, in a wide range of textures and sizes, including large. Its stand-out feature is that it does not use glue to bind the vegetable fibres, so it doesn’t tear and can be washed with a damp sponge. Used for curtains and panels since time immemorial, we also offer it sandwiched between two glass panels as a parapet or railing, or as an internal covering for a shower, which can be backlit.

Surfaces International: Does your clientele consist mainly of private customers or does it extend to developers and the contract sector too?

R. Vignoni: We mainly serve the residential market, not least because of the privileged location of our showroom in the heart of the Brera district of Milan.

We also sell indirectly to the contract sector, through our architects.

Surfaces International: Your product research seems almost endless.…

R. Vignoni: There’s no doubt that the world of fashion exerts a lot of influence on design and architecture, and this leads to a frenetic, ongoing quest for “artistic beauty” and innovation, without overlooking the origins and practicality of materials. Having seen a huge resurgence of interest in “cementine” cement tiles, we’re now seeing the same thing with graniglia. We recently extended our range with very thin panels of

Surfaces International: Which materials are most in demand?

R. Vignoni: Our best-selling products this year are handcrafted white-body terracotta, opus signinum, majolica, cementine cement tiles, graniglia and parquet. ✕

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RICEHOUSE: TUR NING RICE BY-PRODUCTS INTO HOUSES Chiara Poggi

The core business of RICEHOUSE, an Italian start-up founded in Piedmont in 2016, is the production of building and architectural products from the

by-products of rice cultivation. The entire process originates from nature and generates no waste. It also puts people at the centre of an ethical and

sustainable production cycle. The idea uses the natural materials of the past as a starting point for redesigning the homes of the future.

We interviewed the architect Tiziana Monterisi, the company’s CEO & Co-Founder.

Surfaces International: Can you tell us a bit more about your business and its origins?

Tiziana Monterisi: The idea behind RICEHOUSE came into being long before the company itself. I’m a born ecologist, so since the start of my career as an architect, I’ve always been drawn towards architecture that is healthy for people and the environment. I moved to Biella in 2008, and when I saw the rice fields there and the by-products of rice cultivation that were left in the fields to be burned, because they’re unsuitable livestock, it occurred to me that they could be used in construction.

After all, straw from other cereals has long been used for this purpose in the United States. On the basis of this idea, Tiziana Monterisi along with my partner, Alessio Colombo, who is a geologist by training, we set up our business in 2016, which converts rice by-products into bio-construction materials that are suitable for all types of architecture. Since then we have patented and industrialised about 20 products, including insulating plasters, other insulating products, frames made of wood and rice straw, finishing products made of rice husk and lime, and lightweight screeds and mortars. In other words, everything you need for a building, except the structural part. That’s because, for anti-seismic reasons, Italian building regulations forbid the use of straw as a load-bearing structure. Bearing structures have to be made of reinforced concrete, steel or wood (which we prefer because it’s a natural material), whereas straw can be used as an insulating material.

Surfaces International: Are your materials covered by all the necessary certifications?

T. Monterisi: All our materials are CE-marked. My efforts in recent years have been focused on building a relationship between natural materials and the construction-site environment and its rules, which have always had a very traditionalist ethic. Construction professionals have to have all their technical values certified, and building firms have all the certifications they need for their own peace of mind and to be able to guarantee the quality of what they’re building.

Surfaces International: So farms stock and supply the raw material, then manufacturers make the products. Do you do everything in Italy?

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Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

vironment that they came from. To build a sustainable future, we need to use materials with zero environmental impact, by taking advantage of what nature gives us and the by-products of primary processing. Every hectare of rice field produces seven hectares of rice and ten tonnes of waste, so we don’t take anything that could be used for food, we just use the waste and by-products, which has net-zero environmental impact.

Surfaces International: Have you won any awards?

T. Monterisi: Ricehouse is one of the winners of “Be Heroes”, a programme promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo, and we also have support from Impact Hub. Our articles of association establish us as a benefit company and we’re awaiting B Corp certification.

Surfaces International: What can you tell us about costs?

T. Monterisi: Our houses don’t cost twice as much as houses built with chemical materials. They’re similar to houses made with standard materials. One of our houses might cost an average of 5% more on the purchase price, but with long-term savings on running costs. Compared with the benefits, the initial premium is tiny.

T. Monterisi: Yes. The farmer and the rice grower who supply our straw and clay are based between Biella and Pavia, because 92% of Italian rice is grown in this area. The Riso Gallo rice processing plant supplies us with certain by-products. And we have production facilities in northern Italy, between Varese, Verona and Modena. These are long-established Italian companies with which we’ve developed the industrial process for our RICEHOUSE-brand products.

Surfaces International: How are you structured?

T. Monterisi: We’re a team of 16 people, who cover three units: projects, products and open innovation. There’s increasing demand for the Project Unit these days, because users are asking us to provide a “turn-key” service. We now have about 20 projects in place, ranging from single-family houses to the remodelling of apartment buildings. Thanks to the Italian government’s “110%” eco-upgrade incentive scheme, we’re doing a lot of work on enhancing energy efficiency.

The Product Unit manages the production chain, from the collection of our by-product raw materials to production, not to mention the research and develop-

Surfaces International: How far is RICEHOUSE a practical example of the circular economy?

T. Monterisi: We’re committed to taking raw materials from the environment, converting them, using them, disposing of them and putting them back into the en-

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ment of new materials. The Open Innovation Unit is a research group that works with large companies that are trying to work out how to become sustainable, and how we can make their work more sustainable with our by-products.

we road-tested everything. The house is made with rice by-products. It’s been remodelled and upgraded to energy class A by applying rice-straw render to the coldest, north-facing areas. For the south-facing aspect, we opted for a render made of lime and rice husks, which are basically the skin of the grain. The house has no heating, air conditioning or mains gas, but with the insulating render, triple-glazed windows and a photovoltaic system, we have zero impact.

Surfaces International: What are the benefits of these systems?

T. Monterisi: Firstly there are technical benefits because our materials are very energy efficient, so the homes built with them don’t need heating in winter or air conditioning in summer. This means reductions in running costs. There are also advantages in terms of personal wellness, because homes built like this are very healthy and free from the indoor pollution that is inextricably linked with synthetic materials. From an environmental point of view, there are lots of benefits because we reduce the extraction of virgin raw materials and the consumption of drinking water.

What’s more, straw still gets burned in the fields, so emits C02. By using it to make building materials, we prevent those emissions.

Surfaces International: Can you give us a few examples of your projects?

T. Monterisi: I always give our house as an example, because it was the first large building in which

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We have another zero-impact house in Chamois, at an altitude of 1,816 metres in Valle d’Aosta. Known as “Casa UD”, it needs no heating or air conditioning system, despite being located at an altitude of over 1,800 metres, because, like our house, its indoor temperature remains comfortable all the year round. We’re especially proud of this project, which has won a string of awards including the 2017 Sustainability Award in the Remodelling/Restoration category.

Another very interesting project we took part in, alongside WASP, was the construction of Gaia, the first ever eco-sustainable 3D-printed house. The use of natural materials, such as unfired earth, wood and rice by-products, yielded a high-performance model that was then replicated in Tecla, as a result of a partnership between Mario Cucinella Architects and WASP.

Surfaces International: Are you geared more towards private clients or contract developers?

which is already culturally receptive to this type of material and technology, along with France, Germany and the other Nordic countries, and even Japan. With effect from this year, for example, French regulations require 50% of the materials used in all public buildings to be of natural origin.

T. Monterisi: Our main focus at the moment is on “bio-clients”, in other words private clients who tell their own builder and their own architect that they want to build something with our materials. And then the builder gets in touch with us.

Surfaces International: What future goals have you set for Ricehouse?

Surfaces International: Is Italy receptive to this kind of thing? What kind of responses have you had on the international market?

T. Monterisi: We’re aiming to make our products an international benchmark for the world of sustainable building and bio-architecture. Ricehouse is living proof that, far from being valueless, production waste can be reused consciously and intelligently to make innovative products capable of transforming and improving even a traditional industry like construction. ✕

T. Monterisi: Culturally, Italy is not especially advanced in terms of bio-architecture, but there’s a lot of interest in timber construction, so the country is now ranked fourth in Europe. We’ve made inroads into the Swedish market,

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“ TA L K I N G ” S U R FA C E S : E L TXOKO DE M ART Í N Martín Berasategui has chalked up more Michelin stars than any other chef in Spain, and when he decided to launch his first post-pandemic venture, in the summer of 2021, the result was El Txoko de Martín, a new restaurant in Palma de Mallorca, which sets out to make the tough days of the pandemic feel like a distant memory.

With seating capacity for 200 people, divided between the main dining room, a private area and an outdoor

Design that does justice to the cuisine The interior design drew inspiration from the restaurant’s location, in the old fishing district of Santa Catalina, whose tradition and history it clearly respects.

area, it promises to become the city’s premier venue for dining and chilling.

In Basque, the chef’s mother tongue, “txoko” means “corner”. When transposing this concept to his new restaurant, Berasategui wanted to share a bit of his own terroir with the people of Majorca, by creating a small “corner” in Palma where they would be able to savour a range of delicacies from the Basque Country that strike a perfect balance between tradition and innovation.

Berasategui’s love of Majorca and of his own Basque origins is reflected in the wooden ceilings, decorative details, use of natural colours (such as green and blue) and picture frames on the walls, which contain photos of the chef’s family and the restaurant where he was born and raised.

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Chiara Bruzzichelli c.bruzzichelli@tiledizioni.it

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PRODUCT FOCUS

HI-MACS® by LX Hausys is a top-quality acrylic stone that can be shaped into any form. Architects and interior designers use it to create highperformance sculptural shapes. HI-MACS® is made of acrylic, natural minerals and pigments, which combine to create a smooth, non-porous surface with no visible joints, thus satisfying the highest functional, aesthetic, quality, hygiene and construction standards.

LX Hausys recently unveiled two new products. The first is HI-MACS® UltraThermoforming, an innovative formula that takes solid surface modelling to a whole new level, with 30% more thermoplastic properties, representing the biggest innovation in the history of solid surface since its launch in 1967. The second, HI-MACS® Intense Ultra, combines the best of both worlds: Intense Colour Technology and Ultra-Thermoforming.

Majorca-based company “Sublime” using HI-MACS® solid surface material in Alpine White.

The murals depict three sports: traditional Basque rowing, Basque pelota and football, in honour of Berasategui’s sporting past in his native land.

According to Sublime, the Majorca-based Concord

Decorative surfaces The ornamental elements, complete with details in wood, metal, stone and ceramic, play an important role. The real stand-out feature of the restaurant’s décor, however, is the three large murals, created by the

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CREDITS

Group company commissioned to design the murals, the sublimation process performed on HI-MACS® is a complex technique, which involves transferring digital prints in gaseous state onto the solid surface material, by applying controlled heat and pressure in special ovens.

Sublime’s vast experience in sublimation techniques ensured that the final images were fully incorporated into the material, making the artwork strong, durable and suitable for display in a high-footfall environment.

HI-MACS® offers a number of other benefits, which added further value to the end result, including a completely smooth, non-porous surface, which ensured perfect integration of the pigment, and the absence of joints, for an extremely hygienic finish, which makes cleaning easier and guarantees the high strength and durability that are needed in public places such as this restaurant.

“Very few materials can be shaped in such a way as

Architectural plan: El Txoko de Martín restaurant Location: Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands HI-MACS® transformer: Sublime, Concord Group HI-MACS® distributor: Panelwork Material: HI-MACS® Alpine White Dimensions of murals: o Rowing murals: 500 x 160 cm o Basque pelota murals: 550 x 250 cm o Football murals: 160 x 240 cm Mural design: Juan Chito Photo: ©David Sandron – Sublime, Concord Group

to look like tiles, while also being able to receive the hot-process transfer of an image into their own structure,” explains Juan Chito, Sublime’s designer. “Lastly, the convex sides and the application of a layer of epoxy resins on the front gave us the cracked, distorted effect we were looking for in this decorative project.” ✕

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The splendid brick vaults of the Imperial Kiln Museum The Zhu-Pei architecture firm recently completed construction of the Imperial Kiln Museum in Jingdezhen (Jiangxi province), a project that pays tribute to the past and present of a city renowned as the world porcelain capital where porcelain was produced for the Chinese imperial family from the mid-12th century onwards.

Designed to evoke traditional brick kilns, the museum stands on a 10,370 square metre site in the historic centre of Jingdezhen, close to the ruins of the imperial kiln dating back to the Ming dynasty. The building features more than half a dozen brick vaults, modelled on the traditional shape of local kilns, each with different dimensions, curvature and length.

In keeping with local building practice, the bricks used in the construction are partly new and partly recycled from old

kilns. The use of recycled bricks to build houses and all kinds of buildings is part of a long tradition in Jingdezhen, given that brick kilns have to be demolished and rebuilt every two or three years to maintain good thermal performance.

Inside the building there are five underground courtyards, each associated with one of the five themes of ancient Chinese culture (gold, wood, water, fire and earth), which allow natural light to penetrate into the interior spaces.

The cylindrical skylights in the ceilings of the vaults are reminiscent of smoke holes in old brick kilns and also allow natural light to enter.

The museum also houses artefacts from old kilns discovered during the construction stage, offering visitors an authentic journey of discovery into the origins of the historic city.

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The smoked oak for the Mt. Isthmus Lodge New Zealand offers extraordinary nature experiences, especially in the isolated mountainous region of the South Island.

The luxurious Mt. Isthmus Lodge creates an amazing combination of pure nature, unique life experiences and breathtaking views.

This exclusive villa is located on 7,000 hectares of land in the mountains of the Otago region, up to 2,000 meters high and directly overlooking Lake Hāwea, a glacial lake with crystal-clear water. The building, which blends delicately with the surrounding environment, is furnished with the finest materials.

1,700 sq. m of smoked oak parquet flooring Sauvage

by HARO have been installed in the several prestigious rooms of the villa, as well as in the four exclusive suites. The special optical effect of HARO Smoked Oak Plank Parque lends the rooms of the Lodge a special touch, mainly for the parquet used as a design coating for walls and ceilings.

Mt. Isthmus Lodge is part of the Lindis hotel group; the award-winning architect Tony Butel designed it to offer guests every conceivable luxury. Five-star cuisine, large wellness areas and a whirlpool room with a direct view of the majestic mountain region offer guests the best relaxation, culinary delights and comfort.

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N E W M AT E R I A L S FOR INTERIORS FA N G O R O S A There are three new collections presented by Fangorosa on the occasion of the Milan Design Week 2021: a terracotta of Lombard origin, one from Umbria and a concrete floor.

The variegated terracotta, coming from Lombardy, is an absolute novelty within the Fangorosa proposal and involves the use of two different clays, coarsely kneaded to obtain the typical variegated effect, here in shades of white and black, which animated houses and historic homes for more than four centuries.

The Umbrian terracotta is instead declined in an extremely thin rectangular element, with a herringbone motif, called a cigar: the traditional earth color and the material consistency immediately refer to the intimate dimension of the hearth.

Sicilian Cement is the son of the industrial revolution and has established itself as a resistant and easy-to-work flooring material.

Fangorosa recovers its tradition, experimenting with color combinations and special decorations, according to the taste of contemporary design, in a hexagonal covering proposed in denim shades, inspired by jeans.

DÉCO Twix® is the acclaimed modular covering system in Déco’s Ultrashield® family of new-generation wood composite products. This covering for walls and ceilings stands out for the geometric rigour created by a batten-effect surface that adds perfect symmetry to indoor and outdoor spaces alike.

Twix® modules now come in four variants and seven finishes, and in tones ranging from brown to grey, making the collection the ideal choice for nurturing continuity in look and colour. The new Twix® collection comprises the brand-new Twix® Full Claddy single-element modules, along with Twix® Claddy, Twix® XL and Twix® Classic, with two, three or five parallel battens respectively. Installed on building façades, Twix® coverings by Déco improve thermal and acoustic insulation, eliminate thermal bridges, improve the façade’s insulation coefficient and boost the building’s energy efficiency. Indoors, Twix® modules help reduce reverberation, improving the acoustic performance of rooms.

As with all Ultrashield® wood composite products by Déco, Twix® profiles are a unique combination of innovation, quality, durability and style. The special polymer coating that covers the battens, which is extruded along with the core mix, makes the modules tough, fade-proof, scratch-proof and stain-resistant. Twix® withstands all kinds of aggression, whether natural, atmospheric or chemical, and is guaranteed for 25 years from installation, with no maintenance required. In keeping with Déco corporate policy, all Ultrashield® elements are environmentally sustainable: the wood flour used to make them comes from recycled chippings and therefore has zero impact on deforestation while the HDPE component (high-density polyethylene) is a fully bio-degradable substitute for PVC.

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N O VA C O L O R With natural materials of all kinds once again playing a leading role, Novacolor is placing its bets on two key products in the Concrete line.

Archi+Pietra is a stone-effect, hydraulic lime based, powder wall covering for interior use. Its unique formula creates prestigious decorative finishes with a compact, solid stone look that is perfect for decorating modern settings.

Archi+ Pietra Intonaco is a coarse-grained, hydraulic lime based, powder decorative finish for interior use. Enhanced by the contrast between mortar and metal, and applicable in a single coat, this covering is the perfect choice for a warm, rustic, decorative effect.

The Archi+ range is part of the Novacolor Minerals family, which stands out for its use of natural materials and low emission of volatile substances. Novacolor has always been committed to both sustainability and innovation, and since its first years of production has taken great strides towards eliminating toxic substances and solvent emissions from its products. Novacolor has long since redesigned its supply chain and adopted a production process based on the concept of “Biomass Balance”, replacing fossil-based raw materials with biomass

from agricultural waste.

Novacolor was also the first company in Italy to obtain REDcert2 certification for its decorative paints. This important certification is awarded to companies who invest heavily in sustainable raw materials.

STILE Stile’s new parquet collection is inspired by the concept of “know-how”, which can be expressed in no better way than by using the ancient Greek word TEKNE (ΤΤ έχνη έχνη).

In it, geometry and lines blend with the latest tastes and a quest for new decorative combinations. The TEKNE range of floor coverings uses lines to symbolise consistency, cleanliness and order, but leaves them free to be combined with fantasy, experimentation and imagination. Logic and irrationality come together to decorate either residential or commercial spaces, with the aid of Space, Area, Urban, Italic, Carpet, Incastro and Sizes – the seven wood surface variants in the range. The choice of formats offered by the collection enables you to create eclectic patterns and highly original floors.

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Z A M B A I T I PA R AT I Zambaiti Parati, the leading name in wall coverings, proudly presents the new Project wallpaper collection, marketed under the Zambaiti Contract brand.

This new design-focused collection is produced with customisation in mind, and lends itself to the creation of modular and decorative wallpaper designs on various natural or textile backing materials.

The collection finds expression in varied cultural scenarios, as narrated by professional architects through personal interpretations of iconic currents of Italian art that have made a mark on contemporary design. Project is the idea of Zambaiti CreativeLab, the R&D section of the company’s design department and the creative heart of its Albino HQ, which has worked in close collaboration with the architects Eleonora Sassoli, Gianluigi Landoni, Emanuele Svetti, Andrea Auletta and Roberto Semprini on their personal interpretations of artistic themes. Architectural designs, geometric shapes, dreams, light and colour effects are just some of the inspirations adopted to animate and decorate contract, residential, hospitality and public spaces with engaging and symbolic ideas that communicate in an authentically Italian language.

The Project collection offers a choice of four backings materials: Pareti Vive, Waterproof, Acoustic and Protection, all of which deliver excellent performance and quality, and can be adapted to suit an unlimited range of needs.

C O R À PA R Q U E T For the first time ever, the “Miraggio” floor tile collection, developed in partnership with the prestigious Pininfarina Architecture design studio, features a mix of ceramic and wood elements. The result eliminates the traditional boundary between interiors and exteriors and allows all spaces to coalesce through unified design.

“Miraggio” permits wood floors to merge gradually into ceramic surfaces in those areas of the home where wood might require excessive care but where porcelain tile offers the necessary resistance and durability, for example, areas between living rooms and kitchens, lounges and fireplaces, bedrooms and bathrooms.

To create “Miraggio”, the Pininfarina studio selected oak from Corà in four warm shades of brown, along with eight ceramic textures inspired by stone and marble from the catalogue of Laminam.

“Miraggio” offers an ingenious solution to the problem of different material thicknesses: the noble wood and the thin ceramic surfaces are both glued to the same backing material and both modules are laid by interlocking, thus eliminating the need for traditional grouting. The new system greatly simplifies installation, since even the ceramic modules can be installed by the wood floor installer without having to bring in a specialist tiler.

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L’A N T I C C O L O N I A L L’Antic Colonial, a PORCELANOSA Group company presents Skins Wallpaper, a new range of wallpaper designed around elegant geometric and nature-inspired patterns. Featuring lively colours, ranging from bottle-green to pale pink and silver-grey, the three series in the collection (Royal, Amazonia and Emporia) are designed to open up a whole world of stylistic possibilities. Buckingham, for example, takes inspiration from 19th-century Victorian drawing rooms, making it the ideal backdrop for velvet furnishings and brass or bronze accessories. Augusta, meanwhile, aims to create a more exotic environment, with the freshness of its multi-coloured foliage, and Emporia deploys touches of gold and abstract shapes, to give the appearance of a kind of constellation, which accentuates the depth of the rooms in which it is hung.

Skins Wallpaper is available in a size of 53 cm x 1005 cm and is made of non-woven fabric, which has numerous advantages: - it’s easier to hang, thanks in part to the use of Skins Fix, an adhesive made

by Butech (a Porcelanosa Group company).

- it’s washable, and stains are easy to remove with a damp, soapy cloth.

- it offers higher resistance to the fading that exposure to sunlight can cause.

F O L I A E S U R FA C E S

Built around a new approach and the joint efforts of a group of technical specialists from the interior design world, the company offers a range of decorative interior coverings developed in partnership with interior designers and architects.

The range includes coordinated eco-compatible materials, unusual effects and innovative textures that bring a breath of fresh air to numerous furnishing elements in homes, work places and leisure environments. They also bring warmth and character, and give interior designers plenty of scope to adopt the most fitting solution for the architectural project they have in mind.

The products offer outstandingly high quality, thanks to the company’s technical knowledge of base-layer materials, printing technologies and finishing varnishes.

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COMPLETE MANUAL CUTTING SYSTEM FOR PORCELAIN, CERAMIC OR GLASS SLABS

· TITANIUM WHEELS SELECTION SYSTEM · Non-slip system without suction cups · Quick elastic connection · “No Limits” extendable system with rails · INTERNATIONAL PATENT · 100% MADE IN ITALY

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The innovative system for the shower.

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PROSHOWER SYSTEM PROSHOWER SYSTEM is an innovative solution, which combines flexibility, functionality and design to answer to all requirements of the floorlevel shower. Heart of the system is the PROSHOWER drain, that in only 85 mm at floor-level has multiple advantages. Flow: it is one of the few drains on the market with a 360° rotating siphon with patented watertightness junction which guarantees a 30 lt/min flow. Hygiene: the system has an inside slope for the outflow of the water towards the drain to avoid unpleasant smells; the siphon is easy to open and clean. Durability: it is the only drain treated with electro-polishing and passivation that guarantee an exceptional resistance in all environments (over 2000 hours test in saline mist). Modularity: it is the only modular drain; the drains can be assembled in sequence till the desired length. The use of the drain together with the profiles of the Proshower Profile range, the waterproofing Profoil System and the shower tray Proshower Panel guarantees the realization of a workmanlike floor-level shower.

Real design elements, with hidden functional details.

The finest radiant system for your bathroom

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Sede /Headquarter Progress Profiles SpA Via Le Marze 7 31011 ASOLO (TV) Italy Tel. +39 0423 950398 Fax +39 0423 950979 info@progressprofiles.com www.progressprofiles.com

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