Paolo Mularoni (Del Conca USA): "The US launch of our new large slabs will be at Coverings"

Ahead of the appointment with Coverings 2019 (Orlando, 9 to 12 April), we asked some of the leading figures in the US ceramic industry to comment on the current state and future prospects of the US market.

Paolo Mularoni, President of Del Conca USA

“ We’re very excited because we have chosen Coverings 2019 as the venue for the US launch of the large slabs produced by Del Conca in Italy following a series of major investments. As part of our strategy for the competitive North American market, we will continue to focus on products of high technical and aesthetic quality and partner with internationally acclaimed artists. This year we are celebrating the centenary of the American pop icon Felix the Cat with a ceramic tile collection.

At the same time we are continuing to optimize market services and to capitalize on the advantages deriving from Del Conca USA’s proximity to customers.  2018 was a challenging year for our company, which has been operating in Loudon, Tennessee since 2014. We experienced a moderate contraction in sales in the second half of the year while investing in the expansion of our range with the introduction of technical products and materials aimed at the commercial construction sector.

We faced a number of problems such as the rise in service costs due to the very low level of unemployment, which for example pushed up domestic transport and tile installation costs. Both of these factors risk reducing the competitiveness of our products: in the first case with respect to imported materials and in the second relative to materials aimed at the DIY segment, such as the much-discussed vinyl floor tiles. We are also working hard to provide clear and accurate information that will help the market understand the benefits of ceramic compared to other materials in terms of healthy homes, sustainability, durability and technical performance. „