Confindustria Ceramica

From the uncertainties surrounding gas availability and prices to the race to replace Ukrainian raw materials. The Italian ceramic tile industry is facing the challenge of rising costs against the backdrop of a very buoyant market.

According to preliminary figures published by Confindustria Ceramica and Prometeia, total sales reached 458 million sqm, up 12% on the pre-Covid year 2019. Exports climbed by 15% against 2020 and by 13% with respect to 2019, while Italian domestic sales returned to growth after 20 years (+9% compared to 2019).

Energy bills, that have more than tripled since the beginning of the year, are wiping out the effects of the economic recovery. The risk for some companies is to be forced to reduce production in the coming months

Confindustria Ceramica announces the final figures for 2019 and makes an initial assessment of the impact of the health emergency on the tile industry

The Italian ceramic industry, considered a sector of “strategic importance as it is strongly export-oriented” has been given the go-ahead to resume production activities as of 27 April.

Confindustria Ceramica and the trade unions have already signed a protocol to guarantee the resumption of ceramic production in complete safety. Industrialists call for factories to be reopened as soon as possible.

Giovanni Savorani, Chairman of Confindustria Ceramica, sounds the alarm: “We are extremely concerned because the decisions taken by the Italian government to prevent the spread of the virus are harming the competitiveness of the sector.”

EU antidumping duties on Chinese ceramic tableware imports have been renewed for another five years.

The Members’ Meeting approved the merger by incorporation of ANDIL with Confindustria Ceramica, which now also represents the brick and roof tile producers.

According to figures unveiled by Confindustria Ceramica for the performance of the three sectors in 2018, refractories and tableware performed well but the sanitaryware industry saw a downturn.

Tile production dropped to 415 million sq.m (-1.6%), while the sector’s turnover fell by 3% to 5.4 billion euros. Investments in technology remained very high at more than 500 million euros.

Coverings 2019 will be the venue for the US market launch of the social media and web campaign entitled “The values of ceramic”.

Confindustria Ceramica Chairman Giovanni Savorani describes the various factors that have contributed to the slowdown of the sector as well as the measures that have been put in place to exploit new opportunities.

After five years of uninterrupted growth, the Italian ceramic tile industry experienced a downturn in 2018 with production, sales and exports all seeing falls of between 2% and 3%.

Chairman of Gigacer, Savorani will be present at the Members’ Meeting on 6 June for the election and will remain in office until May 2020.

The Italian tile industry has closed 2016 with record investments of 400 million euros (+14%), a turnover of 5.4 billion euros (+5.9%) and a national production of 416 million m2 (+5.4%).

Also up were production (+3.4%), exports (+5.1%) and investments (+22.7%). The domestic market remained stable.

The three sectors have a total of 6,000 employees and reported a combined turnover of 721.5 million euros.

2016 may see further consolidation of the growth reported in 2015, with domestic sales returning to positive territory (+2.7%) and exports showing a further increase (+3.6%). Domestic output is also expected to grow by 3.8%.

The 27th edition of the American show has ended in Chicago, the next appointment being Orlando in 2017.