Design and sustainability were the key words at the conference Ceramics of Value

The technical conference organised by Ceramic World Review on 17 October in Fiorano was a resounding success

On 17 October, more than 250 industry professionals gathered in the Florim Gallery auditorium in Fiorano Modenese to attend the technical conference entitled “Ceramics of Value - Technologies and Materials for the Surfaces of the Future”, organised by Ceramic World Review and Ceramic World Web in cooperation with Acimac.

Following the forced interruption due to the pandemic, the return of the traditional annual Ceramic World Review and Acimac conference in the Sassuolo ceramic district generated significant interest among industry professionals.

“This large turnout demonstrates just how important it remains for all players in the district to be able to meet and discuss issues relating to process and product innovation that will drive ceramic production in the future,” remarked Acimac chairman Paolo Lamberti. “After all, promoting innovation is part of our association’s DNA.”

Innovation was one of the key topics of the conference, which focused on the concept of value.

“We chose this theme after observing how the Italian ceramic industry overcame the crises of the last two years by focusing on value in all of its forms, including of course product excellence,” explained Paola Giacomini, editor of Ceramic World Review and moderator of the conference. “The aim of the conference was to explore the contribution that the latest technologies and materials can make to further enhancing value, whether it derives from technical quality, aesthetics and design, or sustainability.”

The nine companies taking part in the conference – BMR, Colorobbia, Gruppo B&T-Projecta, Sacmi, Sicer, Smaltochimica, Surfaces Group, System Ceramics and Vetriceramici – offered their individual interpretations of the concept of “Ceramics of Value” with presentations that spanned the entire production line, from design and aesthetic research through to forming, decorating, firing and finishing ceramic surfaces.

Two of the most prominent themes that emerged from the various presentations were the production of products that increasingly resemble natural materials (from through-vein effects to three-dimensional surfaces) and colour as a key element of the luxury trend. In terms of the production process, Sacmi’s report on current research into zero-impact thermal processes attracted a great deal of interest.

→ Available here in Italian only: Videos of complete presentations and slides

The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion devoted to “The Value of Design” featuring two representatives of Acimac’s “Design Firms” group – Paolo Lamberti (Tecnografica) and Elena Pellesi (Digital Design) – along with Federico Borziani, Head of Product Development at Florim Group.

The “Ceramics of Value” conference was held as part of the “makeinitaly days” event promoted by ACIMAC, UCIMA and AMAPLAST, which continued on 18 and 19 October with a focus on Digital Transformation and Servitisation in the manufacturing industry.