Coverings 2012 on the starting block

Coverings, the pre-eminent exhibition of ceramic tile and natural stone in North America, opens on the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando today. From 17 to 20 April, thousands of distributors, manufacturers, architects and designers from 50 countries will be converging to discover the latest trends in materials and surfaces. In an approximately 30,000 square metre net show space, more than 800 companies from all over the world will be exhibiting their latest new products, including cutting-edge solutions and the very best of creativity in the ceramic sector.

The US show will once again be focusing on innovative and sustainable design through the PROJECT: Green programme, a competition open to international designers in residential, commercial and institutional categories, organised in cooperation with Environmental Design and the magazine Construction. Projects that best meet the criteria for innovative and sustainable tile and stone installations will be selected and honoured in a centrepiece display in the exhibition centre.

The event will be an excellent opportunity for establishing and consolidating commercial relationships and as usual will feature a packed programme of seminars, conferences and practical demonstrations of live installations by architects and designers in the Installation/Design Showcase, an educational initiative aimed at industry professionals.
The Italian ceramic industry will be represented by 48 companies in a joint Tiles of Italy pavilion organised by Confindustria Ceramica. The pavilion will showcase the very best of Italian production and host a range of initiatives such as the customary press conference.
The Spanish pavilion will consist of 39 ceramic companies belonging to ASCER. The Tile of Spain space will be hosting a number of seminars devoted to tiles as well as an exhibition of products by companies taking part in the decoration project organised by the association.
As usual there will be joint pavilions of US manufacturers organised by TCNA, of Brazilian producers led by Anfacer and of Turkish companies under the umbrella of the Turkish Ceramic Promotion Group, as well as the stands of Chinese producers. Plenty of space will also be devoted to producers of marble and natural stone.

Tile Edizioni will be present at booth 1212 with the latest numbers of Ceramic World Review and Tile International.