Mittel’s Italian Bathroom Design pursues further growth with the acquisition of Catalano

The Italian industrial holding company Mittel has further strengthened its position in the ceramic sanitaryware sector with its fourth acquisition in seven years, once again in the Civita Castellana district in the province of Viterbo.

Following the acquisition of Ceramica Cielo in 2017 and Galassia and Disegno Ceramica in 2019, the holding company’s subsidiary Italian Bathroom Design Group (IBD) has further expanded its portfolio with the purchase of Ceramica Catalano.

On 1 July, IBD signed a binding preliminary agreement to acquire 100% of the Fabrica di Roma-based company for €92 million. The transaction, expected to close in September, will be primarily financed through IBD’s and Mittel’s own funds, supplemented by bank financing.

This acquisition is of great strategic importance for Mittel, reinforcing its commitment to an exclusively industrial and growth-oriented approach.

Catalano, industrial excellence and technological innovation

Despite the economic slowdown, Ceramica Catalano reported revenues of €48.6 million in 2023, as well as an EBITDA of approximately €13 million (yielding an EBITDA margin of 26.7%), and a profit of just under €8.5 million. The company’s exports, which represent 65% of its turnover, are shipped to over 60 countries worldwide.

Catalano, a leading player in the ceramic sanitaryware sector, has always stood out for its management philosophy focused on achieving absolute quality and excellence in production. The company’s evolution stems from its continuous focus on technological innovations that meet the demands of increasingly complex and globalised markets. Catalano’s production processes utilise highly digitalised systems, a result of significant investments in Industry 4.0 technologies and robotics, which have propelled the company to remarkable levels of automation and precision.

Catalano embodies an industrial culture focused on sustainability. In recent years, the company has steered its development strategies towards a manufacturing approach that protects natural ecosystems. It has set clear objectives and implemented effective tools aimed at significantly reducing the carbon footprint of its production activities. This commitment is attested by important environmental awards and certifications. Catalano was the first Italian company in the sector to receive EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certification for its ceramic sanitaryware products and the first globally to earn ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) certification.

IBD, a manufacturing business with an output of 1.1 million pieces per year

Marco Colacicco, Chairman of Mittel and IBD, explained that the acquisition of Catalano reflects Mittel’s exclusively industrial vision, which is

“unreservedly oriented towards the future and the protection of the areas in which we operate and their artisanal traditions, which represent their lifeblood”

In the seven years since its initial acquisition of Ceramica Cielo, Mittel has increased the size of IBD eightfold. This growth has been achieved not only exogenously through the acquisition of Galassia, Disegno Ceramica and now Catalano, but primarily through endogenous development. With the consolidation of Catalano, the IBD Group has reached a turnover of almost €120 million and an EBITDA of more than €25 million, with prospects for further growth.

“Through IBD, we have established a hub of Italian excellence in the Civita Castellana district, where tradition and innovation go hand in hand,” notes Colacicco. “With this latest acquisition, we have combined the design excellence of Ceramica Cielo with the technological innovation of Catalano, creating a group capable of producing over 1.1 million pieces a year across 4 factories with a floor area of about 200,000 sqm. We are determined to continue growing and adding value to the IBD group, with a steadfast commitment to exclusively industrial development that focuses on business growth while prioritising sustainability and, above all, the protection of the local areas and communities, our employees and their families.”