Cevisama is one of Europe’s two premier tile fairs, and like its Italian counterpart did last year, the show will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024. The exhibition will take place between 26 February and 1 March, and is described by organisers as “a benchmark event in innovation, design and sustainability for the ceramic wall and floor tiles, bathroom equipment, natural stone, machinery, frits, glazes, dyes and ceramic colours sector”. TSJ will, as always, be in attendance at the show and report back in detail in our March issue. For now though, we’ve provided an overview of what to expect at Cevisama’s 2024 edition when its doors open on the 26th.
Following on from our previous story in January, the event’s organisers have stated the fair has now reached 95% floor space occupancy. According to event director Carmen Álvarez: “These data reflect the interest in participating in Cevisama in its 40th edition, both in the more traditional exhibition space and in the new formats that we present.” These additional formats include Cevisama Build, described as the fair’s most eco-friendly and sustainable bet, Cevisama Tech, whose technological pavilion is said to include the most innovative offerings and Cevisama Trends, the fair’s trends gallery, among others.
The structure of the fair itself has changed for this milestone occasion, with the exhibition space undergoing a renovation designed to prioritise visitor experience along with visibility for exhibitors. “The objective is to create new routes prioritising circulation within the pavilions and reducing the flow in the central gallery,” says Daniel Marco, deputy director of the fair.
Feria Valencia (where Cevisama takes place) will be decked out especially for the 40th anniversary celebration, with what organisers describe as a spectacular Institutional Hall located within the fair. “We want the Cevisama image to be unforgettable in 2024,” says Álvarez.
While the fair itself promises to innovate and surprise, TSJ anticipates the products on show to be a little bit more grounded, following suit from last year’s Cersaie. Many high-profile manufacturers are set to attend, from Apavisa and Ape Grupo to Peronda and Vives, and among the several hundred strong exhibitor list there will invariably be some unusual and out-there ideas. The majority however, we expect, will focus more on natural, subtle designs. Not only are these effects increasingly realistic thanks to advances in both digital printing and glaze technology, but they are also safer bets from a commercial perspective, a vital consideration for manufacturers suffering massively inflated production costs owing to the energy crisis.
Recognising that commercial imperative, Cevisama has once again invested in a “powerful” buyer campaign for its 2024 edition, which has been enabled with the collaboration of IVACE Internacional and ICEX.
The investment of one million euros will be divided between international and national buyers. Álvarez and Marco explain: “80% of the invitations are international, from buyers mainly from North America, Europe, and the Middle East, the remaining 20% will be for national guests from all autonomous communities.” According to the organisers, this investment is also made in consultation with the exhibitors, who propose profiles, customers, and origin of provenance of the guests.
While the primary focus of the show is on buyers, organisers are also making an effort to cater to and bring in more installers, introducing a “unique space where the best professionals will perform live demonstrations on how to apply different products”. It’s described as a didactic area where tile fixers can learn and share experiences and knowledge, as well as learn about new products and technical solutions.
Similarly, there will be an immersive experience at the show designed for distributors. The area will simulate a store or point of sale, and is aimed to help visitors understand the needs and current consumption habits of customers. Marco explains: “We will materialise the future of the sector in this space, so that visitors can get an idea of where we are headed.” He added that other novelties will include the installation of a product gallery whose objective is to pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of the event.
Last year’s show saw a total attendance of 74,000 visitors, 25% of whom travelled internationally, up from 22% at the previous edition. Just over 60% of the exhibiting companies were ceramic tile suppliers, with 13% offering bathroom equipment and the remaining exhibitors showcasing machinery, raw materials and more. As we continue to leave the lockdown era behind, we can expect these visitor numbers to increase as more people make the journey to Valencia for this exciting 40th anniversary celebration. We here at TSJ certainly look forward to running into anyone from the UK tile industry who will be making the trip!
