Cersaie 2021: all news from the world of ceramics

For those who are planning a dream home, last September was a crucial month to learn about all new trends in the world of interior design. Starting from Salone del Mobile in Milan that this year presented itself in a totally new look, and rounding off with Cersaie. Two events symbol of an Italy that wants to go back to tell its creative and innovative side in two sectors where Made in Italy is unquestionably synonymous with quality and prestige.

Recovery with great enthusiasm for the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, Cersaie in Bologna

After the forced break last year due to lockdown, the 2021 edition of Cersaie presented itself with 600 stands to visit, set up by companies from 26 different countries. The desire to start again could be seen by turning among the various pavilions crowded with journalists, architects, designers and contractors.

Many products are on display in preview, anticipating trends in the fields of surfaces, bathroom furnishings, design and design. From the tiles to the furniture, passing through the complements, up to the surfaces, increasingly modern, multifunctional and refined. An appointment that reopened in style, bringing back a creative energy full of ideas and trends, ready to furnish the most contemporary interiors.

Cersaie 2021 completed the five-day exhibition with over 62.000 attendees, including more than 24.000 international operators. Participation to 56% of the total result for 2019. The next edition of Cersaie will be held in Bologna from 26 to 30 September 2022.

The 38th edition of Cersaie 2021 met the best expectations of companies that believed in the possibility of investing in the exhibition, to meet their customers directly, presenting themselves with the latest product innovations. On fifteen pavilions of Bologna exhibition center entirely occupied – amounting to 150.000 square meters of total area – 623 companies exhibited, of which 361 in the ceramic tile sector, 87 bathroom furnishings, 175 belonging to the laying sectors, raw materials, new areas, service activities. A show with a strong international connotation, confirmed by 238 foreign exhibitors – 38% of the total – and by 28 countries represented.

“I am persuaded that the investments made by 623 exhibitors at Cersaie 2021 have had the best possible return from an event that confirmed its national and international importance at distributors, architects, installers, the operators of the real estate – declares Giovanni Savorani, President of Confindustria Ceramica -. The ceramic market has for several months experienced a good economic situation in different markets, thanks to the characteristics of health, hygiene and environmental sustainability intrinsic to our materials and to a growing attention to the quality of living, which our products are able to give to the home and other environments frequented. As we have represented the representatives of the national and territorial institutions who have paid us considerable attention with their visit to the exhibition, this recovery cannot be compromised by the devastating levels reached by energy costs, which require urgent action at EU level”.

“The wide program of events of Cersaie had a meaningful participation and effectiveness – said Emilio Mussini, vice President of Confindustria Ceramica to the guide of the Promotional Activities and Fairs -. The nearly 600 participants in the Lectio Magistralis of Pritzker Shigeru Ban, the presence in the Contract Hall of ten leading Italian and European architectural firms, the exhibition of the G124 project commissioned by Renzo Piano for the redevelopment of the suburbs with the commitment of young architects, the eighteen Caffè della Stampa in five days, the seminars on ceramic slabs at the City of Laying, the 180 delegates of Cersaie Business – who came thanks to the valuable collaboration with ICE from some of our main markets such as Germany, North America and the Gulf area – are some of the aspects that qualified this edition.

Trends at Cersaie 2021

Let’s discover together the main trends of Cersaie 2021.

Trends in decline

After about twenty years in which it has absolutely depopulated, the wood-effect stoneware is starting to give way to other trends. Many producers still present it, but walking through the many pavilions of the exhibition is clear that it is no longer the undisputed protagonist. It will hardly disappear completely from the market, at least in the coming years, but surely we will see less.

Another declining trend is that of cement tiles: they brightened kitchens and bathrooms, embellished floors creating scenic “carpets” and are now gradually disappearing from the proposals of industry leaders.

Stable trends

The cement effect is confirmed again this year as one of the most proposed and most requested finishes on the market. Available in bigger and bigger sizes, it is proposed in the classic cold grey but also in more neutral or warm shades, or in coloured variants. Extremely smooth or otherwise strongly rough, it fits with personality in all modern environments or industrial flavor.

The stone effects, both in the glossy and matt versions, in the grey and beige range, are certainly one of the easiest finishes to insert in any setting. They range from modern scenarios to other more rustic or classic, confirming an evergreen of the industry.

Trends in growth

The marble effect absolutely wins the scepter of protagonist for this edition, carrying forward the trend that we have also found in the world of furniture.

The most prestigious companies offer it in large formats, managing in some cases to produce a mirroring effect or continuity of the vein for a highly scenic effect. Also interesting are the combinations with wood effects. The most popular colors are certainly those on the cold tones of white, gray and black, but there are touches of whimsical green, blue and particular shades.

Even the decorative effects based on plant motifs, whether floral or tropical, are increasingly present to bring a touch of color and originality to the walls.

Last but not least, the latest trend that we want to highlight is that linked to the world of outdoor (2 cm thick products).

In this case it is of course the stone effect that dominates with slates, quartzites, cobblestones and porphyry in ever larger sizes even at these thicknesses. Next to the stone, however, also grows the cement effect and the wood effect indicated for terraces, pool edges and dehors.

Sicer’s proposals for the latest trends from the world of ceramics

On the occasion of Cersaie 2021 edition, Sicer presented different solutions for the world of ceramic surfaces in line with the novelties and trends in the furniture and design sector.

GRA DRY-LUX grits for marble effect surfaces

The exclusive GRA DRY-LUX series of grits by Sicer was created for the realization of lapped mirror surfaces with application of dry grit on digital glue. These grits are perfectly transparent and compact, designed to ensure very bright surfaces such as marble, protagonists of the last Cersaie, with precise coefficient of expansion, absence of porosity and incredible depth of glass.

BLACK DIAMOND, the solution for shiny lapped surfaces of absolute black color

BLACK DIAMOND is the solution designed by Sicer’s Technology Lab to create glossy lapped products on absolute black graphics. The perfectly compact and transparent glass obtained with the grits of the BLACK DRY-LUX series, combined with the SPECIAL BLACK SCD071E or SCD1071LE ink specifically designed to make absolute black marble, guarantee:

neutral shade of black,
saturated black tone,
absolute transparency and brilliance of the glass,
control and management of glass microporosity in different production conditions.

All for uncompromising results: brilliance, resistance, purity!

GRAN LUX, grits for wet applications

Another product presented by Technology Lab of the manufacturer and supplier of raw materials for ceramic companies is GRANLUX, a series of grits for wet applications for mirrored lapping. GRAN LUX joins the GRA DRY-LUX series for dry application and completes the range of grits designed to get ultra-bright, transparent, compact and porous-free lapped surfaces.

Renewed range of GLR glazes for the outdoor world and beyond

Presented in preview at Cersaie 2021, we find the new glazes of the GLR series, a series that perfectly combines technical and aesthetic characteristics in a single product. This innovative range of non-slip “special glazes” is not commonly composed of frits and single added raw materials, but of raw materials brought to the glass state expertly micronized applicable as a common glaze. The result are technical Hi-Resistance surfaces, extremely pleasant to the touch and optimal to furnish both residential interiors and outdoor or commercial areas.

The glazes of the renewed GLR range have a precise grain size and are supplied ready for use and therefore do not need grinding. According to the needs, they can be supplied to the customer in liquid or in dry format ready for suspension.

Sicer’s GLR soft anti-slip series guarantees:

A perfect draft
A total cleanability
Absolute transparency and development of digital colours
A final surface totally anti-reflective, natural, material and pleasant to the touch.
Positive MAZAUD test result.

The GLR range allows calibration of the surface texture according to the necessary value (from R9 to R13) (A+B+C), ensuring the regulatory requirements required in each country for the flooring of public environments.

What distinguishes, however, this new range from most anti-slip glazes is the absolute softness to the touch of the final surface.

The series consists of glazes completely customizable according to customer requirements and production conditions.

STRUCTURE for infinite structures

Last news presented by Sicer at Cersaie 2021 was STRUCTURE, a range that allows the customer to create on ceramic infinite structures (woods, cements, etc…) with the possibility of matching with graphics and digital colors, regardless of the type of production plant used.

Sicer offers two different solutions: ATOM-STRUCTURE and DIGITAL-STRUCTURE.

ATOM-STRUCTURE, available in two variants ATS010 and ATS020 depending on whether you want to achieve a more or less marked effect, is a calibrated atomized product that was born to be applied upstream of the glazing line, directly on digital glue. The product perfectly follows the design of the glue going to create the desired relief and structure and after its application are realized all the other usual stages of the production line. The ATOM-STRUCTURE range is dedicated to low resolution semi-matt relief surfaces.

DIGITAL-STRUCTURE, on the other hand, is a structuring/reserving agent that, digitally applied at the beginning of the glazing line, before or after the smaltobbio (highly vitrified engobe), or after digital printing, and prevents materials applied on top of it from bonding, thereby creating material reliefs at the edges.

The DIGITAL-STRUCTURE range is dedicated to high resolution anti-reflective surfaces.

DIGITAL-STRUCTURE is available in two powerful water-repellent digital versions, opaque or transparent.