Research – one of the key drivers of growth for Gruppo Romani – has led to the creation of Romani Surface Lab: a new platform dedicated to surface technologies. It aims to strengthen the Group’s innovation strategy and expand the design possibilities of contemporary ceramics.
This €5 million investment marks a significant evolution in both the Group’s production infrastructure and its approach to applied research. It includes a comprehensive technological upgrade of four glazing and decoration lines. Each line has been equipped with a pair of multitasking digital machines operating in full synchronisation, that de4liver a wide range of aesthetic flexibility.
An innovative ink-filler system has also been introduced, featuring dual filtration and feeding systems, together with automatic recirculation of water-based inks and adhesives across all the print bars of the digital machines installed in the department.
Beyond the development of new surfaces, Romani Surface Lab was created to rethink the relationship between material, technology, and sensory experience. The innovations developed within the platform enhance not only the aesthetics of the product, but also the visual and tactile perception of materials, their technical performance, and their range of applications.
“Ceramics are undergoing an extraordinary phase of evolution. With Romani Surface Lab, we aim to accelerate this process by offering technologies that go beyond simply improving the product, opening up new possibilities for architectural design. This investment looks to the future and confirms our ambition to become an increasingly innovative partner for the worlds of design and architecture,” says Martina Romani, Marketing Director.
The first innovations developed within the platform are Mellow Touch and Contour Tech, two technologies already available on the new collections that the company will unveil at Cersaie 2026 and that will progressively be introduced across its most recent product ranges.
Mellow Touch reinterprets tactile comfort by combining a highly pleasing surface feel with outstanding technical performance. Thanks to an innovative glazing technology, the material acquires a soft, velvety touch, a matt, anti-reflective finish, and an exceptional ability to enhance the authentic character of natural materials. The solution has been designed for a wide variety of applications, including outdoor environments, where it achieves an R11 slip-resistance rating.
With Contour Tech, Gruppo Romani takes the three-dimensional qualities of ceramic surfaces to a new level. The technology creates relief textures perfectly synchronised with the slab’s graphic design, reproducing with exceptional precision the engravings, stratifications and variations typical of natural materials. The result is a surface that enhances depth and realism, delivering a particularly authentic visual and tactile experience.
More at: https://www.grupporomanispa.com