ABK Group: brands are ABK Stone, Flaviker, Materia, Gardenia Orchidea, Gardenia Slabs, Desvres, Ariana, and 14 Ora Italiano. Continue reading ABK Group secures funding for ambitious development strategy
Refin Studio Paris, the first showroom of Ceramiche Refin in France, invites professionals to explore the interplay of materials and design. Located in the 11th arrondissement, the space features interactive displays and comprehensive collections. It emphasizes hands-on experiences and collaboration, exemplifying the company’s philosophy of innovation and artistic integration in ceramics. Continue reading Refin opens first French showroom
RAK Ceramics UK has appointed Ben Bryden as Interim Managing Director, following the retirement of Managing Director Alvin Biggs. Bryden has been with RAK Ceramics UK for 10 years, having originally joined the company as Head of Projects before taking on the role of UK & Ireland Sales & Marketing Director. “It is an exciting time to take on the role of Interim Managing Director,’ … Continue reading Ben Bryden appointed Interim MD at RAK Ceramics UK
Mapei UK’s expansion continues with the acquisition of a new warehousing and office site in Bilston, near Wolverhampton. Spanning over 260,000 sq. ft, it will provide warehousing for Mapei’s increasing product portfolio. Mapei’s Midlands-located warehouses will transfer to the new location during 2026 as part of Mapei’s strategy to bring all logistics under one roof. Located just four miles from the M6, this new facility … Continue reading Mapei UK acquires new distribution hub
On Thursday, 21st May Florim appointed Beatrice Lucchese as Chief Executive Officer, the third generation of the Lucchese family to hold the leadership of the Italian tile group. Founded in the early 1960s by engineer Giovanni Lucchese, Florim is now an international benchmark in the field of high-end ceramic surfaces for architecture, interior design and construction. Since 1984, the company has been led by President … Continue reading Beatrice Lucchese appointed Florim CEO
I wanted to share the following post on LinkedIn with Diary of a Tile Addict’s readers because I have seen no coverage – in either B2B tile/construction magazines, newspapers, TV, or online news outlets – about the hidden costs of the Israel-USA attacks on Iran, and the subsequent impact on the global energy market, on world trade in general, and the ceramic tile sector in … Continue reading Morbi shutdown: the hidden cost of war
I am about to undertake a second run – the full 26.2 mile Brighton Marathon – on 12th April in memory of my dear sister, Gina, who died last year. Although I have been a keen runner for years this will be my first marathon … at the age of 68. Training is going well, and running to celebrate Gina’s life means that I have … Continue reading Please support my Alzheimer’s fundraising
ABK Group has unveiled its new Gardenia&Ariana brand based on the concept of Italian Timeless. Fusing the classic aesthetic of Gardenia Orchidea (acquired by the Group in 2020) with the material innovation and technological research of Ariana (an ABK brand since 2000), the new brand is intended to expand the Group’s porcelain portfolio with a distinctive and comprehensive range. The first Gardenia&Ariana catalogue offers a … Continue reading ABK’s new tile brand
Armatile Ltd, the well-respected multi-faceted tile company from Northern Ireland, has joined ABCD Distributors Ltd, a group of six long-established and respected UK-based independent tile distributors and retailers. Announcing the news Nick Braybrooke of CT Ipswich stated: “As Chairman of ABCD Distributors Ltd … I am delighted to announce that today Armatile Limited joined the group. This exciting news further enhances ABCD as a strong … Continue reading Armatile joins ABCD group
The increasingly global nature of the ceramic tile manufacturing sector has been underlined recently by major investments in Pakistan, Indonesia, and Algeria. As with so many modern tile factories, much of the production equipment has been sourced from Italian manufacturers. Ghani Ceramics of Pakistan has purchased a second FCC kiln from Sacmi to produce large-size ceramic tiles. With a length of 359.9 metres and width … Continue reading Investments underline ceramic tile’s global strength
The MoMa Group, based near Modena, Italy, finalised the acquisition of Ceramiche Ricchetti Group (GRC) in December 2025. The MoMa Group – which includes Ceramiche Moma, Savoia Italia, Herberia, Arpa, Idea Ceramiche, and Paul Ceramiche – now also spans the brands Cisa, Cerdisa, and Ricchetti brands. The deal only includes GRC’s production and distribution activities in Italy. Foreign subsidiaries will remain under the control of … Continue reading Italy’s MoMa Group acquires Ceramiche Ricchetti Group
The Brazilian natural stone industry achieved US$1.48 billion in exports in 2025, an increase of 17.5% in revenue compared to 2024. This result surpasses the previous record, registered in 2021, claims the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas). There were also advances in the volume exported. In 2025, foreign sales totalled 2.11 million metric tons, up 2.9% on the previous year. The average export price was … Continue reading 2025 was a record year for Brazilian stone
Surfex, a new USA-based trade show for the surface fabrication industry, is set to take place from 3rd to 5th November 2027 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, USA. Surfex is a fabricator-focused event developed by the Stone Equipment & Supply Alliance. It is designed to bring together equipment manufacturers, material suppliers, tool providers, and service companies in a single unified event. “This event … Continue reading New USA show for surface fabricators
WFF (The Worktop Fabricators Federation) is launching a quality mark to help identify surfaces that have been produced safely, in an effort to protect the health of fabricators. The new scheme is a response to the risk of silicosis which has been linked to unsafe working practices. When it goes live in 2026, consumers, designers, retailers, and specifiers will be able to use the quality … Continue reading WFF introduces worktop quality mark
