Grespania Ceramica has found the inspiration for its new Vanadio Collection.

By Louis Iannaco
More than 1,200 of the world’s leading resources in tile and stone are preparing for their journey to Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center for Coverings 2007, April 17 to 20, when they take the wraps off their newest and most innovative products. Also preparing for the journey are 33,000 industry professionals—distributors, retailers, contractors, fabricators, architects, interior designers, installers and manufacturers—who know they can count on uncovering not only the hottest designs and most likely trends, but also much more at this year’s tile and stone show.

“The Coverings experience is incomparable,” said Tamara Christian, CEO of National Trade Publications, the show’s producer. “First and foremost, the product introductions take center stage. But, it’s the combination of so many other daily activities and opportunities that wow and impress attendees.” This accounts for why there’s such an extraordinary loyalty rate, as 53% of those who come to Coverings are returnees, she added.

What else comprises the Coverings experience and makes it such a hit among the diverse business interests? According to Christian, show goers consistently remark how inspirational Coverings is, which is a credit to the visual displays mounted by exhibitors. Then there’s the educational component of Coverings, which has always earned high marks, attracting leading experts who offer informative sessions, most yielding CEU credits and all free.

Additionally, for contractors and installers, there are daily live how-to install demos, providing valuable advice and trouble-shooting solutions. A complete schedule of demonstrations is available at www.coverings.com. Promoting networking, Coverings teams up with Interior Design magazine to host several after-hours events during the week including: “Un-Covering: The After-Hours Party for Architects+Designers,” at the Chicago Illuminating Co. on Wednesday, April 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the following night all other registered Coverings attendees are invited to the House of Blues for Appreciation Night, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

But, still the headliners remain new products, and these are sure to be ample. There are companies among this year’s exhibitor roster who are regulars, some returning after an absence of a year or two and some will be making their first appearance. Exhibitors will include large manufacturers as well as individual artisans. Also represented will be all-important ancillary businesses showcasing the industry’s machinery and tools, adhesives and even operations support systems. The 500,000 net square feet of exhibit space will be completely filled, but here are just a few of the highlights to be found:

Tile, stone introductions

Apavisa, booth 5110, is taking its cues from nature with the launch of Zebrano, a tile collection resembling real wood but requiring far less maintenance. Four colors will be shown: Ocre, Rosso, Negro and Beige. Visit www.apavisa.com for more.

Bosphorus Mermer, meeting suite MS-21, supplier of Turkish stone, will showcase its Travertine Collection, including snow-white Ivory, the flowing lines of the River, and the onyx-speckled Aspendos. The entire collection is available in a variety of finishes, colors and sizes to suit a multitude of design needs. Visit www.bosphorus-stone.com for more.

Cedir, booth 2309, is introducing Madreterra, a porcelain tile series featuring a new composition of raw materials plus new, state-of-the-art technology. The result is a distinctive surface with the tactile experience redefined, plus durability that’s unparalleled, according to the company. Visit www.ce dir.it for more.

Ceramica Di Treviso, booth 1834, will be launching Posa Romana, an imagainative textural design that uniquely features the grout, provided through a partnership with Laticrete, as a decorative element. Suitable for both interior and exterior applications, it is available initially in three colors: Sunsey, Mirror and City. Visit www.ceramicaditreviso. com for more.

Crossville, booth 4518, will be showcasing Multistrato, the proprietary technology that has resulted in the creation of Buenos Aires Mood—a porcelain tile with subtle shades imitative of the sophisticated ombre effects on fine textiles in fashion. Visit www.crossvilleinc.com for more.

Decorativa, booth 5908, plans to debut the Aichi Series, colorful pentagon-shaped tiles with raised imprints on each adding a chic, modern, one-of-a-kind, playful feel. The color range includes a choice of brights, such as orange, pistachio, red, turquoise, white and brown, among others. Visit www.ceramica-decorativa.es for more.

Dunis Studios, booth 4424, is distinguished for its architectural relief finishes, and its latest collection, Modern Surfaces, will be on view. Each hand-cast and hand-painted tile features a strongly dimensional and textured look, achieved with wire grid corrugation, washer, bolt and stucco details. For overall wall surface or border treatments, the tiles are available in an extraordinary assortment of more than 300 colors or custom specified hues. Visit www. dunisstudios.com for more.

Florim Ceramiche, booth 634, is adding Ecotech, an eco-friendly line to its Flor Gres collection of products. This new line of porcelain stoneware is a recycling coup—it is made of the powders, pastes and residues from other products pressed together in a double-charging process to create random irregularities on the surface. Visit www.florim.it for more.

Gambarelli, booth 1930, is putting the spotlight on Sequoia, a tile that accurately replicates durmast wood boards. Visit www.gambarelli.it for more.

Gaya, booth 6508, is bringing a new series to Coverings that, like so many, is reflective of tile mimicking other materials. Lynx is a luxurious look of leather and is available in four colorways. Visit www.gayagores.es for more.

Grespania Ceramica, booth 5117, has found the inspiration for its new Vanadio Collection in the muted metallic look of weathered, oxidized steel. Available in black, brown and ochre and a variety of sizes, the tiles are extremely versatile for a variety of architectural applications. Visit www.grespania.com for more.

Impronta Italgraniti, booth 2313, will introduce Saxum, which pays homage to the natural sandstone found throughout Italy and is used in everything from humble country dwellings to modern city buildings. Ideal for both floor and wall applications, Saxum is available in four colorways inspired by Mother Nature herself: grey-blue, grey-black, rust and gold. Visit www.impronta.it for more.

Meredith Art Tile, booth 4926, an artisan company creating tiles in the traditional arts-and-crafts method, will bring the outdoors in with its new Pine Cone and Zinnia collections, organic designs with charming relief borders. Visit www.meredithtile.com for more.

Native Trails, booth 3118, is making its first appearance at Coverings. Best known for its handmade copper sinks, the company will be presenting a collection of hand-hammered copper and hand-painted Talavera tiles that are crafted in artisan workshops throughout Central Mexico. Visit www.nativetrails.net.

Oceana, booth 4222, will launch Glass Tile Medallions, 36-inch decorative compositions, which are available in three patterns, three colors. These tile Medallions are ideal for use as kitchen or bathroom backsplashes, on shower walls or in entryways. Visit www.oceanaglasslays.com for more.

Roca, booth 6101, will represent its Millennium series, a group of rectified wall tiles distinguished by a textured corduroy-like surface of fine ridges covering the entire face of the tile. Available in both matte and opalescent versions in cream, white or black, Millennium is simple, contemporary and stylish. Visit www.rocatile.com for more.

StoneImpressions, booth 8127, a manufacturer of fine murals, borders, accents and trims, specializes in hand-printed, high-quality images on natural stone. New at Coverings this year will be a line called Mineral Wash tiles, which marry the rugged, timeless appeal of stone with the eye-catching gleam of metal. The result is a soft sheen, with glimmers of reflected light and jewel-like elegance. Visit www.stoneimpressions .com for more.

Villeroy & Boch, booth 1439, is returning to Coverings after a long absence and bringing with it several beauties, including Fire & Ice, a glazed ceramic with a metallic sheen and distinctly modern sensibility. Ideal for floors or walls, the unexpected surface and its details are dramatically underscored when teamed with the company’s highly-acclaimed Light Tile concept, and this combination will be prominently displayed. Visit www.villeroy-boch.com for more.

Viva, booth 1130, a hit at Coverings 2006, promises it will have lots of new products to share this year, including Penthouse, a collection of oversized tiles with metallic glazed inserts. Visit www.serviva.com for more.

Adhesives, tools,services highlights

Bostik, booth 4744, will feature Durabond D-65, a high-performance mortar. It sets all types of materials such as porcelain, Saltillo, ceramic, granite, slate, marble, limestone and dimension stone tiles in commercial/residential settings. Visit www.bostik-us.com for more.

Laticrete, booth 4640, worldwide manufacturer of innovative systems for the installation of ceramic tile and stone, will launch FahrenHEAT exclusively for radiant flooring and the wire backing. It ingeniously allows for faster and easier thin-set installation free of any “waves.” Visit www.laticrete.com for more.

Comp-U—Floor by Aya Associates, booth 5589, a Windows-based software leader in the floor covering industry, will debut its Automated and Wireless Warehousing System software, which enables receipt of purchase orders, BIN location assignments and delivery fulfillment using wireless technology from the warehouse floor. Visit www.flooringb2bstandard.com/aya for more.

For more information, visit www.coverings.com or call 703.683.8500.