Ceramics of Italy [2], the trademark for Italian manufacturers of ceramic tiles, sanitary ware and tableware that are members of Confindustria Ceramica, will once again draw crowds in its 5th year participating in the International Contemporary Furniture Fair [3] from May 18-21, 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Center.

Sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica [4], the Italian Association of Ceramics, and the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ICE) with support from the Italian Trade Commission (ICE’s New York office [5]), booth #1432 will serve as a multi-brand exhibit featuring eight popular Italian tile manufacturers: Atlas Concorde, Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, Fap Ceramiche, Florim, Refin, Sant’Agostino, Settecento, and Tagina. It will also include a special exhibit on the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition, celebrating 20 years of exemplary projects by North American architects and designers using Italian ceramics.

The institutional booth will be a wellspring of design inspiration, showcasing the latest introductions in Italian tile. With each collection, manufacturers continue to push the envelope in terms of design and production, transforming ceramic and porcelain into wood, marble, concrete—even paper!—using advanced technologies and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Staff will be on hand to give out more information about the products on display as well as the latest developments in the industry.

North America’s premier showcase for contemporary design, the ICFF annually lures those in  determined pursuit of design’s timely truths and latest trends to an encyclopedic exhibition of up-to-the-moment offerings, as well as a series of fascinating, fun, edifying programs, and a packed schedule of exhibits and features. More than 500 exhibitors from all points of the globe will display contemporary furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors. This remarkable throng of exhibitors creates an unparalleled opportunity to view a broad yet highly focused selection of the world's finest, most innovative, and original avant-garde home and contract products side-by-side, under one roof.

“We are excited to return to ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) for a fifth consecutive year. New York is an important market for our Italian companies and the connections they make with high-profile decision makers make it an event we cannot miss,” Franco Manfredini, president of Confindustria Ceramica, stated.

Pier Paolo Celeste, the new Trade Commissioner for North America at the Italian Trade Commission New York office, added, “New York has one of the highest concentrations of architects, designers and taste makers in the country, making ICFF a must-attend event. It is the Italian Trade Commission’s mission to offer attendees the chance to witness the latest tile trends, and therefore assist Italian tile manufacturers as they continue to grow in the US market.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition, an annual celebration of design and architecture, sponsored by Confindustria Ceramica and the Italian Trade Commission. To honor the occasion, a special interactive exhibit designed by Maiarelli Studio, will offer a retrospective look at two decades of exceptional residential, commercial and institutional projects. It will demonstrate how prominent architects and designers are using Italian tile in new and innovative ways and will include this year’s grand-prize winners: the Barclays Center by SHoP Architects; the Schaefer/Graf Residence by MRSA Architects & Planners; and the Colorado campus of the National Institute of Standards and Technology by HDR Architecture.

In the days leading up to ICFF, Ceramics of Italy will offer a digital sneak peek of products on its Facebook page [6] (www.facebook.com/CeramicTilesOfItaly) as well as on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram (@CeramicsOfItaly). During the four-day show, Ceramics of Italy will be reporting live from the show floor with updates on products, news, events, and hospitality. They will also host a special Instagram Contest with Architizer, a dynamic online community for architects, where ICFF attendees will be encouraged to snap photos of their favorite Italian tiles tagged for the chance to win a trip to Bologna, Italy to attend Cersaie 2013.