• Tile of Spain annual press conference on Wednesday, April 28, noon to 3 pm. Topics discussed include the state of the Spanish ceramic tile industry, the new campaign and a presentation of trends for 2010 by Patti Fasan. Lunch will be served from 2-3 pm.
• TAU Ceramica press conference on Wednesday, April 28 from 3-4 pm. TAU will announce a partnership with prestigious international designer Karim Rashid in the NO-Stalgia Collection.
• Daily educational seminars held by Tile of Spain CTC Patti Fasan. See full details below.
• All guests are invited to savor authentic Spanish tapas, wine and other refreshments at the Tile of Spain information and hospitality booth, #1903. Tapas and refreshments will be available every day of the show from noon to 2 pm.
• Join Tile of Spain for Happy Hours from 4:30-5:30 pm, Tuesday through Thursday.

• Adex embodies the charm of old world influences in the making of its handcrafted tiles. Adex emulates antiquity in a 3” x 6” and 6” x 6” format tile but also adds a touch of contemporary design with its unique diamond-shaped tiles.

• Apavisa’s Iridio collection is based on the union of semi-precious stones, metals and stone, making a new, highly technical porcelain. This collection allows unique, sophisticated spaces, with the play of light and glint of metal. Available in black and gray, 23.6” x 23.6”, 11.8” x 23.6” size and semi-polished finish. Also includes special pieces like 1” x 1” mosaics monochrome and mixed in a combination of a exclusive glass (gold and metal) for each color.

• The Acero Collection by Alfa Ceramica replicates the patina of corten steel creating a visual treat in a floor application. This porcelain product is available in formats 13” x 26” and large format 19.7” x 19.7” and in colors Metal, Oxido, and Beige. A smaller 7.9” x 19.7” format comes in Metal and Oxido with a matte finish option in Blanco or Bone. 

• The Magna series by Azulejera Alcorense provides a wide range of design options in a 12” x 24” format. Available colors include Blanco, Inox, Azul, Naranja, Tojo and Pistachio.
  

• Deserto by Azulev recreates the look of natural slate in a 17.7” x 26” format. Available in colors Ceniza, Gray and Black, accent pieces include Décor Fusion in blue or orange. 
  

• Ceramicas Fanal showcases its digital printing capabilities by adding lifelike images and striking patterns to its products. 
  

• Ceramica Gomez / Oneker takes inspiration from the jewel of Moorish architecture, the Alhambra, for its brick-like exterior tile of the same name. Lines disappear with an interlocking 12” x 12” format which can be used on floors or walls. This glazed porcelain product replicates terra cota and is available in three colors: arena, caldera and rustico. 
  

• Ceramicas L’Alcalaten offers the beauty of natural stone with Skabos and Tempus Red. The inkjet printing technology used to produce these series enables a wide range of variation in the same model. Available in several finishes – matte, gloss and tumbled- allows this product to adapt for use on walls and floor. Formats include 18″x18″, 13″x13″, 12″x24″, 6″x6″ and complimentary pieces.

• Ceramica Aparici creates the look of mosaic with the Jasper series. This 7.9” x 23.3” piece available in beige or gold. The décor includes a criss cross pattern while the coordinating floor tile is available in a beige 12.4” x 23.3” format.

• Gres De Aragon offers extruded ceramic stoneware floor and wall tiling. With a variety of natural tiles, glazed tiles and a selection of mosaic decors, Gres De Aragon can create an ambience of traditional style in new construction or renovating older homes and environments. 
  

• Grespania developed its new Krimiss Series with the American designer in mind. Emulating the elegance and sophistication of marble, the series is suitable for wall and floor applications and is available in 11.8” x 11.8” and 23.6” x 23.6” formats.
  

• Inalco has proven that its products can be used in a wide range of applications. “Sensations” is the result of a joint venture between Inalco and architecture studio Bunch, S.L. headed by Sara de la Mata. This collection offers an alternative vision of environmental materials in their purest state. Included in this collection are:
  • Concrete – Produced using IPlus Digital Technology, this series presents an updated, contemporary reinterpretation of concrete. Available in a 23.6” x 23.6” format and natural tones as well as the expected white and grey of concrete.
  • Wood – A SlimmKer product that emulates rough, single tone distressed wood. Features two embossed tiles that can be mixed and matched in 23.6” x 47.2”, 11.8” x 47.2”, 7.9 x 47.2”, and 4.3” x 47.2” formats and white, pearl, khaki and black tones.
  •   Additional new Inalco products include:
    • Velina – Part of the SlimmKer Collection, features a gently embossed pattern and a soft satin gloss finish. 17.7” x 35.4” format in colors White, Stone, Camel and Black.
    • Mist – Also in the SlimmKer Collection, inspired by elegant raw silk fabrics, the surface takes on the appearance of a gently ribbed fabric with the occasional metallic gloss strand. 17.7” x 35.4” format in colors White, Stone, Camel, Gray, Graphite and Black.
    • Pyrene – This 23.6” x 47.2” format series recreates natural black slate using an embossed pattern to reproduce natural cleaving. Inalco is first to use white on black color with IPlus Digital technology to recreate the veining characteristic of the material.

• Keros Ceramica capitalizes on the rustic appeal with the Antico Collection. The Gredos Series, in 13” x 13’, 16” x 16” formats and up to 12 colors, also features a 39.4” x 39.4” roseton. This porcelain tile offers a three-dimensional treat for the eye and a grand centerpiece for any interior or exterior space, but retains the practical benefits of porcelain.
  

• Natucer earned the Alfa De Plato Award for its new architectural collection LifeArq, innovative wall solutions for architecture and urban environments. A study of light and space resulted in four classes of ceramic, each with a specific characteristic and function designed to satisfy the needs of the construction and design markets for an active and dynamic society. They include:
  • Bamboo, narrow porcelain columns in a variety of colors that when grouped together create a sunshade or can be used for architectural solutions. Colors include Frost, Dark, Crimson, Yolk and Gem. Format is 3.1” diameter x 11.5” and 3.1” diameter x 2.8”.
  • Ivy – In a 2.2” x 7.1” format, these special pieces can be stacked using an internal steel support structure to create a partially shaded wall or even an outdoor enclosure.
  • Scale – Offers a ceramic siding alternative with gently overlapping edges in format 13.8” x 3.9” in colors Frost, Lead, Grizzly and Dark.
  • Channel – Offers another exterior façade application but with more angular approach. Formats include 2.5” x 14.2”, 3.5” x 14.2” and 4.5” x 14.2”.
• EPC America, the United States office for the Navarti Group, will introduce its new “HD” (High Definition) collection at Coverings this year. The Calacatta and Daino Reale series feature the latest inkjet digital technology perfectly reproducing natural stone and marble in both matt and polished finished. Formats offered are 18” x 18”, 24” x 24” floor tile and 10” x 20” wall tile.

• Pamesa offers several new collections to the crowd at Coverings. Moods offers unrivaled versatility with a palette of 10 colors in 7.9” x 23.6” red body format. They also showcased their latest digital printing capability with the introduction of the look of onyx, marble and stone. Rodas, Magna and Leptis in 11” x 33.5” formats show the beauty of natural materials combined with the technical aspects of porcelain stoneware.

• Peronda reinvents the classic look of marble with the Museum Collection. It shows the beauty of stone such as Calacata marble, Daino travertine, Onice Ambar and Marquina to inspire sophisticated environments. The Muvim series is available in a 17” x 17” format with coordinating décor pieces including the 34” x 34” Sofia roseton.
  

• Plaza Quartz Slate Rust series is inspired by a craggy rock face, Quartz Slate comes in sand, grey and rust tone in a 12” x 12”, 12” x 24” and 18” x 18” format. Plaza also showed Mika, which gives the appearance of stacked natural rock. In similar tones of sand and grey, this series can easily be combined with the Quartz Slate Collection.

• Rosa Gres will bring several new collections to the Coverings show floor. Imagina is ideal for commercial applications in five formats ranging from 11.8” x 23.6” to 47.2” x 47.2” with color inspired by natural stone. These porcelain tiles produced by double loading are 12 mm thick, offering the durability to withstand heavy traffic. The Floresta series is a unique line of tiles with a wood texture designed especially for outdoor spaces including pool surrounds, terraces and spas. These full body porcelain tiles are available in six colors and offer special trim pieces such as grating that can be used over a drainage channel.

• TAU’s Afterdark project marks the first intelligent, photo-luminescent, highly resistant ceramic material designed for architecture, urban development and avant-garde interior design projects. The tile’s appearance varies depending on the intensity of the light it is exposed to. It phosphorescent effect creates an array of lights and shadows in private and public spaces, exterior surfaces and façades, leisure and commercial premises. Its application is especially relevant in urban settings and public spaces, as the light emitted can be used in metro stations, streets, shopping centers, discotheques and cinemas. It can also be utilized in emergency situation such as blackouts. Afterdark facilitates energy efficiency by accumulating light in order to subsequently release it at specific time periods which can represent major energy savings. TAU Advanced recruited a multi-disciplinary team of experts to apply cutting-edge progress in optics to create this intelligent ceramic tile. The pigments used for photo-luminescent effect represent a total revolution, since its composition and application are harmless to the environment.

• TAU Group’s subsidiary Porcelanatto, announced a partnership with prestigious international designer Karim Rashid in a line called NO-Stalgia. Rashid’s portfolio includes some of the most avant-garde projects in the world’s leading hotels, restaurants, public spaces, commercial and residential complexes. The four collections are created in a 23.6” x 23.6” format and four colors each. Using sinuously geometric forms and intricate lines to create impressive optical effects, they showcase a pioneering design concept in the international ceramic sector. The collections include Sensory (Grey, Nude, Pink, Blue), Poetic (Blue, Aura, Pink, Midnight), Emotion (Fire Orange, Grey, Lime, Carbon) and Desire (Violet, Jet, Grey, Lime).

• The Pedralbes series from Ticsa Ceramica creates the lines and feel of yesteryear with unqiue and inspriating designs that give way to an enchanting grand entrance. This authentic, rustic 24” x 24” tile accentuates areas demanding classic Spanish Colonial style.

The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) is the private organization whose primary objective is to support Spain’s ceramic tile manufacturers and the industry as a whole by stewarding and promoting the Tile of Spain brand worldwide. A strong global leader, the ceramic tile industry of Spain comprises 220 manufacturers concentrated primarily in the province of Castellón. For more about tile produced in Spain, contact Tile of Spain Center at the Trade Commission of Spain, 2655 Le Jeune Road, Suite 1114, Coral Gables, FL  33134. Call 305-446-4387 or visit tileofspain.com.