Events

Cersaie 2025 will open its doors on Monday 22 September | by Andrea Serri

(September 2025) | On Thursday 18 September, Palazzo Pepoli in Bologna hosted the presentation press conference for Cersaie 2025, the world’s leading event for the ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings industries. The speakers at the conference were: Vincenzo Colla, Vice-President of the Emilia-Romagna Region; Gianpiero Calzolari, Chairman of BolognaFiere; architect Dario Curatolo; Luca Berardo, Chairman of Assoposa; and Filippo Manuzzi, Chairman of the Promotional Activities and Trade Fairs Commission of Confindustria Ceramica.

The 42nd Cersaie offers plenty of highlights and new features. The exhibition floor has been expanded to 155,000 square metres, 10,000 sqm more than last year, thanks in part to the reopening of Hall 19, home to Tiling Town. The number of exhibitors has risen to 620, with 39% consisting of non-Italian companies from 29 countries across five continents. Elisabeth Diller’s Keynote Lecture on Tuesday 23 September will inaugurate the Building, Dwelling, Thinking cultural programme, a new installation will transform the Piazza Costituzione entrance, and the Media Village will once again host the Press Cafés.

“Cersaie is the only truly global showcase for the ceramic industry, and its presence in Bologna is highly strategic given that more than 90% of Italian production is concentrated in the Emilia-Romagna region’s manufacturing clusters,” said Filippo Manuzzi. “The importance of Cersaie is sustained by the strength of the Italian ceramic industry and vice versa. This is why it is essential for Cersaie to remain a major international business venue while also offering an authentic Italian experience. When we deliver our products to consumers, we also offer them a vision of that ‘Italian way of life’ that the whole world aspires to.”

“Cersaie continues to be a major international event not only for the ceramic tile and bathroom furnishings industries but for the entire contemporary design and lifestyle sectors,” noted Gianpiero Calzolari. “Its ability to attract professionals from around the world strengthens the Bologna Exhibition Centre’s role as an international platform supporting businesses and the competitiveness of Made in Italy. With the construction of the new hall and improvements to catering services, we want to help make Cersaie even bigger.”

“Where nature and human experience intersect: clay, shaped by human hands, acquires qualities that make it an object of sensory perception,” said Dario Curatolo. “Form, dimensions, thickness, three-dimensionality; porous or polished, glossy or matt; endless geometries, colours, textures and designs. Clay becomes architecture, objects, floors, walls and decoration, interacting with other materials in a creative dialogue. The portico invites us to explore this age-old yet contemporary fusion of nature and human ingenuity: ceramics.”

“A pop-style installation where tile laying becomes a spectacle,” said Luca Berardo. “The ‘Incredible Tilers’ stand is transformed into an immersive space where technique, talent and passion take the spotlight. At its centre are three live installation showcases where the public are not just spectators: they can step into the scene, become part of the work and share it on social media. Completing the experience are areas dedicated to talks, training, radio and discussion, arranged along a visually-striking pathway that cuts through the space like a lightning bolt – a symbol of energy, transformation and the connection between skills and the future.”

“Cersaie is a major international trade fair and an extraordinary showcase for our region and for one of Italy’s flagship manufacturing industries,” commented Vincenzo Colla. “Yet despite the enormous investments that are being made in efficiency and decarbonisation, the industry’s competitive position is seriously threatened by the unsustainable burden of energy costs. This is why Cersaie 2025 will also be an opportunity to discuss sustainable industrial and energy policies with government representatives and industry players with the aim of supporting the sector and ensuring that our ceramic products retain their global leadership.”