Italian tiles return to Chicago for launch of Coverings 2009
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Following the successful 2007 event in Chicago, the 20th tile and stone exhibition will be back from 21 to 24 April 2009 in McCormick Place in Chicago. With 900 exhibitors hosted in an exhibition space of approximately 60,000 square metres, Coverings is the foremost trade show in the Americas for these two sectors. A wide range of promotional activities under the umbrella of Ceramic Tiles of Italy will promote the visibility of the strong Italian presence, which like every year is a key component of the event with some 50 Italian companies grouped together in the Ceramic Tiles of Italy pavilion. After four editions, the two Ceramic Tiles of Italy stands now have a new design and a new concept created by Michael P. Johnson, twice past winner of the Design Competition.
The show features a packed programme of events, including in particular the ‘Italian Day’. On the afternoon of Wednesday 22 April, the International Press Conference will address important issues such as the development of demand for real-estate and ceramic tiles in the US market, promotional strategies and the prospects of a market that remains crucial for the Italian industry due to its role and size, in the presence of the chairman of the Promotional Activities and Trade Fairs Commission Vittorio Borelli, the Association’s director general Armando Cafiero and the director of the ICE New York office Aniello Musella.
The press conference will also host the presentation of the Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Awards 2009, the awards assigned by the Italian tile industry to North American architects and interior designers for the best commercial, residential and institutional projects featuring the use of Italian ceramic tiles in the United States. The commercial category award will go to Cooper Carry for the “Newport Center Renovation” project in Jersey City (NJ), while the institutional category award will be presented to the project by Baldinger Architectural Studio, Inc. entitled “Disability Empowerment Center of Arizona” in Phoenix, AZ. The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture will receive the residential category award for the project “Taliesin Mod. Fab” (Scottsdale, AZ). Three honourable mentions will go to Gross Kaplin Coviensky Architects for the “Head Office Dollarama” project, to Groth Design Group, Inc for the “St. Jerome Catholic Church” project and to Ziger/Snead Llp for the “Woodvalley House” project.
Now in its second edition, the Italian Event to be held on the evening of Wednesday 22 April at the Chicago Art Institute will be an excellent opportunity for Italian companies to meet their overseas customers. During the evening event the Confindustria Ceramica American Distributor Award will be presented for the eighteenth year running. This year it goes to the Canadian commercial company Stone Tile International in recognition of their well-established and successful activity in distributing Italian ceramic tiles in North America.
As Chicago is home to one of the largest communities of architects in the world, the Ceramic Tiles of Italy After Hours Party has been created specifically for them. From 17.30 to 19.30 on Thursday 23 April, the stands in the Italian Pavilion will be open exclusively for them while the rest of the exhibition is closed. There will be a number of Italian food and wine tasting points to emphasise a further element of excellence that is extremely popular with the US public.
The show’s international appeal and high profile is reinforced by a packed exhibition programme, consisting of a wide range of conferences and seminars given by leading professionals and industry experts, including an important address given by Confindustria Ceramica’s American consultant Donato Grosser at the meeting entitled “Forecasting the US Ceramic Tile Market”, to be held on Tuesday 21 April at 16.30.
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