(ALEXANDRIA, VA — APRIL 18, 2014) When the tile and stone industry gathers together to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Coverings, the largest and most significant tile and stone exhibition in North America, attendees will be astounded by the latest introductions from over 900 exhibitors representing more than 35 countries. A sea of beautiful tile and stone will take over the South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 29—May 2, and also will extend into an outdoor pavilion, offering an in-depth overview of tile and stone products from around the world that in many cases can only be seen at this annual industry show.
“Coverings’ exhibitors have continually debuted the most innovative and impressive tile and stone products for the last 25 years, and this year is no different,” said Karin Fendrich, Coverings show director. “If your business depends on tile and stone products for its success, Coverings is a not-to-be-missed event. No other tradeshow offers the wealth of global exhibitors, education and certification courses, and networking opportunities that Coverings has delivered to the tile and stone industry for a quarter century – all at no cost.”
Here’s a sneak peek of the best-in-class products that Coverings’ impressive roster of international and domestic exhibitors will have on display. To learn more about these, and other exhibitor introductions, and to register to attend Coverings for FREE, please visit coverings.com.
What’s new in tile and stone…
41ZERO42 (Booth L15033) is heading to Coverings with U-Color, a bright spectrum of tile planks inspired by industrial wooden floors of the 1970s. By using a cold glazing process, the product has a wide range of color options, and the 3″ x 12″ porcelain tiles are available in 60 standard colors and thousands of customized options for unlimited design possibilities.
AlysEdwards Tile & Stone (Booth 2075) brings global flair with its Cape Town Collection. Inspired by traditional textiles from around the world, this collection brings ethnic flair in soft, muted colors that enable it to be incorporated into a variety of design styles. Cape Town is hand made in Tunisia, using ancient stone artistry that gives every piece a one-of-a-kind look, and is available in eight fabulous patterns and six subtle color ways.
American Olean (Booth 16055) will show Morello™ Glass and Metal Mosaics that feature eclectic mosaic blends exuding modern character. Morello’s multiple colors and finishes were cultivated to suit every design scheme and its on-trend palette reflects today’s sophisticated tastes, while the mix of glass and extruded aluminum provides both harmony and contrast. Mosaic formats include 5/8” x 5/8” mounted on a 12” x 12” sheet and a 5/8” x random format mounted on a 13” x 12” sheet.
Apavisa (Booth 8008) will impress with the Neofantasy collection, available in a new, exclusive 30 x 90cm format. Inspired by an elegant, contemporary approach, the collection brings new interior colors and reliefs, and offers a variety of options for customizing an environment that satisfies the user’s needs. The minimalist style is subtle and genuine, and the main novelty of the collection is reflected in the versatility of the “Sound” relief, which offers a sensation of movement accompanying the natural finish.
Azuliber (Booth 4015) has utilized digital technology to create Madison, a product that replicates fossilized petrified wood from the Petrified Forest National Park in northeast Arizona that took nature over 200 million years to create. Madison is available in 12” x 24″, 20” x 20″, 2” x 2″ mosaics and bullnose cut from the field tile.
CASA DOLCE CASA (Booth L15039) rolls out Wooden Tile, a collection defined by neutral colors with delicate Nordic designs and a reclaimed wood look with strong contrasting hues. This series expresses the complexity of contemporary taste using surprising combinations in which the passage of time creates richly expressive surfaces. The porcelain tiles are available in five colors (white, almond, gray, walnut and brown) and four planks sizes up to 6’ long.
Century (Booth L11056) will spotlight Pantheon – a new collection of eco-friendly porcelain tiles inspired by ancient history and natural stone. The four colors (Ares, Jupiter, Mercur and Venus) feature intense color variations and are suitable for both residential and commercial contemporary solutions as well as the restoration of historic spaces. The tiles are made with a minimum of 40 percent recycled content, which can contribute to LEED points and come in a variety of sizes ranging from 10” x 10” to 20” x 40”.
Ceramica Elias (Booth 7019) will speak to the commercial audience with their new “Hospitality & Custom” collection, designed to meet the needs architects and designers working on creative and commercial projects. The glazed terracotta tiles bring color, glow and life to any space and utilize a traditional material in a contemporary and provocative way.
Cercan Mosaic (Booth 4052) calls attention to three extraordinary lines of stone featuring water-jet patterns, stunning opalescent shell tile patterns, and 3” x 6” resin and semi-precious stones. All of these luxurious products for the discerning client can be used in various applications from kitchen backsplashes to bathroom walls.
Cosentino (Booth 2036) showcases its new large format, ultra-compact surface, Dekton, which is capable of seamless use both indoors and outdoors. By utilizing Particle Sintering Technology, a proprietary technique that mimics the metamorphic change that rocks and stone undergo in nature, Dekton has unique technical properties, including UV and thermal shock resistance, superior strength, high resistance to impact, scratches and abrasion, and low water absorption, and is available in 10 white, grey, black, and natural stone hues and in three finishes: polished, matte, and slate.
Crossville (Booth 11055) premieres its Garden collection of porcelain tile created specifically for outdoor applications. The collection replicates the appearance of natural stone by converging authentically nuanced color and shading with richly textured surfaces, in a product that offers a natural stone-look option with superior technical advantages that meet the demands of exterior applications. The trio of colors in the line, Belvedere, Arboretum and Colonnade, take cues from Italian volcanic stone, Porfido stone and cobbled limestone and is offered in four sizes of field tiles, as well as a bullnose trim for finished looks. This unique collection is globally sourced, resistant to chemicals, moisture, and extreme temperatures regardless of the climate, and it offers a high Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF).
Equipe Ceramicas (Booth 6032) is presenting its Rhombus series featuring diamond-shaped tiles. Available in nine colors and four textures, this series creates endless pattern design possibilities for designers, including hexagonal shapes, diagonals, zigzags, tapestries and gradients.
Florim USA (Booth L11063) highlights the Pietra Romana Collection of beautiful porcelain tile for both residential and commercial applications. With the look of natural travertine found in yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s Rome, Pietra Romana is offered in four stunning colors, Avorio, Dark Grey, Noce and Silver, and may be selected in the following large format modular sizes: 18” x 36”, 6” x 36”, 12” x 24”, 18” x 18” and 3” x 12”. The collection also includes bullnose pieces as well as 2” x 2” mosaics mounted on a 12” x 12” sheet.
Grespania (Booth 9013) will show its Patagonia collection of wood-look ceramic tiles that boast a stylish relief and a gently timeworn appearance. This multi-format series is available in 19.5 x 120cm and 14.5 x 120cm. Combining both formats in combination together with the slightly worn look create spaces which feel lived-in and welcoming.
LEA CERAMICHE (Booth L11051) unveils Type-32, the newest tactile project from Italian architect Diego Grandi. Part of the company’s brand new Slimtech 5Plus series of laminated stoneware, the super long (8” x 78”) and slim (5mm) porcelain tiles feature a herringbone pattern overlaid onto a wood-look base to create a graphic and playful collection of surfacing. The new 5mm thickness allows the thin tiles to be used in heavy traffic areas as well as new treatments not possible with 3mm tiles such as mirror-polishing and multi-level engraving.
Mainzu (Booth 4017) is showing Pavimento Antiqua, a series of 14 different 8” x 8” pieces of 9mm tiles that feature the vintage design of antique decorated tiles.
Marazzi USA (Booth L9002) will debut Treverkchic, its newest Glazed Porcelain in the wood-look porcelain category, in four colors (Americano, Francese, Italiano and Africa) and two plank sizes (6” x 48” and 9” x 48”). These luxe linears connote traditional woods that have been revitalized with energized shades to fit right in with current design trends for graceful geometries. The natural warmth and tactile appeal of the noble walnuts and teaks that inspired the series are beautifully translated to rectified, easy-care, color-body porcelain that’s chic, modern and versatile.
ORNAMENTA (Booth 11020) finds inspiration in Andy Warhol for its brand new Artwork collection of ceramic tiles that takes natural surfaces to a pop art level. The three surfaces – Marble, Brick and Wood – are reinterpreted in a kind of caricature of the traits that distinguish each of them. The focus of the project is on the “return to ceramic decoration,” created surfaces for tailored and unique projects.
Pamesa (Booth 2011) brings its Age collection, featuring inkjet technology to create and imitate the effects of wood and cement. The Blend format in this series combines the characteristic authenticity and warmth of wood with the modernity, luminosity and strength of cement.
Realonda (Booth 6018) will unveil the Kubik series that features ceramic reliefs to create a three-dimensional effect that is both attractive and unique. These decorative glazed porcelain tiles with heightened realism and definition are perfect for indoor or outdoor feature walls.
REFIN (Booth L11047) continues their collaboration with Milan-based graphic design firm, Studio FM, to add four new designs to its Frame collection that place an inventive and graphic spin on historical patterns. The 24” x 24” porcelain tiles from include two geometric designs (Vanguard Circle and Square) inspired by the artistic avant-garde circles of the 1950s and two (Emilia Flower and Tradition) reminiscent of the sinuous graphic patterns of majolica tiles from the late 18th Century.
SICIS (Booth L11068) premieres the Structura collection, featuring glass mosaic panels with shiny square tesserae in different sizes, thicknesses, shades and textures, for an intriguing multi-dimensional effect. The collection uses a vast palette from Sicis Colours, offering panels in soft, warm tones, made even more precious by copper explosions of light or gold and platinum tesserae, or in a mix of silver tones combined with intense green or purple hints.
StoneImpressions (Booth 2067) is introducing for the first time an affordable collection of patterned tiles called Artisan Stone Tile. Ranging from modern to traditional designs, this line is featured on honed Durango in seven unique, set sizes and sealed for interior, residential spaces. Due to consistency of the sizes and no customization, Artisan Stone Tile are able to be produced in larger batches, contributing to the line’s affordability. Manufactured the same way as StoneImpressions tiles, Artisan Stone Tile products are created using an exclusive artist-developed process for hand printing on natural stone.
What’s new in tools and installation materials…
LATICRETE (Booth 5093) introduces its newly redesigned Floor HEAT Wire. The new track design makes wire installation incredibly fast and easy thanks to the Effortless Clip System, which features pre-bent clips at precise and consistent clip distances for easy-to-understand spacing. Offered on a spool, Floor HEAT Wire is the same professional-grade heating element contractors know from LATICRETE mat systems.
MAPEI Corporation (Booths 4067, 9092) spotlights the introduction of Ultralite Mortar Pro, a professional-grade, lightweight, single-component mortar that can be used for medium-bed and non-sag applications, as well as for thin-set installations. Its thixotropic properties make this an excellent choice for large-format tile installations on floors and wall, and this polymer-modified mortar is formulated with Easy Glide Technology™ for ease of application. Its unique Ultralite Technology™ provides twice the coverage of a standard thin-set mortar per pound (.46kg) and can contribute to LEED points with more than 20 percent recycled content.
ProSpec (Booth 5098) touts its B-6000 Waterproofing & Crack Isolation Membrane designed to meet new TCNA SR613-13 and SR614-13 guidelines for steam shower rooms, saving contractors time and money. The new B-6000 eliminates the need for a vapor retarder behind the wall assembly in steam showers designed for continuous use applications, and is also appropriate for use in shower stalls, tub surrounds, spas, pools and food processing areas; has exceptional elongation and flexibility; and can be flood-tested after 12 hours.
TEC/H.B. Construction Products Inc. (Booth 11094) refreshes grout options with its Design FX™ grout, available in crystal, silver and bronze, that has a reflective effect and accentuates the natural beauty of glass, mosaic and metal tile, while also complementing ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tile. Approved for interior and exterior use, Design FX™ grout can bring a high-end aesthetic to residential and moderate commercial environments, and because it can be fully submerged, it can also provide a unique accent for water applications, including swimming pools.
View the complete list of Coverings exhibitors online here. Register to attend Coverings for free at coverings.com/register.
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About Coverings
In 2014, Coverings celebrates its 25th Anniversary as the largest and most important ceramic tile and natural stone trade fair and expo in the United States. It features exhibitors from more than 35 countries and is the stage for introducing some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world.
The exposition serves as a valuable resource for continuing education for all segments of the industry, with more than 80 informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions throughout the show, all free of charge.
Coverings attracts thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders and real estate developers, as well as journalists and bloggers who cover this vital and dynamic industry.
Sponsors of the show are The Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), Tile of Spain/Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER), Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and Tile Council of North America (TCNA). The show is managed by National Trade Productions.
Coverings 2014 will be held April 29—May 2 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.coverings.com or contact National Trade Productions, Coverings Show Management, 703-683-8500.
