(ATLANTA – May 9, 2018) Coverings, the largest global tile & stone exhibition in North America, made its highly anticipated return to the Georgia World Congress Center yesterday. Representatives from the Ceramics of Italy, Tile of Spain, Tile Council of North America, Ceramic Tile Distributor Association, and National Tile Contractor Association gathered Tuesday, May 8 for the official 2018 ribbon cutting ceremony. The show, which runs through Friday, May 11, showcases hundreds of new products with more than nine miles of tile from 1,100 exhibitors, and offers more than 45 accredited and free seminars and live demonstration sessions.
“Coverings has truly enhanced the show experience this year with the addition of several very exciting opportunities for attendees,” said Alena Capra, Coverings Industry Ambassador. “Some of this year’s highlights include the new interactive installation experience, an incredible array of community give-back programs and the show’s new after-hours networking event, not to mention the most spectacular display of tile & stone in North America.”
Returning to Atlanta after five years, Coverings 2018 opened with enthusiasm that mirrored the nation’s booming construction industry. Tuesday unveiled an array of new show features designed to enhance the overall experience, including first-day extended hours with an “Around the World of Tile & Stone” happy hour networking event, and the Coverings Orientation Theatre, which allowed first-time show goers looking for advice and strategies on the best way to tackle such a massive exposition. Also receiving commanding attention was the new The Installation Experience, where attendees can observe in-progress installations depicting common residential design challenges.
Attendees on Tuesday were also encouraged to become part of Coverings’ history at the Tile Heritage Foundation’s Global Monumental Hand-Print Mural. With a $25 tax-deductible donation, attendees at Coverings can press their names, hands, thoughts or logos into a wet clay tile to become part of the mural, which will be installed at TCNA Headquarters in Anderson, SC. This is one of several community give-back programs at Coverings 2018. Other initiatives taking place this year will benefit Habitat for Humanity, Clean the World, and The Homeless Pets Foundation.
Rounding out the exciting line up of activities was the return of the Installation Design Showcase, tiny home edition. For the second year, the homes were outfitted to showcase three unique themes using beautiful tile installations. Jeffery Bruce Baker Designs (JBB) took a Smart Modern Living approach, while The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry designed a Luxe Cottage and designers Carson Guest created a contemporary villa, utilizing materials from generous sponsors Ceramics of Italy, Crossville USA, ESTIMA Ceramica, ARDEX, Laticrete, MAPEI, Schluter Systems, Wedi, QEP and Rubi Tools.
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About Coverings
Coverings is the largest and most important ceramic tile and natural stone trade fair and expo in the United States. It features exhibitors from more than 40 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 75 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 Distributor Association (CTDA), Tile of Spain/Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER), Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). The show is managed by Taffy Event Strategies, LLC.
Coverings 2018 takes place May 8-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit coverings.com or contact Taffy Events, Coverings Show Management, 703-539-5504.
