Cersaie 2024, which took place in late September, drew more than 95,000 visitors from around the world. Based in the heart of Italian tile country in Bologna, the show has been leading the way since it first debuted 41 years ago. Being the first show in the “2025” flooring cycle, it serves as a leading indicator of forthcoming trends.
Most of the world’s major tile producers participated in the show as well as the key style and design leaders who represent other printed hard surface products such as vinyl and laminate. While at the show, I visited hundreds of booths and viewed a wide variety of products. At the same time, I had in-depth conversations with the design firms that supply wood and stone images to most of the major U.S. hard surface manufacturers and resellers. Printing is printing, after all, and style is reflected across the major categories.
Trends emerge from a symphony of inputs, emanating from trends in fashion, music and even macro events across the world. Several years ago, during the height of the pandemic, a trend in home décor began emerging—one focused on bringing the outdoors into our homes. How has our return to so-called normalcy seen this trend evolve? Interestingly, it has become even more specific with an even more demanding requirement. The more realistic looking the product, the better. It is not enough to see nature. Many now want to touch and feel it.
Most hard surface flooring looks like one of two things: stone or hardwood. This is true whether it is porcelain, laminate or vinyl. While it may look like those things, how realistic is it to the touch? This is the continuing breakthrough that was evident at Cersaie. Booth after booth had a different take on this phenomenon.
Technology prevails
Ceramic tile was the first hard surface product to switch from rotogravure to digital printing. This happened well over a decade ago, and when it did, it jump-started a dramatic increase in the creativity within the space. Simply moving from the standard small repeat to today’s large repeat—often many dozens of individual faces—took the product to a different level. The other hard surfaces were left behind.
At the same time, ceramic tile remained far behind in other forms of realism. Cersaie was proof that the ceramic tile industry has officially caught up, and in some ways it has surpassed competing hard surfaces.
So, how does this affect you as a store owner? In the vast sea of products, how can you use touchable realism to sell more and improve margins? As a dealer, you need to have an answer when customers walk in. Of course you have to have a basic offering, but isn’t it better to press your suppliers to provide you with true differentiation? Better “looking” products are less likely to be price shopped. Your customer will fall in love with good-looking styling.
Bottom line: Don’t settle for less. Expect more from your suppliers. Today’s technology in porcelain, vinyl and laminate is closer to the look of genuine stone and hardwood than ever. When we all raise our game, the consumer wins.
Clark Hodgkins is CEO of Hodgkins Innovation, a consultancy specializing in new business development for Kentier Flooring as well as innovations in hard surface flooring. He has dedicated his entire professional career to the flooring industry, most notably spending 17 years with Shaw Industries, where he served most recently as VP of product development.
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