Exhibitors Preparing for Coverings

Alexandria, VA, March 21, 2007--More than 1,200 of the world’s leading resources in tile and stone are preparing for their journey to Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center and Coverings 2007, April 17-20, when they take the wraps off their newest and most innovative products. Also preparing for their journey are the 33,000 industry professionals who attend Coverings – the distributors, retailers, contractors, fabricators, architects, interior designers, installers, and manufacturers who know they can count on uncovering and discovering not only the hottest designs and most likeliest trends, but so much more.

“The Coverings experience is incomparable,” said Tamara Christian, CEO of National Trade Productions, the show’s producer. “First and foremost, the product introductions take center stage. But, it’s the combination of so many other daily activities and opportunities at Coverings that wow and impress attendees. And, it accounts for why there’s such an extraordinary loyalty rate: 53 percent of those who come to Coverings are returnees.”

What else is it that comprises the Coverings experience that makes it such a hit among such diverse business interests? According to Christian, consistently show goers remark how inspirational Coverings is. That is a credit to the spectacular, dramatic visual displays mounted by the exhibitors—a far cry from other types of pipe and drape trade shows. Then there’s the educational component of Coverings, which has always earned high marks, attracting leading experts who offer mind-expanding and informative sessions, most yielding CEU credits and all free. Additionally, for contractors and installers, there are daily live how-to install demonstrations providing valuable advice and trouble-shooting solutions.

A complete schedule of demonstrations is available on Coverings.com. And, because in this day and age, social networking is integral to building business, Coverings is not about to leave this to chance. Customarily, it hosts several after-hours events during the week that shifts doing business into a more relaxed and mellow mode appreciated by both exhibitors and attendees, alike. This year, Coverings and Interior Design magazine co-host “Un-Coverings: The After-Hours Party for Architects+Designers,” at the Chicago Illuminating Company on Wednesday, April 18, 6-8 p.m.; and the following night all other registered Coverings attendees are invited to the House of Blues for Appreciation Night, from 6 until 9 p.m.

But, yes, the new products most definitely are the headliners of this show, and among the crop of newcomers for 2007 will be several exciting concepts reflecting the latest fashion trends. Also among the introductions will be several that are the result of new technologies. There are companies among the Coverings 2007 exhibitor roster who are “regulars”; some who are returning following an absence of a year or two; and, some who are making their first appearance. Exhibitors will include large manufacturers as well as individual artisans. And, also represented will be all-important ancillary businesses—the machinery and tools, adhesives, and even operations support systems. The 500,000 net square feet of exhibit space will be completely filled, but here are just a few of the highlights to be found.

New in Tile & Stone…

• Apavisa (Booth 5110) is taking its cues from nature with the launch of Zebrano, a tiles collection resembling real wood but requiring far less maintenance. Four colors will be shown: Ocre, Rosso, Negro and Beige. www.apavisa.com.

• Bosphorus Mermer (Meeting Suite MS-21), supplier of fine Turkish stone, will showcase its Travertine Collection including snow-white “Ivory,” the flowing lines of the “River,” and the onyx-speckled “Aspendos.” The entire collection is available in a variety of finishes, colors and sizes to suit a multitude of design needs. www.bosphorus-stone.com.

• Cedir (Booth 2309) is introducing Madreterra, a porcelain tile series featuring a new composition of raw materials plus new state-of-the-art technology. The result is a distinctive surface with the tactile experience redefined, plus durability that’s unparalleled. www.cedir.it

• Ceramica Di Treviso (Booth 1834) will be launching Posa Romana, an imaginative textural design that uniquely features the grout, provided through a partnership with Laticrete, as a decorative element. Suitable for both interior and exterior applications, it is available initially in three colors: Sunset, Mirror and City. www.ceramicaditreviso.com.

• Crossville (Booth 4518) will be showcasing Multistrato, the proprietary technology that has resulted in the creation of Buenos Aires Mood—a new porcelain tile with subtle shades imitative of the sophisticated ombre effects on fine textiles in fashion. www.crossvilleinc.com.

• Decorativa (Booth 5908) plans to debut the Aichi Series, colorful pentagon-shaped tiles with raised imprints on each adding a chic, modern, one-of-a-kind, playful feel. The color range includes a choice of brights, such as orange, pistachio, red, turquoise, white and brown, among others.

www.ceramica-decorativa.es.

• Dunis Studios (Booth 4424) is distinguished for its architectural relief finishes, and its latest collection, Modern Surfaces, will be on view. Each handcast and handpainted tile features a strongly dimensional and textured look, achieved with wire grid corrugation, washer, bolt, and stucco details. For overall wall surface or border treatments, the tiles are available in an extraordinary assortment of more than 300 colors or custom specified hues. www.dunisstudios.com.

• Florim Ceramiche (Booth 634) is adding Ecotech, an “eco-friendly” line to its Flor Gres line of products. This new collection of porcelain stoneware is a recycling coup—it is made of the powders, pastes and residues from other products pressed together in a double charging process to create random irregularities on the surface. www.florim.it.

• Gambarelli (Booth 1930) is putting the spotlight on Sequoia, a tile that accurately replicates durmast wood boards. www.gambarelli.it.

• Gaya (Booth 6508) is bringing a new series to Coverings that, like so many, is reflective of tile mimicking other materials. Lynx is a luxurious look of leather and is available in four colorways. www.gayafores.es.

• Grespania Ceramica (Booth 5117) has found the inspiration for its new Vanadio Collection in the muted metallic look of weathered, oxidized steel. Available in Black, Brown and Ochre and a variety of sizes, the tiles are extremely versatile for a variety of architectural applications. www.grespania.com.

• Impronta Italgraniti (Booth 2313) will introduce Saxum, which pays homage to the natural sandstone found throughout Italy and used in everything from humble country dwellings to modern city buildings. Ideal for both floor and wall applications, Saxum is available in four colorways inspired by Mother Nature herself: grey-blue, grey-black, rust and gold. www.impronta.it.

• Meredith Art Tile (Booth 4926), an artisan company creating tiles in the traditional arts and crafts method, will bring the outdoors in with its new Pine Cone and Zinnia collections, organic designs with charming relief borders.

www.meredithtile.com.

• Native Trails (Booth 3118) is making its first appearance at Coverings. Best known for its handmade copper sinks, the company will be presenting a collection of hand-hammered copper and hand-painted Talavera tiles that are crafted in artisan workshops throughout Central Mexico. www.nativetrails.net.

• Oceana (Booth 4222) will launch Glass Tile Medallions, 36-x-36-inch decorative compositions which are available in three patterns, three colors. These tile Medallions are ideal for use as kitchen or bathroom backsplashes, on shower walls or in entryways. www.oceanaglasslavs.com.

• Roca (Booth 6101) will present its Millennium series, a group of rectified wall tiles distinguished by a textured corduroy-like surface of fine ridges covering the entire face of the tile. Available in both matte and opalescent versions in either cream, white or black, Millennium is simple, contemporary and stylish. www.rocatile.com.

• StoneImpressions (Booth 8127), a manufacturer of fine murals, borders, accents and trims, specializes in hand-printed, high-quality images on natural stone. New at Coverings this year will be a line called Mineral Wash tiles, which marry the rugged, timeless appeal of stone with the eye-catching gleam of metal. The result is a soft sheen, with glimmers of reflected light and jewel-like elegance. www.stoneimpressions.com.

• Villeroy & Boch (Booth 1439) is returning to Coverings after a long absence and bringing with it several beauties, including Fire & Ice, a glazed ceramic with a metallic sheen and distinctly modern sensibility. Ideal for floors or walls, the unexpected surface and its details are dramatically underscored when teamed with the company’s highly acclaimed Light Tile concept, and this combination will be prominently displayed.

• Viva (Booth 1130), a hit at 2006 Coverings, promises it will have lots new to share this year, as well, including Penthouse, a collection of oversized tiles with metallic glazed inserts. www.serviva.com.

New in Adhesives, Machinery, Tools, Services, Etc….

• Bostik, Inc. (Booth 4744) will showcase Durabond D-65, a high-performance mortar. It sets all types of materials including porcelain, Saltillo, ceramic, granite, slate, marble, limestone and dimension stone tiles in commercial and residential settings. www.bostik-us.com.

• Latricrete (Booth 4640), worldwide manufacturer of innovative systems for the installation of ceramic tile and stone, will launch FahrenHEAT, exclusively for radiant flooring and the wire backing. It ingeniously allows for faster and easier thin-set installation free of any “waves.” www.laticrete.com

• Comp-U-Floor by Aya Associates (Booth 5589), a Windows based software leader in the floor covering industry, will debut its Automated and Wireless Warehousing System software, which enables receipt of purchase orders, BIN location assignments and delivery fulfillment using wireless technology from the warehouse floor. www.flooringb2bstandard.com/aya.

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