2024 figures released for the Italian Ceramic Industry

Confindustria Ceramica presented the statistical surveys for 2024 relating to companies operating in the production of ceramic tiles and slabs, sanitaryware, porcelain and tableware, refractory materials, technical ceramics and bricks. Overall, there are 248 companies in Italy, employing 26,211 people directly and generating a turnover of more than €7.5 billion. International production in Europe and North America by companies controlled by Italian ceramic groups accounts for almost €1 billion in turnover.
In the afternoon, the General Assembly will be called upon to renew the General Council, the Board of Statutory Auditors and the Board of Arbitrators.

Ceramic tiles manufactured in Italy
There are 122 companies operating in Italy which, in 2024, produced 369.8 million square metres (-1.1%) and employ 18,009 people directly. Total sales amounted to 378.3 million square metres (+2.5%), with the Italian market exceeding 84.7 million square metres (+0.4%) and exports reaching 293.5 million square metres (+3.1%).
Total turnover of Italian ceramic tile manufacturers approached €6.1 billion (-1.8%), of which €5 billion derived from exports (-1.4%; representing 82% of turnover) and €1.1 billion from sales in Italy. Investments amounted to €382 million, down 19.4%, equal to 6.3% of turnover.

Sanitaryware
There are 31 industrial companies manufacturing sanitaryware in Italy, 28 of which are located in the Civita Castellana district (Viterbo). Total employment stands at approximately 2,700 direct employees, with production of 3.2 million pieces. Turnover amounts to €414 million, with foreign sales totalling around €165 million (40% of the total).

The refractory materials industry
The 30 companies active in refractory materials production employ 1,546 people, with output of 270,500 tonnes. Total turnover showed a slight recovery compared to the previous year (€348 million; +1%), deriving from domestic sales of approximately €160 million and exports exceeding €188 million.

The brick sector
The Italian brick manufacturing sector comprises 57 companies employing 3,000 people. In 2024, turnover amounted to €700 million, generated primarily on the domestic market. Total production reached 4.1 million tonnes.

Ceramic tableware
The 8 industrial companies employ 668 people, with production of 9,600 tonnes and sales of finished products amounting to 9,500 tonnes. Domestic market activity accounts for 75% of total sales. Turnover for 2024 stands at €57.8 million (+3%), 63% of which was generated in Italy.

Statement by the President of Confindustria Ceramica, Augusto Ciarrocchi.

“Thanks to the substantial investments made over time, the Italian ceramic industry,” stated Augusto Ciarrocchi, President of Confindustria Ceramica, “has achieved the lowest emission levels in the world, and no further technological leap is foreseeable at present. The level of ETS prices and its implementation mechanism make the allowances paid a heavy ‘tax on production’ which, rising from €10 in 2018 to the current €75, amounts to €120 million per year in additional costs. These figures drain valuable resources from companies’ investments in efficiency and innovation.

To address this situation, we are calling to be included among the sectors eligible for compensation of indirect costs and for the suspension of the reduction in free allowances scheduled from 2026, pending the availability of a genuine technological alternative. At national level, we are requesting the elimination of the differential between PSV and TTF, which fluctuates between €2 and €4–5 per MWh, and the implementation of a Gas Release mechanism suited to operational capacities, capable of responding structurally to companies’ needs.
International trade is another area of tension. The US–EU agreement on tariffs represents an essential step and should be concluded as soon as possible. One of the stated reasons why the Trump Administration introduced tariffs was to bring factories back to the United States — something the Italian ceramic industry has long done, now accounting for one third of US production.

At the same time, imports of Indian ceramics into Europe continue to grow. These products benefit from state aid and involve economic, environmental and social dumping: after increasing by 67% in 2023, they remained substantially stable in 2024 before rising again by 10% in the first quarter of 2025. The current level of anti-dumping duties in Europe is too low and is systematically absorbed. Immediate action is therefore essential, and discussions on the creation of an EU–India free trade area should exclude ceramics until these issues are resolved. What is truly needed is the introduction, including in Europe, of legislation on designation of origin, in order to inform European consumers and enable them to make conscious choices.

Infrastructure represents a challenge for all districts, and the forthcoming closure to traffic of the bridge over the River Secchia will make this even more evident. The working group established between local authorities, trade associations and trade unions has identified a series of measures aimed at reducing disruption. On a voluntary basis, our companies have made themselves available to extend warehouse opening hours for the delivery of raw materials, in order to ease traffic pressure during peak times. An information notice has also been circulated to customers and Italian and foreign hauliers.

Once the emergency has passed, I hope swift progress can be made on construction of the third bridge over the Secchia in the foothill area, on launching works for the Campogalliano–Sassuolo motorway link and the related roads and connections, starting with the widening of the Pedemontana road in the Municipality of Sassuolo — a true bottleneck along the east–west axis.

The 42nd edition of Cersaie, three months before opening, is already fully booked across 155,000 square metres — 10,000 square metres more than in 2024 — also thanks to the opening of Hall 19 dedicated to the installation sector. The space devoted to bathroom furnishings has increased in this edition, both through confirmations from previous exhibitors and several new entrants in this segment. Cersaie confirms its ability to attract investment from our companies, as it remains the foremost venue for interaction between manufacturing, distribution and the design community.”