Ceramic industry bets on the US to save 2026

Timid indicators of a housing and construction market emerging from stagnation. Even the boulder of tariffs seems to have been psychologically absorbed by the operators. 'We have realised,' says Debbia, 'that all in all, if they remain within the current limits, we can manage them. What causes us problems is the dollar exchange rate. If it stabilised around 1.05 against the euro it would be ideal to think about sustained growth'.

The margins are very wide. In 2025, Italy's ceramic exports to the USA amounted to 600 million out of a total of five billion made in Italy, about 12%. In the US, ceramics represent 15% of the surface market, five billion in annual sales. In the mid-1980s, at the dawn of the market, the share of ceramics in the total surface area was under 2%. A steady and continuous growth, without peaks, in parallel with the emergence of a ceramics culture in the construction market. Especially among architects and planners.

"Today," says Steve Clem, architect, founder of the Atlanta-based firm TVS, 270 associated professionals, "the market and designers are beginning to understand the nature and importance of ceramics. It is a material that guarantees quality, efficiency and durability. It can be easily incorporated into all types of buildings, public and private, residential, commercial and mixed-use.

Three years ago we made a major use of it in Nashville at 333 Commerce Street. It became an iconic project (it's the Batman Building, ed) for the market. Then we continued.

TVS makes significant use of Italian ceramics. "We have made it clear to our clients that ceramics are much cheaper than wood and marble. Italian ceramics give absolute guarantees of efficiency and design quality. The high cost is a false problem. The quality-price ratio is clearly the best among all surfaces'.

The fine architect Clem, the down-to-earth trader Debbia and the polished distributor Alwang, from completely different points of view, agree on the positive outlook for ceramics made in Italy. For 2026, but above all in the medium and long term. Provided that the work of cultural promotion and service improvement continues.

"We have to accompany customers from consulting to product installation. And focus on the really important things. On the bureaucracy of sustainability we are wasting too much time and energy,' says Debbia. 'We need to solve the problem of installers,' says Alwang. 'The price of Italian ceramics is not a problem at all. Consumers want made in Italy design and quality for which they are willing to invest. Especially if they touch it in showrooms."

Amongst the stands, companies are reporting growing orders, even with visits from professionals substantially stable. "Less crowds, but more quality," sums up Davide Mularoni, president of Del Conca, the last Italian company to build a factory in the USA. "Those who had to come have come and orders are marching along well," he says.

"The positive trend has not stopped," says Alberto Selmi, CEO of Laminan. "We have periods of strong growth and we handle physiological slowdowns well, also due to external factors. The constant is that the American market demands and appreciates our product and is also getting to know new things like large formats, variations in shapes and colours, thin thicknesses, and the use for different surfaces. Quality makes the difference'.