Cersaie 2026: when normality is a success
“We delivered a solid edition of the show, with participation remaining at the high levels Cersaie has consistently achieved. In today’s difficult global climate, simply maintaining that level of normality is in itself an achievement. Despite a slight decline in visitor numbers, Cersaie once again confirmed its position as the sector’s leading international exhibition and a unique asset for the Italian ceramic industry.” This was how Augusto Ciarrocchi, Chairman of Confindustria Ceramica, summed up the recently concluded edition of Cersaie.
The 43rd edition, held at the Bologna Exhibition Centre from 21 to 25 September, occupied all 16 halls, covering a total of 145,000 square metres. The show hosted 595 exhibitors: 314 ceramic tile companies, 96 bathroom furnishing companies and 185 businesses from related sectors including installation, raw materials, new surfaces and services. Its international profile remained strong, with 233 overseas exhibitors (39% of the total) from 24 countries.
Cersaie welcomed 92,352 visitors over five days, 2.4% fewer than in 2025. Italian attendance fell by 3.7%, from 49,671 to 47,852, while international visitor numbers remained broadly stable at 44,500 compared with 44,906 the previous year (-0.9%). Overseas visitors accounted for 48.2% of total attendance.
“At a difficult time for both the economy and international trade, maintaining Cersaie’s position is an important result,” said Gianpiero Calzolari, Chairman of BolognaFiere. “Once again, the show succeeded in bringing companies and industry professionals from around the world to Bologna. That is precisely the role of a trade fair: to give companies access to markets, business relationships and new growth opportunities, particularly in challenging times. Cersaie also plays a role that goes well beyond business. It is an international reference point for design and architecture, where innovation, excellence and beauty showcase the value of Made in Italy.”
At the inaugural conference entitled Sustainable Energy and Competitiveness, Ministers Tommaso Foti and Adolfo Urso, Emilia-Romagna Regional President Michele De Pascale, ENI CEO Claudio Descalzi, Confindustria Chairman Emanuele Orsini and Augusto Ciarrocchi warned that escalating energy and ETS allowance costs are putting investment and international competitiveness under increasing pressure. They argued that current cost levels are making it increasingly difficult for ceramic companies to sustain the investment required to remain competitive.
Filippo Manuzzi, head of Promotional Activities at Confindustria Ceramica, said that “every initiative at Cersaie 2026 was designed to create value and business opportunities for exhibitors. The 340 delegates hosted through the programme organised in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) set a new record for Cersaie and represented customers with significant business potential. For the first time in Cersaie’s history, more than 500 sales staff from Italian showrooms attended training courses led by Veronica Verona, introducing a new professional training format to the trade fair. Several hundred industry professionals also visited the stands and activities at Tiling Town, confirming Hall 19 as a distinctive feature of Cersaie on the international exhibition scene.
More than 800 people attended the Keynote Lectures given by Alejandro Aravena and Annabelle Selldorf, while dozens of moderators and speakers took part in the Press Cafés. Together, these initiatives strengthened Cersaie’s cultural dimension and helped bring architects and designers closer to ceramic and bathroom furnishing products and applications. The show was covered by 684 journalists, including 284 from outside Italy, who reported on Cersaie in print and digital publications around the world. Special attention was also devoted to younger generations: Thursday’s Career Day created direct contact between companies and recent graduates and final-year university students, while large numbers of secondary school students took part in the Lesson in Reverse.
The next edition of Cersaie will be held in Bologna from 27 September to 1 October 2027.
