After ending 2021 with turnover of more than 34 million, a 42% increase over 2020, newborn ceramics manufacturer ITA-ITILES S.p.A., with operating base in the ceramics district near Modena, is proceeding with its development plan with investments that continue to show faith in its home area and the excellence of its Italian technology partners. The works for the complete technological modernisation and the reconfiguration of the production plant at Fiorano Modenese were completed in spring in record time, in accordance with the very tight schedule set in the business plan.
It has been a major undertaking and ITA-ITILES’ technicians and partners have worked side by side in recent months to complete this phase of profound transformation, enabling the “Born in Maranello” company to restart operation in 2022 with a
state-of-the-art plant equipped with the most modern technologies, now able to produce latest-generation porcelain stoneware tiles in sizes from 120×120 cm down to 20×20 cm, in practice satisfying all residential and commercial market bands.
The Chairman of the Board Andrea Spagni, a young Sassuolo-born entrepreneur who is principal shareholder in ITA-ITILES S.p.A. confirms: “We have achieved this first major objective thanks to strong support from my in-house staff and the best Italian technological partners. Our new production configuration now comprises seven high-tech SACMI presses, including one high tonnage “High Speed” PH 8200, three PH 4800s, two PH 4600s and a PH 2590. This technological asset enables us to cover the industry’s main size mix with outstanding flexibility and serve the product band with highest added value on the domestic and international markets. Surface decoration is provided by 6 latest-generation digital lines, including three SACMI Intesas and three Projectas, while handling between the various departments is taken care of by 11 autonomous electric LGVs, also produced by SACMI. The firing cycle is performed by 3 ultra high-tech SACMI kilns equipped with the most efficient heat recovery systems and each a massive 119 metres long: the one just installed is unique in Italy in size and production capacity, able on its own to process 15,000 square metres of porcelain stoneware tiles a day.
At this stage of the company’s development, our new production layout is completed by two lines dedicated to cutting and final rectification, alongside which we will later be adding the planned surface lapping lines, as well as the six grade sorting and packaging lines already in operation, giving a total programmable production capacity of over a million square metres/month and a total annual output currently of eleven and a half million square metres, calculating the usual technical shutdowns in August and December.”
Under its new ownership the company, reborn in 2018/2019 further to the acquisition of an existing manufacturing business, now employs about a hundred people and ended 2021 with turnover just below 35 million Euros, an increase of 61% over the figure for the year of acquisition. A new business with strong local roots and great confidence in the resilience of the Italian ceramics district, ITA-ITILES has already made investments of over 15 million Euros and is planning further new developmental steps in next three years.
These are impressive figures for this young, dynamic business with a strong Italian manufacturing vocation, which enables it not only to completely review the layout of the Fiorano Modenese production plant on green and digital principles but also to look to the near future with great determination, thanks to sales and marketing plans that include complete rebranding with repositioning of the new collections, promoted at events of international importance such as Cersaie in September 2022, not to mention gradual expansion of the domestic and export sales network on both the large-scale retailing and traditional retail and independent distribution channels.
