Valencia Tile Exhibition 2008

My first ever visit to the Valencia Tile Exhibition CEVISAMA 08 Artechnology now in its 26th year and with over 1000 businesses on show.

First impressions; it was big! First thoughts; wear comfortable shoes next year. With over 250,000 square metres of display place over three floors and six halls, a sat-nav devise would have been useful.

As a pure observer on this occasion being neither a buyer nor a seller the whole occasion has been somewhat surreal. First of all English is perfectly acceptable as a mode of communication, which was just as well as there were UK buyers everywhere. Secondly food and drink seemed to be available to anybody and on any stand at any time.

Everywhere eye catching tiles were displayed in sumptuous brilliantly lit settings, though I must say I did hear frequent comments of "didn't I see these in Bologna?" from the show going regulars.

Most interesting items from my unpractised eye were the kitchen floor tiles that commented on your weight problems whenever you approached the refrigerator, floor tiles that clicked together for installation without adhesive the demo looked fast and simple and could be ideal for those folk that like the idea of taking the floor with them when the move house.

Certainly adds new meaning to the saying 'tiles are forever' or should that be 'diamonds are forever' and last and definitely least the floor tiles that operated a bit like lateral lava lamps with a layer of coloured glycerine trapped within the tile that moved when stepped on.

My favourite stand; definitely the Pamesa Ceramica stand, probably the biggest in the show with lots of new tiles on display, the delightful though very popular Clare and food!

Whatever time of day I retreated to this sanctuary a new hot meal was available together with cold beer and rather strangely cold coffee + lots of cakes.

This stand was also the best place to meet other English visitors, was it the pull of the food or the quality and value of the tiles?

Conclusions:

• Tiling living room walls is on its way
• Ceramic tiles are far from dead
• Porcelain tiles continue to evolve
• Mosaics are being replaced by scored grout able tiles
• Packs of mixed size tiles are selling well
• Packs of mixed surface finish tiles are coming
• The Chinese manufacturer's stands were strangely empty? and I put on 3 lbs in weight

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