SASSUOLO, ITALY -- Following negotiations that lasted several weeks, BolognaFiere and Edi.Cer. spa, a subsidiary of Confindustria Ceramica, secured an agreement whereby Cersaie, the annual International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, will continue to be held in Bologna, Italy, in future years. The agreement covers the four-year period from 2017 to 2020, with an option for the following two years, 2021 and 2022.

Investments to upgrade the Exhibition Centre formed a key part of the agreement, as effective implementation of the investments planned by BolognaFiere are seen as crucial for a major international event like Cersaie.

"The latest edition of Cersaie confirmed the strategic importance of the Bologna venue for our international clientele, which reached a record figure of more than 50,000 out of the total attendance of 106,000," said Vittorio Borelli, chairman of Confindustria Ceramica. "The renewal of the contract comes at a time of constant innovation for our show and growing investments on the part of exhibitors, so the need to upgrade the Exhibition Centre is a particularly important aspect."

"With this long-term renewal of the agreement, another association representing a major Italian manufacturing sector, Confindustria Ceramica, has confirmed its trust in our trade fair management company and recognizes our exhibition center's capability for renewal and its role as the ideal exhibition platform for major Italian industrial sectors," added BolognaFiere Chairman, Franco Boni.