Cologne/Kaisersesch, May 9, 2023. This year, for the first time, the CLASSEN Group is participating in Interzum, the world’s leading trade fair for furniture manufacturing and interior design, in Cologne. The family-owned company from the Eifel region received its first piece of good news even before the fair began on May 9: CERAMIN® Tiles, the company’s proprietary tile alternative, received the internationally renowned Interzum Award for its product quality. The award is presented by an international jury of experts to recognize exceptional products. Ultimately, CERAMIN® Tiles scored highly across all evaluation criteria—from product innovation and functionality to material quality and sustainability. Various companies participated in the competition with a total of 144 submissions. On the eve of Interzum’s opening, 52 products from around the world were honored during the awards ceremony.

“Our trade show debut in Cologne couldn’t have gotten off to a better start,” commented Céline Quervel, Head of Marketing at the CLASSEN Group. “We are delighted that the expert jury recognized our passionate commitment to this resource-efficient, easy-to-handle product, designed with attention to detail, by honoring it with this award.” The plastic component of CERAMIN® Tiles—an alternative to natural stone wall and floor coverings—already consists of more than 60 percent recycled material. Their comparatively low weight also makes them very easy to install. Since the ultra-thin plastic tiles—made from the CERAMIN® material of the same name—can even be installed directly over existing tiles, they are particularly well-suited for renovations and refurbishments—whether done by homeowners themselves or by professional contractors.

Seven experts in design, materials science, and architecture evaluated the products submitted for the interzum Award based on their design and technical quality, as well as their sustainability. The jury members included Vito Orazem, Managing Director of Red Dot and Executive Board Member of the Designzentrum NRW, as well as Hon. Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters, author of numerous specialized books on sustainable materials and an expert in materials and trends in new technologies. In its overall assessment, the jury emphasized that the high quality standard of the competition entries confirmed the industry’s potential and the significance of design as an economic factor. Against this backdrop, CLASSEN’s win of the interzum Award should be viewed as a distinction within this competition. The award was presented at the Congress Centrum of Koelnmesse.

The jury’s evaluation criteria for the interzum Award encompass various characteristics that were also taken into account during the development of CERAMIN® Tiles. The CLASSEN Group holds a wide range of patents, some of which are made available to the entire industry through licensing agreements. This also applies to the CERAMIN® material and the backing boards. CERAMIN® Tiles feature a variety of product and installation characteristics. Their ease of handling and installation, light weight, and the ability to cut them with a utility knife make them easy to work with.

In terms of material quality, CERAMIN® Tiles stand out due to the use of the CERAMIN® material, as well as their durability and a specified service life of up to 20 years. The surfaces are designed using a digital printing process that allows for a wide variety of designs. CERAMIN® Tiles are available in various designs and sizes.

During the development of the CERAMIN® material, factors such as the use of recycled materials and the elimination of PVC were taken into account. Additional product and manufacturing features include recyclability, the specified service life, and a supply chain featuring suppliers from Germany and Europe. These characteristics are part of the product features of CERAMIN® Tiles.

CERAMIN® Tiles will be on display not only at the CLASSEN Group’s booth (Hall 1.2, Booth B021), but also—alongside the other award-winning products—during interzum (May 9–12) in a dedicated exhibition on the trade show boulevard as well as in the online exhibition at www.interzum.com.

This video demonstrates how easy it is to renovate a bathroom with CERAMIN Tiles :