Tecna 2026: a four-day show exploring the future of surfaces

The 29th edition of the Global Expo for ceramics and more will return to Rimini from 22 to 25 September with an entirely new programme of panel discussions, conferences and awards.

Just four months remain until the 29th edition of Tecna – The Global Expo for ceramics and more, which will be held in Rimini from 22 to 25 September 2026. While the exhibitors are busy finalising the latest technological innovations they plan to showcase, the exhibition layout is taking shape alongside a completely new event schedule. The organisers IEG and ACIMAC are preparing a packed programme of high-level conferences, panel discussions and seminars exploring the future of the global surfaces industry across both ceramic and non-ceramic materials. The four-day show will offer unique insights into technology, materials, digitalisation, design, production models, market trends and consumer behaviour, reaffirming Tecna’s role not only as a world-class technology showcase, but also a key knowledge hub for the entire supply chain.

TECNAwards adopts a new two-day format

The programme will begin with the TECNAwards recognising the most significant technological investments made by tile, sanitaryware and heavy clay manufacturers worldwide, as nominated by the exhibitors themselves. The 2026 edition of the awards will extend across two days, combining the presentation ceremonies with in-depth technical discussions.

The first day, Tuesday 22 September, will coincide with the show’s inaugural conference and the presentation of the awards to leading players in the Americas. In addition to a focus session on the EU-Mercosur Agreement, the conference will feature panel discussions exploring the geopolitical scenarios that are reshaping the industry across the American continent. On Wednesday 23 September, the spotlight will shift to Europe, Asia and Africa. Here too, the awards will be accompanied by presentations and interviews with key market players.

Technical conferences: raw materials, intralogistics and digitalisation

The technical conference programme will extend over three days with events devoted to the sector’s most pressing challenges.

The programme will begin on Wednesday 23 September with a conference on raw materials promoted by the Italian Ceramic Society (I.Cer.S.), addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and sourcing strategies to strengthen industrial competitiveness.

The programme for Thursday and Friday will include an intralogistics seminar curated by Logisticamente.it and the presentation of the European Ceramics Hub project, an initiative conducted jointly with Portugal and Spain. Another major highlight will be the Macchine X conference, promoted by Digital Industries World (DIW). Designed to help industry professionals navigate the transition towards digitalisation and servitisation, the event will focus on transforming industrial machinery into connected, data-driven systems featuring remote control, automation and advanced after-sales services – now a strategic priority for the capital goods industry.

Tecna will also look beyond its traditional scope with a focus on high-performance industrial applications at a conference on advanced ceramics hosted at BEX – Beyond Exploration Expo, the new show devoted to the Space Economy running concurrently in the Rimini Expo Centre.

Decortech Conference: two days charting the future of surfaces

The Decortech Conference, the event dedicated to cutting-edge surface decoration and finishing, has also been completely reimagined.

With a fresh visual identity and the new tagline Surfaces made to matter, the conference will return with a programme curated for the first time by a Technical Committee consisting of leading associations, professionals and companies. The two-day event, scheduled for Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September in the Decortech Arena, will bring together leading voices from across the industry, including architectural firms, industry experts, technology providers, leading international buyers, universities and training institutions. The discussions will explore the functionality, performance capabilities and aesthetic trends that are redefining surface applications in architecture, interior design and beyond.

This shift reflects Decortech’s ambition to establish itself as the leading international platform for surface technology, aesthetics and design, moving away from a material-specific focus towards a cross-sector industrial approach. The first day will focus on Materials and Aesthetics, while day two will explore Materials and Technology.

Both days will include B2B meetings and a joint networking event with BEX – Beyond Exploration.

The latest event programme will be available shortly at www.tecnaexpo.com.