Who chose EPDItaly tells its story: Romani Group S.p.A. Ceramic Industries

Riccardo Romani, Head of Business Development Gruppo Romani S.p.A.

The Romani Group S.p.A. Industrie Ceramiche, founded in 1968, is an expression of the most authentic Made in Italy entrepreneurship. Born under the sign of passion, expertise and technological research, today it is recognized and appreciated all over the world for the unique style of the ceramic solutions it offers.

The Romani Group, through its brands Serenissima, CIR Ceramiche, Cercom, Cerasarda, Islatiles and Verde tells an industrial story of high craftsmanship value, integrated with technical and production innovation projected into the future.

The Emilia-based company decided to rely on EPDItaly to obtain EPD certification for its entire production range in glazed porcelain stoneware, thicknesses between 8.5mm and 10mm.

In this regard, we interviewed Riccardo Romani, Head of Business Development and third generation of the Group, who told us about the reasons that led the company to adopt EPD certification and what are the advantages of this document.

What are your main motivations for moving toward voluntary EPD certification?

On a day-to-day basis, we are seeing a growing demand for certification in the sustainability area from our stakeholders. This trend was born and developed mainly in some foreign markets, where developers are becoming more and more ESG-conscious (North America and Canada, Northern Europe, Middle East, Far East), but it is more or less quickly spreading everywhere, including our country. In addition, an EPD specific to our products is a significant step forward in terms of transparency and, in some countries, is a real entry pass to participate in the growing number of eco-friendly projects. Finally, I would like to add that the voluntary EPD certification represents an indispensable step to distinguish our production reality – among the best in the sector – from the average sector EPD, which represented us until 2024. Indeed, I would like to emphasize that Gruppo Romani has always been aware of its environmental impact and strongly committed to continuous improvement: in particular, we are among the innovators who regularly offer to test and adopt experimental and cutting-edge technologies in the constant search for greater efficiency.

Which product(s) in your company has obtained EPD? What are its main characteristics?

Gruppo Romani produces glazed porcelain stoneware with high technical performance, strictly Made in Italy, and markets it worldwide. Thanks to its excellent properties, this product ensures maximum physical performance and is suitable for a wide variety of uses, both in indoor and outdoor environments. With the aim of certifying our reality in the best possible way, we decided to achieve an EPD that would encompass all our productions in the thickness range between 8.5mm and 10mm, which account for more than 90 percent of our annual turnover.

What are the main benefits gained from publishing the Environmental Product Declaration? What are the spin-offs for the end consumer?

As already mentioned, a voluntary EPD can offer us concrete advantages in terms of competitiveness, opening the door to a slice of the market that, although not decisive nowadays, is certainly destined to grow. It is a very important card that adds to the deck of tools that allow us to improve our image and reputation in the eyes of customers, who are increasingly orienting their choices toward green issues. The fallout for the end consumer? I only hope for greater trust in a Group that has always looked to the future with ambition and is determined to prove it with facts, as opposed to certain companies that do a lot of marketing but little concrete action.

Do you think EPDItaly can help spread the culture of product sustainability?

I really appreciate the way in which this document offers the customer a comprehensive package of information, enabling them to gain a 360-degree understanding of the characteristics of our production. In addition to the technical aspects, it addresses fundamental issues such as the health and safety of our workers and the reference service life, which is as important as it is, unfortunately, often put on the back burner: the European legislator makes no distinction between a stoneware tile, which can last up to 60 years, and, for example, a glass bottle that lives just a few minutes! I believe that, as in the case of EPDItaly, the culture of sustainability should be spread only with a full awareness of its meaning and in the right way, otherwise, we risk not only achieving very few concrete results for our future, but also causing more harm than good.

How important, in your opinion, is the presence of Italian sustainable products within a Program Operator that makes international networking one of its strengths?

It is fundamental. The Made in Italy brand is as important-for us and for the global market-as fragile and sometimes exposed to misuse or misunderstanding. In this context, an international program operator represents a strategic opportunity for Italian companies, offering greater visibility and competitiveness in global markets: guaranteeing Italian products tools to stand out means not only protecting their value, but also strengthening their identity in an increasingly challenging landscape. Today, Made in Italy is no longer only synonymous with tradition and quality, but is increasingly linked to the concepts of innovation and sustainability, and having the means to demonstrate these values is fundamental to continue to protect the heritage of our entrepreneurial realities.