What Smalticeram does

Smalticeram Unicer S.p.A. is an Italian industrial ceramic materials manufacturer (colorificio ceramico) founded in 1970 in Roteglia di Castellarano, in the Sassuolo district — the historical heartland of the Italian ceramic tile industry. The company produces a complete system of materials for ceramic surface decoration and finishing, including digital printing inks (SJ/SJ 9000, SJ-Water series), ceramic grits (GF-GS), micronized mixtures (HD-HDG), double-loading materials (SMP), pigments (C-CS), and vitreous complexes/frits (F), as well as specialized solutions such as Xgo anti-slip systems, Zero0 micro-grits, and Innovation 3D surface-effect technology. At least one formulation (SJ-Unink digital glue) is under patent. The portfolio spans the full ceramic decoration value chain and is qualified for use with modern digital printing equipment and Airless cabin application technologies.

The company's go-to-market is direct enterprise B2B sales: highly specialized personnel work alongside ceramic tile manufacturers from pattern selection through industrial realization, supported by dedicated sales offices and technical service in each regional market. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Smalticeram sells to industrial ceramic manufacturers producing porcelain stoneware, traditional bicottura, and technical ceramics, addressing their need for high-quality decorative materials, regulatory compliance (emissions, anti-slip), and production efficiency.

Smalticeram operates a globally distributed manufacturing footprint with wholly-owned subsidiaries in Italy (HQ, Roteglia di Castellarano), Spain (Onda, Castellón), Indonesia (Jakarta), Brazil (Santa Catarina and São Paulo), the United States (Mount Pleasant, Tennessee), India (Morbi), and Turkey (Eskişehir). In September 2025, the group acquired Vernís, a 50+ year-old Spanish producer of glazes, colors, and frits based in Onda, bringing combined 2025 revenue to approximately €80 million and total headcount to 240+ employees. Smalticeram Unicer S.p.A. is a privately held, family-influenced Italian company with no disclosed external institutional investment or PE backing.

Name

Smalticeram

Legal name

Smalticeram Unicer S.p.A.

Website

https://smalticeram.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Smalticeram is an Italian industrial ceramic materials manufacturer producing digital inks, ceramic grits, micronized mixtures, pigments, and frits for ceramic tile manufacturers. Operating across seven countries with 240+ employees, the company serves the global ceramic industry through direct B2B sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Ceramic Materials

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513)

SIC

Pottery & Related Products (3260), Commercial Printing (2750)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Decorative Coatings (IMAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging Inks (IMAEAHAH), Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services (IMAAADAC)

Keywords

• Industrial ceramic materials
• Digital ceramic inks
• Ceramic grits and frits
• Ceramic pigments and glazes
• Ceramic tile manufacturing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Rutigliano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ceramic Materials B2B Sales: Sale of industrial ceramic materials including digital inks, ceramic grits, micronized mixtures, pigments, and frits to ceramic tile manufacturers worldwide through direct sales and subsidiaries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Smalticeram produces and sells industrial ceramic decoration materials used by ceramic tile manufacturers worldwide. Its product portfolio spans digital printing inks, ceramic grits, micronized mixtures, double-loading materials, pigments, and vitreous complexes (frits), supported by specialized systems for anti-slip surfaces, 3D effects, and water-based sustainable decoration. The company delivers these materials as a complete system to industrial customers, with specialized personnel collaborating from pattern selection through industrial realization.

Product overview

Smalticeram is a ceramic colorificio (ceramic paints/coloring supplier) specializing in industrial ceramic applications. The company offers a complete system of products for ceramic surface decoration including: digital color inks (SJ/SJ 9000 series), ceramic grits (GF-GS series), micronized mixtures (HD-HDG), double-loading materials (SMP), ceramic pigments (C-CS), and vitreous complexes/frits (F). The portfolio also includes specialized solutions like Xgo (anti-slip surfaces), Zero0 micro-grits, Innovation 3D (3D effects), and the new SJ-Water/SJ-Klimb/SJ-Space/SJ-Unink water-based ink series. The products work together as a complete system supporting the modern ceramic industry with digital printing, effect materials, high-performance glazes, and dry application grits. The company operates globally with manufacturing facilities in Italy, Spain, Brazil, USA, India, Indonesia, and Turkey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SJ 9000: Latest generation of low environmental impact digital inks with reduced emissions.
• GF-GS
• HD-HDG
• Xgo
• SMP
• C-CS
• F
• Innovation 3D
• Smaltink
• SJ-Water
• SJ-Klimb
• SJ-Space
• SJ-Unink
• Zero0
• Simply Better
• SJW Water Based Glue

Products and services

• SJ / SJ 9000 Digital Inks Digital inks for industrial ceramic printing applications. SJ 9000 is the latest generation of low environmental impact digital inks guaranteeing reduced emissions. Includes Smaltink ink line covering all color requirements for industrial digital ceramic printing on tiles.
• GF-GS Ceramic Grits Special ceramic grits for all application technologies. GF grits are high chemical and physical resistance technical grits and micro-grits. GS grits are high chemical resistance spherical micro-grits with maximum surface resistance and high slip resistance for ceramic surface applications.
• HD-HDG Micronized Mixtures Ready-to-use micronized mixtures for water dispersion. Used alone or with ceramic grits for increased operational possibilities, designed for protective applications with Airless cabins and compatible with SJ digital inks in the enameling line.
• SMP Double-Loading Materials Materials for double-loading ceramic applications. Used in pressing phase starting from colored spray-dried mixtures with high vitrifiable coefficient for industrial ceramic body production.
• C-CS Ceramic Pigments Latest generation pigments with high color rendering for coloring bodies and enamel bases. Compatible with colorimetric systems with extremely contained granulometric range and high surface coverage for industrial ceramic coloring applications.
• F Vitreous Complexes (Frits) Vitreous complexes (glass frits) meeting all ceramic industry requirements. Base materials of high quality used for preparing products suitable for ceramic surface glazing and decoration, produced through high-temperature fusion of the finest ceramic raw materials.
• Innovation 3D System Complete solution for creating ceramic surfaces with stunning 3D effects using digital printing. Enables surfaces to abandon linearity and acquire a third dimension in industrial ceramic decoration.
• Zero0 Anti-Slip Micro-grits Anti-slip micro-grits with precisely calibrated granulometry ensuring uniform distribution, superior slip resistance coefficient for high-traffic environments, pleasant touch, and high-quality aesthetic finish on ceramic surfaces.
• SJ Water-Based Digital Ink Series Sustainable water-based digital ink series for ceramic decoration including SJ-Water (glossy and matt finishes with reduced carbon emissions and odors), SJ-Klimb (material ink for creating thicknesses with elevated technical characteristics), SJ-Space (structuring ink for bas-reliefs), and SJ-Unink (patented digital glue for grit application).
• SJW Water-Based Glue Water-based digital glue for ceramic applications that virtually eliminates odor component, available in matt and glossy variants, designed for reduced environmental impact.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significantly reduced carbon emissions and odors with water-based products
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Surface GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Smalticeram participates in Surface Group's 'Città delle Idee' (City of Ideas) project at Fuorisalone/Milan Design Week 2026. The company contributes surface coatings with high technological and expressive content to this collaborative initiative within a network of leading ceramic supply chain companies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ege Kimya: Turkish chemical and ceramic materials manufacturer producing frits, glazes, and pigments for tile manufacturers. Comparable product range with a strong regional presence in Turkey, where Smalticeram also operates.
• Torrecid Group: Spanish multinational producing frits, glazes, ceramic inks, and digital decoration solutions with a similar global manufacturing footprint. Direct competitor across the same core categories.
• Esmalglass-Itaca (BC Technologies): Spanish ceramic glaze, frit, and digital ink producer, the largest direct competitor in Iberia. Highly comparable in product range (frits, inks, pigments) and customer base (tile manufacturers) to Smalticeram.
• Sicer S.p.A. Italian producer of ceramic inks, glazes, and surface treatment products for the tile industry. Comparable scale, product range, and customer base to Smalticeram.
• Colorobbia (Cifre Group): Italian ceramic materials group producing frits, glazes, pigments, and digital inks for the tile industry. The closest Italian-headquartered direct peer to Smalticeram with comparable full-system coverage of the ceramic decoration stack.
• Fritta: Spanish frit and glaze manufacturer based in Castellón, serving ceramic tile producers worldwide. Closely comparable in frits, glazes, and color products, especially given the recent Vernís integration.
• Altadia Group (formerly Grupo Alegre): Multinational ceramic materials producer offering frits, glazes, inks, and pigments for tile manufacturers, with European roots. Direct overlap in the same customer segments as Smalticeram.

Broad incumbents

• Vibrantz Technologies (formerly Ferro): Global specialty materials company with a significant ceramic and glass coatings business (formerly Ferro), selling colors, frits, and digital inks to tile makers. Larger and broader portfolio than Smalticeram but overlapping in core ceramic surface solutions.
• Sun Chemical (DIC Group): Global leader in printing inks and pigments, including industrial and specialty inks with ceramic applications. Significantly larger and broader than Smalticeram, but competes in digital and specialty inks.

Emerging players

• Zschimmer & Schwarz: German specialty chemicals company producing auxiliaries and chemical products including for the ceramic industry. Broader chemical focus but overlapping in ceramic auxiliaries and surface treatment formulations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smalticeram
• Facebookfacebook.com/smalticeram

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smalticeram