The INNOVATILE Project, funded with €2.5 million by the European Union, has been launched to reduce the environmental impact of the ceramic industry. With Türkiye as an important partner, the project aims to achieve up to 35% energy savings and up to 20% savings in water and raw material use through a new technology to be developed.

Funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, the INNOVATILE Project began on 26 August and aims to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of the sector by developing a new and more sustainable production technology for porcelain tiles. The total budget of the project is €2,800,575.65, of which €2,492,512.33 is financed by the European Union. This contribution represents 89% of the total project cost.

The project aims to address the energy-intensive and resource-heavy nature of ceramic tile production by scaling up an innovative semi-wet granulation process. The Project Kick-off Meeting will be held on 4 November.

This new technology is designed to significantly reduce energy, water, and raw material consumption. The expected key outputs are as follows:

• Energy and Emissions: 30–35% reduction in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Resource Efficiency: 10–20% reduction in raw material and water consumption.
• Waste Integration: Incorporation of secondary raw materials (SRM), such as waste and by-products, into the production process.
• Raw Material Substitution: Replacement of feldspar—classified as a critical raw material in the EU—with an alternative material.

The technology addressed in the project is a semi-wet powder preparation method to be used in porcelain tile production, based on prior experience gained in wall tile manufacturing. After the validation stage, a pilot application will be carried out with the end user. Implementation in another country is also planned. An environmental analysis will compare this new process with traditional production methods.

Within the scope of the project, the HypocarbonTileTech network will also be established to encourage collaboration among all stakeholders in the ceramic tile value chain on decarbonisation, renewable energy, and waste management. This network aims to raise awareness among a wide audience—from students and researchers to industry professionals and policymakers. Additionally, policy recommendation documents will be prepared and shared with public authorities to ensure the long-term impact of the project.

The consortium consists of three research institutions and four organisations from major ceramic tile production regions:

• Spain: Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Cerámica, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón (Project Coordinator)
• Türkiye: Kaleseramik, Çanakkale Kalebodur Seramik San. A.Ş. and Çanakkale Teknoloji Geliştirme Bölgesi A.Ş.
• Italy: Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
• Cyprus: ATLANTIS Environment and Innovation Ltd
• Tunisia: National Engineering School of Gafsa
• Egypt: Egyptian Center for Innovation & Technology Development

This partnership includes four of the world’s top ten tile-producing countries, enabling the project to engage with leading global tile manufacturers. Furthermore, the secondary raw material inventory to be developed will provide information on available SRMs at the local level and will also benefit other sectors.

The content of this press release is the sole responsibility of Universitat Jaume I and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Programme management structures.