The Bulgarian Izida Ceramica is expanding its production near Sofia by nearly 70% and plans to build a new logistics center in Bucharest

Bulgarian ceramic tile manufacturer Izida Ceramica is preparing an investment of over 20 million euros to expand and modernize its plant in Elin Pelin, near Sofia. The project aims to increase annual production capacity from 6.5 million m² in 2025 to approximately 11 million m², as well as to begin manufacturing large-format ceramic slabs. The expansion is also linked to the company’s growth in the Romanian market, where its sales volumes have doubled, BalkanEngineer.com learned from a publication on Money.bg.

A key component of the investment is the new CONTINUA+ production line, supplied by the Italian company SACMI, which specializes in equipment for the ceramic industry. The technology will enable the company to produce tiles measuring 120×120 cm and 120×180 cm, while also expanding its product range to include items with various decorative finishes. The CONTINUA+ system is designed for the continuous forming of ceramic products and enables the production of large formats under controlled process parameters.

The increase in production capacity is part of Isida Ceramics’ plans to expand its presence in Central and Eastern Europe. According to the company, its sales in Romania doubled during the first nine months following the expansion of its operations in the local market. This result was achieved despite a reported decline of over 20% in the Romanian ceramic tile market during the first half of 2026. A major contributor to this growth has been shipments to large building materials chains, residential projects, and the expanding distribution network.

The next step is the planned opening of a logistics center in the Bucharest area in 2027. The new facility will maintain inventory for local customers and reduce order fulfillment times. The company already has significant warehouse capacity, maintaining inventory of over 2 million m² of ceramic tiles.

Isida Ceramics has a manufacturing history dating back to 1894. Since resuming operations in 2023, the company has gradually increased its production, and today over 65% of its output is sold in foreign markets. With this new investment, the company will expand both its production capacity and its product range, which is geared toward retail chains and construction projects. A specific timeline for completing the modernization and reaching the planned annual output of 11 million square meters has not yet been announced.

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