Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, North America (Ceramica d’Imola), has joined the Good Phytosanitary Practices Program through its recent program certification.

Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, North America (Ceramica d’Imola), has joined the Good Phytosanitary Practices Program through its recent program certification.

Launched last week, the Good Phytosanitary Practices Program has been created and developed by the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) and Confindustria, the Italian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers. The Good Phytosanitary Practices Program was designed to significantly reduce or eliminate pests from containers and pallets of ceramic tile shipped to the United States.

“As one of the first Italian manufacturers to receive the Good Phytosanitary Practices Program certification, we are implementing more efficient steps and making significant improvements to our overall shipping protocol,” said Thomas Smith, president of Ceramica d’Imola North America. “Ultimately, this certification is a cost savings that we can share with our customers while continuing to provide them with the tools they need to identifying product and selecting manufacturers that align with their business practices.”

For more than two years, the CTDA has been developing the Good Phytosanitary Practices program through research and collaboration with the Confindustria, representatives from the USDA and U.S. Customs. Every year, manufacturers exporting ceramic and porcelain tile product from overseas spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on eliminating unwanted pests after arrival in the U.S. In addition, shipments are significantly delayed by U.S. Customs for inspection and removal, and in some cases, returned at the expense of the manufacturer. This certification allows companies to safely eliminate pests on site, package shipments under the universal guidelines of the program and reduce shipping time and costs. 

For more information, visit http://www.ccimola.net/en/northamerica