At the center of Italy’s prestigious ceramic district, a quiet revolution is reshaping the landscape of tile production. At the helm of this transformation is Giulia Catti, the dynamic CEO of Ceramiche Mariner, who is actively redefining the boundaries of tile production—intertwining heritage with innovation. Founded over 35 years ago by her father, Arnaldo Catti, the company has grown from a small family-run operation into a key player in the global ceramics industry—all while staying true to its core principles of quality, service, and sustainability.
For Giulia, who sat down with Dexterton Corporation for an exclusive interview, the journey into the tile industry was almost instinctive. “I started my job more than 25 years ago after high school,” she shares. “My family told me, ‘Okay decide—go to university or start a job with us.’ School was not my dream, so I decided to skip into the company.” From early days handling accounts to later leading sales and product development, Giulia has worked her way through the company, bringing an energy and passion that now drive Mariner’s global presence.
The story of Mariner is one of ambition and intuition. “My father began as an agent in the Italian market more than 40 years ago,” Giulia recalls. “After receiving numerous complaints about tile quality, he decided to create his own brand. The name ‘Mariner’ comes from a small shop in the mountains where we spent our summer holidays. It was always bustling with customers, and my father thought, ‘This is an amazing name—maybe we are lucky, maybe it’s a good thing for the company.’”
Ceramiche Mariner’s commitment to its customers is what sets it apart. “The difference between Mariner and other companies is it is made by the people,” says Giulia. “Everybody has tiles. But the quality and passion we put into our work, our business, and staying close to the customer—that’s what makes the difference.”
A defining moment in Mariner’s evolution came in 2019 with the launch of its state-of-the-art, fully digitalized smart factory. “We are the first producer to digitize the entire process—from raw materials to finished tiles on the palette,” Giulia explains. “Many companies have software to control production, but none integrate all facilities into a single, interconnected system like we do. We’ve had competitors visit our factory to witness this firsthand. It’s not just about quality—it’s about changing the way we work, embracing a fully digital process you can access from anywhere in the world. “
As sustainability becomes an increasing focus in the tile industry, Mariner is at the forefront of green initiatives. “Sustainability is very, very important and also very popular in our industry,” says Giulia. “I live very close to my factory, so it’s important in terms of energy—we produce our own electricity by transforming gas. We also recycle everything: water, glaze, powder, and even the carton used to wrap our tiles. We have to focus on sustainability because it’s the future—it’s important for our health, our environment, and our industry.”
When it comes to design, Mariner balances timeless craftsmanship with contemporary trends, deeply rooted in market insights and a methodical expansion of its collections. “For us, it’s not about high concepts—we started a couple of years ago, and we don’t have everything in our catalog yet,” Giulia explains. “So, we build step by step—if we don’t have cement, wood, or stone, we add it. We also follow trends. Next month, for example, there’s Salone del Mobile in Italy. If the trend is travertine, we follow travertine. Right now, the trends are real materials—wood, stone—so we focus on technical features and production methods to capture that.”
Among Mariner’s many collections, one remains especially dear to Giulia: “Cool collection is my baby,” she confesses. “It was the first collection I studied for the company. Before me, another product manager handled tiles. My sales manager told me, ‘The colors won’t sell—don’t do it.’ But for me, Cool was perfect. We introduced it five years ago, and now it’s our second-best-selling collection. It changed our look, moving from the standard to something new.”
In an industry often driven by function, Mariner understands the emotional and artistic impact of tiles. “People should focus on tiles because with the right design, you can transform a space, even if it’s small,” Giulia says. “A little kitchen, a little room—with the right tile, you can create a whole new mood. It’s important to focus on design and aesthetics because it shapes the spaces where we live, where we spend time with family and friends.”
At Ceramiche Mariner, heritage and progress go hand in hand. With a strong foundation built on passion, craftsmanship, and forward-thinking innovation, the company continues to set new standards in the world of luxury ceramics. In Giulia’s words, “It’s about passion, quality, and always moving forward.”
See Dexterton Corporation’s full Ceramiche Mariner catalogue at shop.dexterton.com.