KETTAL is famous for its distinct design sensibility. They produce products that are fresh, classic and recognisably them – all in one. From hotels to luxury yachts to cruise ships, you can find KETTAL designs in hospitality spaces all around the world. With their offices located just a short distance away from Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe’s location of Fira Barcelona, they are perfectly positioned to speak on what makes European design so great. We had the chance to talk to Vice President of KETTAL, Alex Alorda, and Director for the Americas, Carlos Alfaro.
Thanks for talking with us today. KETTAL needs no introduction, but for anyone new to the cruise and hospitality industry, who are KETTAL and what do they do?
KETTAL is a high-end outdoor furniture manufacturer. We are family owned and have over 53 years of international presence in the market. Our products are specifically designed for high intensity mixed uses such as contract, corporate and cruise ships. Manufactured in a privately owned state of the art plant, located south of Barcelona, our product ranges from all kinds of furniture pieces to very unique and customisable shading structures. Our products are rigorously tested to comply with the strictest international standards, meeting codes such as IMO, NFPA, CAL, and UL, to name but a few.
We created Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe because we value the European cruise market and its accompanying interiors design community. We know that KETTAL have said their location lends their product a European quality – can you talk a little bit about European design and design values?
Europe is renowned for having some of the best product designers in the world and thus, some of the best designs. KETTAL is no stranger to that. We have a very curated portfolio of designers that have their own different styles, which allows us to have a naturally fresh catalogue where every collection has its own personality and materials of preference.
Design-wise, what is interesting to KETTAL at the moment?
Our designs have always had a modern approach, but lately our designs are in that fine line between the indoor and outdoor look. Comfort is top of the list, for which ergonomics are always very well thought out. For 2020 we are launching new collections from Rodolfo Dordoni, Patricia Urquiola, Richard Neutra and Naoto Fukasawa.
We’d love to hear more about the work you’ve done within the cruise industry. Can you tell us more about an interesting or standout project you’ve recently completed?
Our relationship with the cruise industry goes back many years. About 15 years ago we started furnishing Iberostar Cruises. Not long after, one of our first biggest projects was The World by Residensea, a private residences ship, where we furnished the entire ship. Then, through the years we’ve worked with Holland America, Princess, Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean (Celebrity, Azamara….), to name a few… We have even created lines of materials specially catered to the cruise line industry such as IMO fabrics and ropes.
We can’t wait for the KETTAL-sponsored launch party and subsequent show. For anyone who is coming to CSI Europe hoping to meet Kettal, what do you look for in business partners and collaborators?
We look forward to welcoming all the designers to our showroom and to our booth at CSIE, and showing them first hand the latest and greatest of our collections. We are also very excited to hear about the new upcoming projects of the industry.
Register here for FREE to visit KETTAL on Stand 444 at Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe.
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