The history of terrazzo tiles: Part III
Cement-based agglomerates composed of prefabricated elements were one of the most important new fields of development in the world of agglomerates in the 20th century.
In Italy the technique of compacting minerals to produce flooring was and is a specialization dating back several centuries and connected to the most ancient and precious forms of early Christian Greek mosaics.
In the early 20th century, the exceptional skills of some craftsmen, trained at excellent professional schools, helped develop and continue, later also in the industry, the cultural wealth of flooring art amassed over the centuries.
Prefabrication added not only quality but also and especially an almost unlimited durability to agglomerates. It also enabled production processes, such as “mixture vibration”, “mixture compression” and “controlled seasoning”, which were not possible with techniques of the past.
As the years went by and techniques improved, the manufacture of marble chip floor tiles was adapted to new requirements of the market. A process began to make small and large marble chip floor tiles not only on an artisanal but also on an industrial scale and the sector developed using ever more advanced technologies.
The design skills and mastery of Italian manufacturers, the variety and the beauty of Italian marbles, the plasticity and best hydraulic binder in the world were the elements that made a great many varieties and types of flooring viable and led Italy to become world leader in the manufacture of marble chip floor tiles.
