Coinciding with the use of avant-garde technologies, research on materials and an attitude of ethical respect for the environment. This was one of the first companies to understand the importance of an epochal change, from simple bisque to porcelain stoneware for floorings and facings, a material with excellent aesthetic characteristics and durability. Already at the start of the 1970s GranitiFiandre stood out in this sector thanks to its materials that could be used as alternatives to marble and stone. In 2007, with the brand Geostyle, new patents were integrated, like GeoDiamond (high-temperature combination of ceramics and metals) or the award-winning Luminar (a series of circular concentric, reflecting incisions to create a play of light on surfaces). But all this is already history. Like the certifications of leading international laboratories that underline the technical-aesthetic virtues of the company’s materials. In the present, we find works of great impact and importance for international design culture: from the flooring of the Italian Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010 (done with the new 120 x 60 cm format of the NewGround collection), to the Ferrari Museum at Maranello; from the executive office of the White House to the airports of Singapore and Toronto, all the way to the Bocconi University complex in Milan, just to name a few. Over time, technical improvements of ceramic materials have gone hand in hand with the evolution of sizes: from the classic 20×20 cm tiles of the 1980s to the large formats of the latest collections, all with great reduction of thicknesses. Other research projects have led to the creation of the Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™, an innovative product capable of reducing polluting in the air. The environmental focus is the driving force behind the company’s latest creations: from respect for raw materials to the possibility of using entirely recycled substances. The Series100 has just this focus, while the Extreme collection is part of the move toward large formats (150×75 cm) for floors and facings. The ecological stance is also clear in the ISO 14001, EMAS, LEED and ANAB certifications the company has obtained. The future? “The future is for those who know how to build it”, says the president and managing director Graziano Verdi.
