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Manifattura Ceramica Pozzi

: : g a l l e r y : :

The beginning of Pozzi ceramics history is 1868, when Francesco Pozzi opened his little shop in Milano, along the Naviglio Grande. He made earthenwares and refractory kilns. From 1906 the craft workshop was directed by the son Luigi, enlarged and transformed into a real manufacture. It was devoted on sanitaries, not a mass-product at those times. Indeed, the first catalogues offered 18 different models! In 1908 it comes the change: everything was moved to Gattinara, where a just built factory was ready to hold the entire production. This factory was one of the most modern of Europe in matter of sanitaries industrial production technologies. Later on, the “Pozzi” name became really famous, entering in houses, offices and luxury hotels. In 1924 fire clay ceramics and opaque porcelain production was begun. Pozzi ceramics were very popular during the 30s, thanks to many advertising posters designed by the well known Gino Boccasile.

In the after-war period a new line was putted in operation: a vitreous china called Gavit (GAttinara-VITreous). In 1959 Pozzi company expanded its assets portfolio to chemistry, paints, plastics and households by incorporating different companies. In 1975 an agreement between Pozzi, SIC and Richard-Ginori companies gave birth to the biggest italian group in ceramic/porcelain sector. The group could count on many factories all over Italy, more than 10.000 employees and a world diffusion in 40 different Countries. At the beginning of the 90s it was decided to concentrate sanitaries production in a new large factory located in Gaeta, near Napoli. The old factory of Gattinara was forced to close in 1993. A suffered decision followed by heavy social disease.

Today Pozzi-Ginori is still active, controlled by Sanitec Group.

1950 - Brochure cover

1935 - At the railway station: the smoking chimney is visible on the left

1959 - Aerial view

A curiosity about the brand design: on the left we can find the original one, with Manifattura Ceramica Pozzi initials around three wells (in italian "Pozzi" is the plural of well), then the cats-ones. The joke is hidden in the last one, which shows two cats around a fire altar: in Italian they are GATTI IN ARA (cats around an altar), which is simply GATTINARA, the location of the factory!