It all started sometime in the mid to late 1920′s by Mr Lane, who started the business making pottery. During the Second World War the business flourished thanks to the Italian prisoners of war who were sent here to make pots, pottery and crockery. The PTY Ltd was established in 1946. Takis Hatjigiannakis bought the business in 1967 from the Kirchoff’s at which time they were producing clay flower pots and selling modeling clay. We started making floor tiles in the early 1970′s after the earthquakes in the Western Cape, the first samples were very rough, but as we made more and gained more experience we improved our product. Between more or less 1975 or 1985 we made studio pottery and also gave pottery classes, but due to poor demand the pottery side was stopped and full attention was given to the floor tiles. George Hatjigiannakis took over in the early 1990′s and is still running the business making an ever popular hand-made clay floor tile.
Takis Hatjigiannakis acquired the business in 1967 from the Kirchoff family, transitioning the focus toward producing clay flower pots and modeling clay. As the market evolved, so did the company’s offerings. The early 1970s brought a significant shift as the aftermath of earthquakes in the Western Cape created a demand for durable floor tiles. Though the first samples were rough around the edges, the team’s determination and growing expertise allowed them to refine their products, resulting in a notable improvement in quality.
By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the business expanded its reach by producing studio pottery and offering pottery classes. However, due to a decline in demand, the pottery side was phased out to concentrate fully on the more popular floor tiles. In the early 1990s, Takis’s son, George took over the running of the factory. Today the company is still family-run, with George’s son Strati taking the reins and George and his wife, Kim still being involved in the daily running, continuing the legacy of quality craftsmanship. Under his leadership, the company has maintained its reputation for creating hand-made clay floor tiles that have become increasingly sought after, embodying both tradition and innovation in each piece.
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