The 23-year journey of Terrazzo tiles in Vietnam

Remember the story 23  years ago. At the end of spring 1997, Secoin's delegation came to Italy at the invitation of OCEM and Longinotti, two manufacturers of equipment for producing cement tiles using the largest air-tight technology in the world at that time. The trip aimed to choose one of these two firms to cooperate in providing production technology transfer into the Vietnamese market. After the visit, Secoin and OCEM agreed to cooperate and Secoin became the exclusive agent to supply OCEM equipment in Vietnam market.

In the Vietnamese market 10 years later, we, OCEM-Secoin, competed fiercely with Longinotti. 25 OCEM devices have been installed in Vietnam market, while Longinotti has only one.

Recalling the early 1997 after the first visit to establish cooperative relations. It took almost half a year and we still couldn't deliver any devices. But with the sense of potential of this tile, we decided to be the pioneer to produce it.

 

 Terrazzo tile SETERRA 1 factory

After many months of preparing the rented workshop in Cau Dien (Hanoi), importing equipment and Italian experts flying to guide the installation, on September 24, 1998, the first tiles appeared in the Vietnamese market.

We named them terrazzo according to Italian language. A very unfamiliar name to the Vietnamese market is even difficult to pronounce. We have exclusively registered this Terrazzo copyright and after 20 years, our brand name has become the name for a type of tile that is widely used in 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam.

Immediately after producing the first tiles, only 1 year later, Secoin's terrazzo tiles were approved by the Hanoi City People's Committee. Hanoi chose to re-pave the main streets of the capital on the occasion of the 990th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi. In particular, 6 models of the most beautiful terrazzo tiles were selected to pave around the sacred Hoan Kiem Lake, which is still there today. On that day, in order to be selected for paving at Hoan Kiem Lake, the terrazzo had to go through nearly 30 signatures of the central and Hanoi authorities.

Later, terrazzo tiles were also called by many people as Ho Guom tiles. Echoes of its beauty began to spread throughout the country. The sidewalk in District 1 City. Ho Chi Minh, the ancient capital Hue are the next places to be used. Today, you go to any sidewalk in 63 provinces and cities and you will see the presence of terrazzo tiles.

Proudly more, after only 1 year of production, at the end of 1999 the terrazzo tiles were exported to Japan. Over the past 20 years, terrazzo tiles have been continuously exported to this demanding market. Today, going to any DIY Home Center building materials supermarket across Japan, you can see the presence of Secoin-Vietnamese terrazzo tiles. And not only Japan, 5 Australian states all have Secoin terrazzo tiles for sale.

 

Italian expert transfers terrazzo production technology to Secoin

Not only manufacturing, we also transfer technology and supply OCEM equipment to nearly 20 factories out of a total of 50 non burnt tile factories across the country that Secoin provides. Many years later, the country can also manufacture this tile making equipment. Up to now, more than 100 large and small manufacturers across the country have been producing this type of tile.

Before the popularity of this important building material, from 2007 the State issued a set of quality standards for terrazzo tiles TCVN 7744 to 2013 upgraded to TCVN 7744: 2013. Secoin's terrazzo brand name has been officially named by the State for a type of tile. Secoin brand has also been recognized as a National Brand by the Government.

Today, after 23  years since terrazzo was born, 14 other types of Secoin building materials are available on the market. Not only supplying the Vietnamese market, Secoin's products have been present in 60 countries across 6 continents.
 

Venice, Ding Hong Ky