CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

        A tile is a manufactured pieces of hard wearing materials such as ceramic, stone, metal used as a finishing floor and walls or other object such as table top used as ornamentals that add beauty to the surface applied either in buildings, offices and so on. Another category is the ceiling tile, made from light weight materials such as wood and mineral wool.

       Tiles are used to form wall and floor coverings and can range from single square tiles to complete mosaic. Tiles are most often from ceramics, with a raft glazed finished, and also same other materials which are available such as glass, marble, granites, slates and reformed ceramic slurry which is cost in a mould and fired.

       In the past 20years, the technology surrounding porcelain and glass tiles had become more efficient, allowing for mass production. Similarly the invention automated tile line that used diamond, to cut and finished stone slabs into tiles has made stone tile more available. This is in term as allowed these tiles to move from beings riche items into broader markets.

       The ceramic tile demand index has shown a growth of 55% annually for the year 2000-2005 periods. The OSAN world demand for finished granite index has shown a growth of 14% annually for the year 2000-2005 periods. Hence, OS market for ceramic is about 3billion.

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