Since its formation in the early 1960's Zanetti and Company has grown to become one of the UK's foremost specialist flooring contractors.

In 1919, at the age of 17, Gioachino Zanetti, the father of one of the founders of the company came to England from the Fruili area of Italy.

The Zanetti family was always allied to the building industry, with Gioachino's own father who was named Sante heading a large Construction company in Buenos Aires, Argentina, until 1900. Sante died in 1910, when Gioachino was 8 years old, leaving him an orphan. He was forced to leave school at 12 year of age, after the family lost most of their money in a currency crash.

Throughout the First World War Gioachino worked in construction particularly on roads and bridges near the front line. At that difficult time the war with Austria was intense in Fruili, and life was a struggle. After 1918 Gioachino decided to travel in search of work and came to Bristol England. He initially worked laying terrazzo floors and plied his trade throughout the UK and Ireland, securing a place in the local terrazzo legend. Often at those times the work was carried out behind screens to secure the secrets of the trade.

In the early 1950's Gioachino worked for Marble Flooring Specialists Ltd (MFS) laying terrazzo in schools, hospitals and stores. His son, Sante Zanetti, our current chairman & director joined him at the age of 17 as an apprentice to the terrazzo and mosaic trade. At the age of 26, Sante decided to branch out independently and formed a Limited Company, in conjunction with some colleagues. Before long the Zanetti name became well known in its own right as companies throughout the region and eventually throughout the whole of the UK - came to associate the Zanetti name with quality terrazzo installations.

In the following years the company acquired Sante's old employer, Marble Flooring Specialists Ltd., and then later on The Bristol Marble Co. Ltd. These acquisitions enabled the company to enter into a wider field, encompassing terrazzo, mosaic, marble, granite and other stone finishes. Much like terrazzo itself the company has lasted through many changes in the building industry. Today our products and floors can be found in airports, shops and railway stations throughout the UK. It was Sante who would guide the company during the last three decades of the 20t" century.

The group had many opportunities and challenges ahead of it. Using its' Italian background and knowledge it was now able to purchase direct from the quarries and manufacturers in Italy, where specialist products are sourced. The primary value at MFS came down to good ideas and development rather than personal empires. Sante Zanetti traveled the world looking for new customers, ideas, products and innovations, introducing the latest cutting machines, products, expansion joints, and innovative materials allied to the stone industry.

He has always looked ahead, always taken care of the small things as well as the big things. Efficiency and progress have always mattered to him but it was also important to retain our friendly reliable approach to business, whilst still enjoying the day to day routine of running a forward thinking business.

Loyalty and tradition mix well and the company went from strength moving into larger and larger premises, until today it is located in a six acre site in a thriving business area of the city of Bristol.

MFS has become one of the market leaders in the supply of agglomerate and engineered stone products. MFS has supplied these products internationally, including USA, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the Seychelles, France, The Netherlands, Australia and Eire.

The next generation of this family will be pioneers in their own right with a modern and professional management, but with a distinct Zanetti family cast. Within the Zanetti family ethos, who is actually doing the managing is not the critical factor, as long as the decisions are based on inherent integrity that is the stronghold of the organisation.