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The etymological root of the Latin verb ‘producere’ means ‘to bring out, to bring to light’.

Production is therefore a kind of birth, and like all new life, it holds within it a magical element that cannot be explained by the rules of mechanics, however futuristic they may be. 

The magical act of transformation from raw material to finished product stems from the skill of hard-working hands, from the responsibility and passion for their work held by creators and craftspeople who bring to light something that does not yet exist.

Something that, after the night’s well-deserved rest, smells of glue and dust and sets the day in motion more than coffee: it sets the rhythm, giving us the certainty that we are in the right place.

Those who know this smell give a different meaning to the word ‘work’: the intimate, secret pact between those who make and those who choose a product.

Between saying and doing

Everything, before it comes into being, has its primordial beginning: the idea, the starting point from which to create. For it to take shape and form – and thus become a product as it is brought to light – a ‘sea’ is needed.

Just as the saying goes: between saying and doing lies an entire sea, and perhaps more. Often, the vastness required to translate ideas expressed only in words into tangible objects coincides with the entirety of people’s experience, both professional and personal.

The story of a panel is an industrial process that would have neither life nor substance were it not for the sea that is the human being with their stubborn industriousness. At every stage of production, from the arrival of raw materials through to storage and delivery, there is an element that cannot be replaced by any software: the presence, wisdom and craftsmanship of people.

The operations of a manufacturing industry are often described in terms of data, and the space given to terms such as Responsibility and Quality is not always imbued with the concept of shared involvement. The product is perceived simply as a quantifiable object, and human intervention is seen more as a risk to be avoided than a talent to be harnessed.

Numbers only acquire value when they meet the experience of those who work; technological efficiency is only half the story. The other half lies in the expertise shared across departments. It is this continuous collaboration between people, and between machines and people, that transforms the sum of individual panels into the installation of a finished floor.

The profound meaning of what one is part of is the same that allows a craftsman to elevate mass production to something unique, thanks to his personal contribution. This is Responsibility; this is Quality.

Talent

The widespread notion that talent is unnecessary in production contexts, that it is enough to follow a process or replicate a gesture to achieve efficiency, is a limiting prejudice.

Talent is democratic; it appears everywhere, when you least expect it. Like an uninvited guest at a Christmas dinner, for whom one nevertheless gladly makes room at the table. Talent is not the exclusive preserve of those who hold a role, nor is it merely an accessory for those who do not. Talent serves no one; talent simply is.

It manifests itself in the simplicity of – as already mentioned – doing, in contributing, in proposing, in improving what already exists and, of course, in creating something that has not yet taken shape.

Our talent is cultivated through learning (and making mistakes) and is amplified through daily interaction and the sharing of experience. Training means refining the ability to ‘read’ the material and to trust one’s own intuition, and that of the team. Every innovation in the process can arise anywhere and from anyone; often it is merely an initial insight or a misstep to be improved upon.

The satisfaction—tangible and composed—of seeing a panel come to life before one’s eyes is the prestige of the work, the pride of those who know that piece holds an added value that no technology could replicate on its own.

The gestures that embody the intelligence of talent, the brilliant observations that will become a new world, are widely distributed amongst us, though we do not always have the readiness (the time, the care) to recognise them.

When we give this collective intelligence a chance, however, what magic unfolds!

Underfoot

There is a noble paradox in producing flooring: all the attention, both artisanal and industrial, is devoted to something that, by its very nature, is destined to lie beneath our feet.

The care that goes into Nesite’s production lies in being a proud foundation and support. Decisive encounters, painful or happily unexpected moments are anchored here: we build the stage for others’ days, a mission whose value is expressed in time, stability and durability, which make every step possible.

Walking is an act of trust; we learnt that early on. But being able to do so with your head held high is another matter entirely.

Evidence of something that isn’t there | Umaneco by Nesite ©All rights reserved

Texts by Chiara Foffano – Illustrations byAriele Pirona