A look at Mapei from its humble beginnings as a small company on the outskirts of Milan to its current position as a world-leading multinational specialising in adhesives and chemical products for the building industry. 65 years ago, Mapei was just a small company on the outskirts of Milan, dealing mainly in paints, plasters, and interior and exterior covering materials for large buildings, hospitals, and airports. The big change came when the company began concentrating its efforts on a specific market niche: floor installation products. This proved a very successful step and Mapei is now a multinational which has neither gone into the red nor laid off workers in all of its years in the business.