But this was not the only factor that accounted for the growth in consumption. Development of dry-set mortars made the cost of ceramic installations much less expensive -- not only from a material standpoint but also because the mortars allowed for faster installation. No longer were depressed slabs needed to allow for thick-bed installations.
At that point in time, the modes of tile distribution were also changing. The hundreds of foreign manufacturers then entering the U.S. marketplace needed warehousing and distribution channels. The direct method of manufacturer to tile contractor could not work in these cases. In my opinion, these three developments accelerated the tremendous growth of ceramic tile.