A comprehensive order for the Hammanskraal site. Ability to revolutionize the technological approach with the raw materials currently used by the customer proves to be strategic. Mr. Tshepo Molefakgotla, CEO of the Ceramic Industries group, states: “We’ve decided to maximize our advantage by investing in world-class technology”.
SAMCA (Ceramic Industries Group) has joined forces with SACMI to build the most advanced slab and sub-size plant in the world. Based in Hammanskraal, in the North of Gauteng province, this ultra-modern facility is built around the new Continua+ 2180, the SACMI forming technology that provides unrivalled productivity and versatility.
“Our investment approach is decidedly a long-term one”, explains Mr. Tshepo Molefakgotla. “We’ve sought to maximize our advantage by investing in the best ceramic manufacturing technologies available”.
With five tile factories and two sanitaryware plants, plus offices in South Africa and Australia, the Ceramic Industries Group has decided to equip the new SAMCA factory with a full array of SACMI solutions. These include, alongside the Continua+, a new 241-meter, energy-efficient SACMI kiln and sorting lines. The result: a ground-breaking, automated production plant, the first in South Africa to install this type of technology.
A manufacturer of red-body items, until now processed on traditional presses, SAMCA’s installation of the Continua+ 2180 has led to record productivity (9 linear meters per minute on an 1800 mm front), with a sharp focus on thin sub-sizes (5 mm thick). Moreover, the plant has the lowest energy consumption on the market (0.04 kWh per m2).
“Compared to traditional pressing”, continues Mr. Molefakgotla, “SACMI Continua+ makes it possible to revolutionize our approach to production in terms of versatility. This is largely thanks to on-machine cutting solutions and the sheer number of products it can produce”.
Yet that’s not all. “One of the key advantages”, explains the CEO of Ceramic Industries, “is that we can significantly innovate the process while continuing to use our traditional raw materials”.
With the SACMI Ceramic Lab team providing support at every stage, the project began, in fact, with characterization of the raw materials, supplied directly by the customer. Product quality tests were also performed, with better-than-expected results “especially in terms of density and bending strength”.
“Our company is, then, focusing on cutting-edge technology. In fact, this is the first solution of its kind to be installed in South Africa”, concludes Mr. Tshepo Molefakgotla. “What’s more, I’d like to highlight how effectively our teams have worked together, a factor that ensured we achieved our goals in full”.