The investment for a new tunnel kiln, designed to achieve an output of a million pieces per year, completes the project to expand production at the Chongqing plant.
Duravit China installs a new Riedhammer tunnel kiln, completing its expansion plan to double production output at its Chongqing plant. Put into action in 2023, this plan has been applied to all production stages from slip preparation to casting, from robotized glazing to handling.
The new Riedhammer kiln, model TWS 135/360/90-G, is 135 metres long - with 3600 mm width and 900 mm useful loading height – and is conceived for production outputs of more than 86 tons per day (approx. 3 thousand pieces). On an annual basis, the increased production reaches a million pieces, thus completing the planned expansion.
As with all the latest generation Riedhammer solutions, the kiln is designed to maximize performances also from the point of view of energy consumption. This is done with the help of recycling systems, such as the exclusive EMS (energy management system) for pre-heating combustion air to 200 °C, and the air-water heat exchanger which uses excess hot air to produce hot water destined for other uses.
There are several other special features useful to improve the energy balance of the kiln and the factory. Among these are the fans provided with frequency converters, the exclusive “pulse firing” system in the pre-heating zone, and the system for recovering excess hot air from the kiln and re-directing it to the drier, which can therefore operate on a totally «zero fuel» basis.
Next to the new kiln, Duravit has recently started up new glazing lines as well. All stages of the process are automated, and handling operations are carried out by LGV. As they leave the glazing lines the pieces are loaded onto a conveyor belt and transferred to the kiln where the operator proceeds with car loading operations for a total of 109 cars per day.
With completion of this final stage of the expansion project, SACMI reaffirms its valued partnership with Duravit, multinational manufacturer of quality design sanitaryware, with whom it has carried out projects at all the Group’s main production plants around the world. In particular, this latest supply was a significant contribution to further improving the Chinese factory, already renowned around the globe for its high level of automation and 4.0 management of sanitaryware production flows.