In the last few years the Algerian Ceram Divindus Group has made investments for 30 million euro in SACMI machines and technology. At the production unit based in Tenes, one of the three sanitaryware production units of Ceram Divindus, the Group has heavily invested in an ambitious project for the extension and renovation of the plant.
The first department to be completed and started up is the new body and glaze preparation plant consisting of a complete batching and weighing, infeed and preparation line for one million pieces per year, of which 675 thousand pieces are made in vitreous china and 325 thousand in fine fire clay.
Process control and automation are the outstanding features of the plant (which is able to process 122 tons of body per day and almost 14 tons of glaze) with the objective of updating the production process upstream of the modern casting systems.
The distinguishing characteristics of the line are constancy and repeatability of the production process alongside increased production capacity. Downstream from the preparation machines is the brand new SACMI pressure casting system, also started up and commissioned with success and configured for the production of closed rim WCs with two SACMI AVE040 cells each handling 4 moulds. Next to this is the ALS150 Rotation machine for the production of tanks, lids and pedestals (a total of 12 moulds), with automatic piece demoulding, and two further ALS cells for the production of washbasins (ALS150, 12 moulds), small washbasins and oriental toilets (ALS150L, 9 moulds), equipped with zero-weight device to assist the operator during demoulding operations. Finally, kitchen sinks and shower trays, produced with three ADS150M machines (2 for washbasins having 8 moulds each and one for shower trays with 6 moulds), all equipped with demoulding robot.
Thanks to the complete new line, the factory at Tenes now produces more than 20 new models of various types. Added value is provided by the automatic lines for cast piece storage which optimize the process of piece hardening at ambient temperature, reducing the risks and inefficiency of manual handling operations. The 8 SACMI machines for pressure casting with high level of automation together with the 21 complete new modelling developments have enabled the Tenes plant to reach two objectives ; one to modernize production in terms of quality and expansion of the product range and the other to reduce costs thanks to increased efficiency and minimization of rejects.
The last step in the SACMI technology investment plan, begun at Tenes in 2014, has been the recent start-up and commissioning of 5 new robotized glazing lines, alongside the manual glazing booths. Designed for glazing of the entire vitreous china and fine fire clay production line, the lines are all equipped with a dry filtration system which allows for the recovery of excess glaze powder. In particular, one line is dedicated to the “flame” technique, a typical effect produced for kitchen sinks, while the manual booths are dedicated to glazing with special colours. Glazing of the WC siphons is carried out in semi-automatic stations with spraying and glaze application controlled by a “mass control” system to guarantee constant quantity of the glaze applied. Like many other customers, Ceram Divindus too has chosen the SACMI-Gaiotto GDA 80 for its glazing cells; the new spray-gun without needle to eliminate maintenance costs and increase the quality of the process.
Thanks to its partnership with SACMI, the factory at Tenes is today the most modern and advanced plant in Algeria for the production of ceramic sanitaryware. The high technology content and high level of automation of the plants will enable the company, not just to strengthen its position as leader on the home market but also to steer its products towards export.