The manufacturer has invested more than PLN 200 million in pioneering technology. The pilot production line being launched, with a capacity of 6 million square meters per year, will allow the launch of new, unique products once testing is complete and all innovations are fully implemented. It will also reduce the need for raw materials, water and energy, raise production economics and reduce environmental impact.
In January,a line dedicated to the production of large-format ceramic tiles in stoneware technology using soft deficiencies created at the product forming stage and enabling the production of deep structure in the product was launched. The project is being implemented in cooperation with a scientific unit - the Department of Materials Engineering and Ceramics at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, under an agreement with the National Research and Development Center.
© Cerrad
The project required in-depth research and development work on, first and foremost, the development of optimal mix composition parameters. New, groundbreaking process solutions were developed, allowing the entire soft waste generated at the product forming stage to be turned back and then used to produce full-value, maintaining high physical, chemical and strength parameters large-format ceramic tiles, including tiles with an unprecedented depth of structure (even up to 3 mm) for this group of raw material on the market.
Such an important project for us is a response to global climate change and growing market demand for high-quality ceramic tiles while taking into account the environmentally friendly nature of the technology. Raising the innovative potential of our enterprise will not only allow us to gain a technological and product advantage, increasing our production capacity from 20 million to 25 million per year. Thanks to the expansion of the plant, more than 120 new jobs will be created, which is a huge added value for our region and for Starachowice itself," says Paweł Bąk, CEO of the Cerrad Group.
© Cerrad
Cerrad for the construction of the line received funding from the European Union under the Operational Program Intelligent Development - "Fast Track" competition for the amount of PLN 49,363,317.43. The total value of the project exceeded PLN 200,000,000.00.
Proof of Cerrad's focus on innovation and the development of its product range, but at the same time being a socially responsible enterprise, are other Cerrad projects.
We are in the process of implementing several investment projects with a total value exceeding PLN 530 million, most of which are subsidized by public funds. The projects in question have been recognized by such institutions and entrepreneurial support instruments as the National Research and Development Center, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the Ministry of Technology and Development under the Polish Investment Zone program, mainly because they are innovative, environmentally friendly and provide new jobs," says Robert Cholewinski, EU Projects Manager at Cerrad.
The company's plans include many more investments, each of which is aimed at implementing new technologies in the production of ceramic tiles, while having a positive impact on the environment. Hopefully, the situation related to the current extremely difficult political situation in Ukraine and its impact on the functioning of every industry will allow the manufacturer to continue the chosen strategy.
See how the new line looks :
For more information, visit the company's CERRAD Sp. z o.o. page on the A&B portal.
