All eyes turn to Ceramitec 2012: The meeting place for the heavy clay industry
Ceramitec 2009 was affected by the global financial and economic crisis, which also badly hit the heavy clay industry and its suppliers. Now the industry is eagerly looking forward to the next Ceramitec, which is taking place from 22 to 25 May 2012. The new slogan „Technologies – Innovations – Materials“ captures the entire spectrum of the industry, from classic ceramics, raw materials and powder metallurgy through to technical ceramics. The plant manufacturers for heavy clay ceramics will be showcasing new, more efficient plant and machinery, while raw material suppliers will be displaying to visitors their products and innovative integrated solutions. Research institutes will also present their visions for the factories of the future.
Wide-ranging efforts to save energy will be an ever more important aspect of the heavy clay industry over the next decade. Machinery and plant manufacturers have developed solutions for increasingly energy-efficient production over the past few years and their machines have been optimized, sometimes down to the last detail.
Now the industry is facing the challenge of achieving a further significant reduction in its energy demand for production over the next few years, and this will require some fundamental changes in the production process. Plant manufacturers have implemented their initial ideas for this, such as low-energy drying and decoupling of dryer and furnace.
In addition to reducing energy consumption for manufacturing the product, the industry is focusing on developing higher-quality and more innovative products that can be used to build energy-efficient and sustainable buildings.
In the heavy clay sector, European brick and block manufacturers have been investing in production plants for core-insulated blocks over the past few years, starting with the German market. These innovative products can further improve heat insulation for buildings and, with regard to energy-efficient construction, such products are also of interest to Mediterranean countries with their high energy requirements for air conditioning. Many exhibitors are also presenting various solutions in order to establish and increase a market share for these products.
Suppliers of raw materials and additives are also contributing to making production safer, more effective and more cost-effective with new products and new developments. This might take the form of ingenious raw material compounds that enable a quicker drying or firing process, or additives that allow the use of more difficult raw materials. The use of ready-mixed compounds in just-in-time production can mean savings in material flow, storage and preparation capacities in the heavy clay factory.
Traditionally the heavy clay industry has done very well in Munich at Ceramitec. This is seen also in the fact that once again, as at the past few events, well-known key players will be exhibiting in this segment of the fair.
