A new Sacmi line for the production of large slabs will soon be installed at the ABK plant in Solignano (MO). This highly innovative line consists of the revolutionary Continua+ compaction technology and the EKO ceramic kiln, the most flexible and advanced in its category.
Following the key investments already made in 2015, “the ABK Group is continuing its investment policy into 2016”, says Alessandro Fabbri (the Group CEO), “reinforcing what has already proved to be a winning strategy and which is now allowing the Group to join an exclusive elite of ceramic slab manufacturers”.
The new Sacmi production line being supplied to ABK will be the firm’s main investment in 2016. It is expected to become operational this summer. This cutting-edge plant is fed by a Sacmi Continua+ line (the revolutionary compaction technology developed by the Sacmi Group) which overcomes the productivity limits posed by large sizes and allows for the natural variation of aesthetic effects, offering plenty of scope for customisation. Completing the system is the EKO kiln: this particular machine has the largest internal surface area ever installed in Italy and, with a 2.95 metre wide inlet and an overall length of 185 metres, is just perfect for the manufacture of the large slabs that are at the forefront of ceramic design. The kiln also features advanced technical solutions that reduce environmental impact and energy consumption: 20% lower fume volumes compared to a traditional kiln, 25% less consumption during production gaps, self-recovery burners and precise firing curve control to minimise temperature variations inside the firing chamber.
This new plant, then, has unique characteristics. It will allow for the production - from this one line – of up to 11,000 square metres of ceramic tiles per day, bringing the factory’s total daily output to over 20,000 square metres. In addition to outstanding finished product quality, ABK will also be able to count on excellent output flexibility to allow for the creation of a broad format range, from 80x80 cm up to 160x320 cm, and production within a 6 - 20 mm thickness range, so as to meet the requirements of an ever-more demanding, diverse international customer base.