An industry going through a period of far-reaching change. An industry in need of reorganisation - much of which was begun in 2009 as a response to the troubled economic situation – but also one that needs, above all, investment, technological innovation and process automation. All fields in which a world leader such as Sacmi has played a key role for many years by developing cutting-edge solutions that are always in step with changing market needs.
It is against this backdrop, then, that the 8th conference on technological trends in the sanitaryware industry is to be held at 10 a.m. on Monday 27th September at Sacmi Imola. As in previous years the purpose of the event is to bring participants up to speed on how production scenarios have evolved at global level and also provide up-to-date information on the parallel evolution of production processes, from processing of raw materials to water and energy-saving requirements, from new drying technologies to developments in the design field.
The working day will include talks from key figures in the industry. Andy Skillen, editor of Asian Ceramics, will introduce the different speeches starting with an overview of the market situation presented by Dominic Morris – Research Manager – Ceramics of Bowhead Media Ltd (GB). Mathieu Parfait, marketing development manager of French firm Imerys, will be talking about challenges on the body preparation front. Then, Carlo Martino, researcher with the ITACA (arts, design and new technology) department of the La Sapienza university in Rome will speak about design, a key aspect for the future of the industry in general and for making the most of the ‘Made in Italy’ factor. To bring the day to a close there will be three talks on subjects vital to the recovery and growth of the industry: the reduction of water consumption in the production process (Peter Hancock, project manager at the British Ceram Research), developments in drying (George W. Scherer, lecturer in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Princeton, USA) and, lastly, Khater Massaad of Rak Ceramics will take the stand to deal with the tricky issue of “remaining an independent group in a world of multinationals”.
All visitors will be able to enjoy a guided tour of the Sacmi laboratory. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the Whiteware Division’s research staff and get a first look at the latest products to be added to Sacmi’s sanitaryware machine and plant range. For the occasion there will also be demonstrations of high pressure casting, a technology that is steadily gaining ground among producers and in which Sacmi leads the world.