Cipa Gres starts up body preparation line supplied by Sacmi

Casalgrande-based tile producer Cipa Gres has started up a new plant for the production of spray-dried powder for pressed and full-body coloured porcelain.

Cipa Gres, a longstanding Italian producer of full-body porcelain tiles, has started up its new body preparation line designed and built entirely by Sacmi. In addition to the key technologies – including the mill, spray dryers and slip colouring tanks – the Imola-based group also supplied all the auxiliary equipment, including conveyor belts.

The system serves to produce coloured porcelain in more than 40 different colours and is highly versatile, particularly the modular MMC138 mill which has a three-module configuration to minimise consumption. This allows it to rapidly produce up to 40 different coloured bodies with guaranteed process quality and repeatability and optimised consumption.

With the new line, CIPA will be able to in-source the production of spray-dried powder rather than purchasing it on the market. This brings two benefits: greater versatility and control over the production process and a significant reduction in the environmental footprint of the body preparation stage.