Novaref makes new investments

The refractory roller manufacturer aims to increase its production capacity while further improving the quality of its top performing products.

Novaref, a Verona-based manufacturer of refractory rollers for the ceramic industry, is pushing ahead with its investment programme. The projects planned for 2023 are aimed at increasing production capacity (already more than 500,000 large rollers per year) and further improving the efficiency of the production department following the start-up in the last two years of a new fully automated extrusion plant which has brought an improvement in terms of roller linearity.

This year’s first investment was completed in June and involved the installation of a new roller slotting and turning centre, which will allow for even higher precision machining with shorter cycle times. An integrated station will allow for the production of corrective rollers of any length and taper for correcting the misalignment of tiles as they proceed through the kiln firing zone.

A kiln revamp will also be completed by next autumn, involving modification of the combustion system and a consequent increase in thermal output allowing for high temperatures and improved temperature control. This is expected to lead to an increased output of high-end rollers, which guarantee consistent product quality over time thanks to their high technical performance.

Novaref’s investment programme is set to continue over the next few years. Projects under consideration include expansion of the control and cutting department and reorganisation of the end-of-line plant layout to improve production efficiency.

Novaref has been operating in major international markets since 1987 and has a particularly strong presence in Italy, Spain and the Americas where its high-performance rollers are used by leading ceramic tile and slab manufacturers.