Tecna People | Mirco Corbelli, direttore commerciale LB Officine Meccaniche S.p.A.

LB has always been a reference point in the design and construction of plants for the treatment of powders in the ceramic sector and other sectors. It is the head of a group that also includes the Sermat and Barcom companies, the historical brand Sitec, which operates on a full-service basis and builds plants for the treatment of raw materials all over the world and in many different sectors.

What are the main market trends in terms of technology and which of these are you devoting most attention to?

We have seen that our customers are mainly focused on two issues. Sustainability, an area in which LB remains committed to research and development and is continuing to promote HYBRID technology for porcelain body production based on dry milling and micro-granulation. This new technology revolutionises the traditional concept of dry milling and produces a granulate that is very similar or even identical to the product normally used in the forming process. It reduces the consumption of natural gas for heat generation by about 60% and eliminates the use of water during the milling process. Although water consumption is not a major economic factor for companies, it does have a significant impact on the environment, which today more than ever needs to be protected.

Through-body aesthetic effects, which add value to finished products. For this purpose, LB is offering its new NATURAE Kit for handling, mixing and depositing spray-dried powders, special materials and flakes for the production of slabs with through-body effects. The kit works in conjunction with the tried and tested FREESTILE dry colouring technology. This solution is capable of creating controlled or random just-in-time shades and effects, resulting in unique and highly textured tiles that are clearly differentiated from those produced using other technologies. Finally, the new LB MY PLUS management software allows for rapid and controlled creation of product recipes from digital graphics or, if preferred, free creations

Which geographical area has been most active in recent months?

Global markets are seeing a fairly marked and widespread contraction without any geographical area being more active than the others. Nonetheless, we have observed widespread interest across a number of market areas – and amongst some customers in particular – in investing in both new and established technologies that bring added value to finished products.

What are your expectations for Tecna 2024?

We are expecting to see similar numbers of visitors to Tecna 2022, which for LB was one of the most successful editions of the show in recent years. This level of attendance would be a positive sign for the industry as a whole and confirm that LB has been following the right development trajectory in recent years.