Sacmi supplies digital systems to Belarus and Serbia

At the beginning of 2013, the Beryoza, Belarus-based ceramic tile manufacturer JSC Beryozastroymaterialy launched an investment programme aimed at improving product quality, introducing new designs, optimising logistics and the use of materials, and cutting waste. A key aspect of this programme was the decision to focus on the opportunities offered by digital decoration and to adopt the Colora HD2 system from Intesa, the Sacmi Group member company specialising in solutions for digital printing and glazing of ceramic tiles.

Equipped with 5 colour bars, each with 7 printheads, Colora HD2 can print any type of pattern at speeds of up to 48 m/min. With an effective printing width of up to 488 mm, the machine is also suitable for large sizes and complex designs. This new machine was successfully installed and started up on one of the company's single-firing lines, which produces 1.5 million square metres of 40x40 cm and 30x30 cm tiles per year. Owned by the Ministry of Agricultural Building, the Belarusian company has thus completed another strategic stage of its investment plans, reaching a total output (including the double firing and third firing departments) of more than 10 million square metres a year.

Digital decoration from Intesa-Sacmi has also been adopted in Serbia by tile producer Kanjiza (output 3 million sq.m per year and a market share of 25%), which has installed a new Colora HD2 706 digital decorating machine with the aim of further improving and expanding its product range.

In operation since March, the machine has 4 colour bars, each with 7 printheads, and is installed on one of the company's two single-fired floor tile production lines, which now produces 1.5 million square metres of 30x30 cm and 40x40 cm size tiles a year.

Another component of the supply package is Crono, the innovative colour management system developed by Intesa's Imaging Division and the most comprehensive solution for colour management in ceramic sector digital printing processes. Designed to be integrated with the Colora HD2 digital decorating machine and the Colorscan plotter, the Crono brings a high degree of autonomy and flexibility to the manufacturing process. Kanjiza's newly launched products were greeted with widespread acclaim at the latest edition of the Belgrade building show held in April, where the company won first prize in the "best new product" category.