SITI B&T Group: Brazil’s first Supera® line set to begin operation

The Formigine-based group’s flagship technology for on-belt porcelain slab pressing will be installed at the Fragnani Group’s Tecnogres plant.

SITI B&T Group is installing its Supera^® technology for the first time in Brazil after receiving an order from the Fragnani Group, Brazil’s second largest tile manufacturer with an installed capacity of 79 million sqm in 2020 at its three plants Incefra, Incenor and Tecnogres (see CWR 143/2021).

As part of an extensive technological upgrade, the Tecnogres production site will be equipped with a Supera^® line capable of processing slabs up to 1600x3200 mm in size and sub-sizes cut prior to firing with thicknesses from 6 to 20 mm.

Supera^® is the exclusive on-belt mouldless pressing technology developed for maximum flexibility and versatility in terms of product size and thickness. It entirely eliminates the need for moulds and has the main objective ofeliminating unfired waste.

One of the main features of this 30,000 tonne press is its production capacity of up to 500,000 square metres per month. Along with cost benefits, this high level of productivity also reduces energy consumption during the machining process by up to 30% thanks to the patented Start&Stop system.

Another major advantage is the pressing system using a resin pad with high hardness and durability, allowing for the production of textured products and surface reliefs with high definition and depth. In addition to the outstanding results in terms of quality, this system reduces production costs by eliminating the need to purchase belts that are subject to high levels of wear.

In terms of raw materials, the patented Supera^® mouldless pressing system stands out for its ability to adapt to different types of ceramic bodies. It can use locally sourced raw materials that do not necessarily have a high degree of plasticity or moisture content, resulting in operating costs that are amongst the lowest in the market.

Because Supera^® ;is a modular system, no special transport solutions are required. The press commissioned by Tecnogres will be loaded and shipped disassembled directly from SITI B&T’s logistics hub in Formigine to facilitate logistics and installation, which is scheduled for early August.

Investments also made at Incenor

In another major project carried out for the Fragnani Group, SITI B&T Group is currently installing a new complete plant at the Incenor factory in Bahia. This single-firing line will have the highest level of productivity in the world with an output of 44,000 sqm/day of 68x68 cm size green tiles, corresponding to a finished tile size of 63x63 cm.

The line will also feature the Innova full digital decoration line from Projecta. With its feedrate of 60 linear metres per minute, a printing width of up to 1330 mm and the option of using 8 (6+2) different inks, the installed printer will open up new potential for digital printing on any size tile. The hardware improvements introduced on this technology allow for extremely precise machine alignment. The line also features advanced colour management, which is essential for full control of the production process, as well as the latest generation Smart Drop system which allows for perfect dot distribution by automating the print pass registration process.

SITI B&T Group also supplied the sorting and palletisation systems used by Incenor, which opted for the 100% automatic Smart Line technology. This solution does not require the presence of an operator and is extremely flexible and hybrid thanks to its ability to alternate wrap and cover type cartons. Now also available for large sizes up to 1200x1200 mm, SITI’s Smart Line flagship palletisation technology is equipped with the Tile Vision system for 24/7 flatness and calibre defect detection as well as independent stackers that can be easily disassembled without having to stop production.

High expectations for the Brazilian market

“2022 will be an outstanding year for our Group in Brazil,” said SITI B&T Group’s CEO Fabio Tarozzi. Last year the group opened its second Brazilian subsidiary in Santa Gertrudes to complement the operations of its existing production site in Mogi Guaçu. “We are now reaping the benefits of this investment and working closely with leading names in the Brazilian ceramic industry, offering them a comprehensive portfolio of technological solutions together with an efficient and responsive service,” adds Tarozzi.

In addition to the two orders for the Fragnani Group (which also recently started up the grinding and sorting lines in the Incefra factory), in recent months SITI B&T Group has also collaborated with Ceramica Almeida and Incepa (Lamosa Group). Ceramica Almeida started up a complete plant with a capacity of 20,000 sqm/day of lapped porcelain tiles in sizes up to 120x120 cm, while Incepa installed a complete SITI B&T line for small sizes. In both cases, the lines included Projecta digital printers, SITI B&T Smart Line sorting lines and Ancora grinding or lapping machines.

The two subsidiaries have contributed to the Italian group’s growth in Brazil by providing an effective and flexible customer service based on rapid technical support and premium supplies of spare parts and grinding and lapping tools, as well as local production of kilns and dryers.