 |
 |
||||||
[April 2004]
Poland Plays Well for Ceric Wistra
Ceric Thermic Wistra GmbH (Koeln, Germany) is continuing to increase its presence in the Polish ceramic industry, a market it first sold to in 1991 and one in which it is a leading manufacturer and provider of thermal equipment.
In the field of fine tableware, for instance, Ceric Wistra counts among its customers Zaklady Porcelany Stolowej Lubiana, Zaklady Porcelany Chodziez SA, Fabryka Porcelany Walbrzych and Zaklady Porcelany Cmielow.
Other major contributions to the industry include the sanitaryware manufacturer CERSAM and the electro porcelain manufacturer Zaklady Porcelany Elektrotechnicznej ZAPEL.
At present, the number of Ceric Wistra systems in operation in Poland amounts to 15 plants, including tunnel kilns for enamel and biscuit firing, intermittent kilns and a new breed of roller hearth kilns for the fast firing of enamel decoration.
Two of these units have recently been commissioned, one at Lubiana and the other at Chodziez. These kilns are 35 metres long and have a useful width of 1.1 metres and include fully automatic handling systems. The return track incorporates product loading and unloading areas for ease of operation and a reduction in labour.
The choice of a lightweight brickwork construction, together with an arch roof made of a silica-aluminate material, provides the advantage of avoiding the pollution problems encountered with the use of ceramic fibre. In addition, points out Ceric Wistra, it maintains a high level of flexibility of temperature change, either at start-up or between different firing cycles. A change of top temperature from 900B0C to 1250B0C can be achieved in 40 minutes and, if necessary, the kiln can be switched off to suit the level of production required.
The product setting arrangement comprises three support plates, at five firing levels, that allows for an effective height of 350mm. The cold/cold firing cycle is around 80 minutes, which translates into a firing capacity of 11t/24h, irrespective of the type of enamel decoration (onglaze or under-glaze).
www.ceric-wistra.com
ENDS