From Castellón to Brazil: Innova Group's New Installation in São Paulo

Nova Porcelanato, a major ceramic company based in Brazil, has decided to modernize and automate its ceramic end-of-line process by utilizing the technology provided by Innova Group. To ensure the safety of their ceramic loads, Innova proposed a complete packaging line equipped with advanced securing and protection systems.

 

The new packaging line was inaugurated in late 2022 at Nova Porcelanato's factory in Santa Gertrudes, São Paulo, one of the largest ceramic hubs in Brazil and South America. The plant covers 288,000 square meters and has modernized, automated industrial facilities equipped with the latest technology and Industry 4.0 capabilities. It can produce up to 1,300,000 square meters of tiles per month. With this new installation, Innova's packaging line also contributes to the modernization project by providing advanced packaging technology for pallet protection.

 

The project and installation by Innova Group at Nova Porcelanato were carried out in collaboration with our technological partner in Brazil, Servitech, responsible for offering support and spare parts services to all our customers in the Brazilian market.

 

Nova Porcelanato's Automation Project

 

Nova Porcelanato approached us with the need to fully automate its final packaging process while complying with safety regulations such as NR12. They were using semi-automatic wrapping systems to protect their loads and manually applied metal securing systems, but they required automated packaging solutions that could offer greater protection.

 

The packaging line installed at Nova Porcelanato was designed with the complete protection of the tiles from their Damme and Helena brands in mind. Therefore, the combination of an automatic wrapper, pallet strapping systems for enhanced securing, and Stretch Hood wrapping for total load protection was chosen. The combination of these three systems (strapping, wrapping, and Stretch Hood) is a common formula in Innova Group's ceramic packaging lines, present in ceramic production centers in Spain and Mexico.

 

Nova Porcelanato's Packaging Line

The end-of-line system installed at Nova Porcelanato includes the following systems:

 

- Automatic Ring Wrapper System: First, the ceramic pallet is wrapped with the ring wrapper to compact and secure the load. This type of wrapping, using a rotating ring, provides all-around support and is gentle on ceramic products. It also serves the dual purpose of protecting the pallet from the subsequent strapping application, preventing damage to the boxes due to strapping tension.

 

- Horizontal Strapping System: The automatic horizontal strapper is used to compress the ceramic box loads into a block. It includes a compacting system that aligns the load before applying the strapping from the sides. In the case of Nova Porcelanato's line, strapping is used to provide greater security and stability during load handling and transport.

 

- Vertical Strapping System: Next, the load passes through the vertical strapping system, which is used to secure the load to its base, the pallet. This type of strapping offers greater fixation during transport and prevents movement or sliding of the ceramic boxes.

 

- Stretch Hood System: Finally, the last station in the line is the Stretch Hood wrapping, which protects the load using a stretchable film that conforms to the shape of the load. The Stretch Hood system is the most protective packaging system, using a highly technical multi-layer composition of high-density polyethylene (MLLDPE) film. This Stretch Hood film offers high stretchability, puncture resistance, and tear resistance, and includes barrier layers against external factors such as water, dust, UV rays, etc. Thanks to the film and the type of wrapping, the ceramic pallet is fully protected for outdoor storage or transportation.

 

- Conveyor Line: The line is integrated with an entry conveyor line featuring a pallet centering system to ensure precise packaging, as well as exit conveyors and pallet accumulation for already packaged loads. The transport line is equipped to accommodate both forklifts and autonomous vehicles (AGVs).

 

Results and Future for Nova Porcelanato

The automation project not only met Nova Porcelanato's modernization and safety requirements but also significantly improved the safety of its ceramic products during transport and storage. With these technological advances, Nova Porcelanato is well-positioned to meet the future demands of the ceramic industry and continue offering high-quality products to its customers.

 

In collaboration with Innova Group and its technological partner in Brazil, Servitech, Nova Porcelanato has taken a step forward in its commitment to maintaining a leading position in the ceramic industry, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality and efficiency in its final packaging process. They have shown their satisfaction and trust in this project and future line update projects.

 

For Innova Group, "Collaborating with a top-notch ceramic company like Nova Porcelanato and fulfilling their packaging needs is a great opportunity for us to showcase our skills and expertise. We are committed to meeting their requirements and delivering the best possible results".