17-12-2012, 01:26 PM
CERAMIC GLAZED TILE MANUFACTURING UNIT
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INTRODUCTION
Ceramic glazed tiles are mixtures of clay, quartz, feldspar and other natural materials that are shaped into slabs and fired at a high temperature of about 1200’ C. The existing market size of the Ceramic glazed tile industry in India is estimated 8 lakh tones, valued at Rs. 1600 Cr. It is showing a growth rate of 10 – 12% per annum. Over the years, the industry has witnessed a surge in demand, largely attributed to the increased awareness about the hygiene factor coupled with a greater emphasis laid on ambience.
MARKET POTENTIAL
The North-East market for the Ceramic glazed tiles is estimated at 19000 MT per annum valued at Rs. 35 – 40
Cr. The market in this region is growing at a healthy growth rate of 15-20% per annum. Moreover, the favorable Government policies such as availability of low interest rate housing loans, higher emphasis on infrastructure development, tourism, etc. augurs a promising future for the industry in the region. These measures would give a boost to the construction sector, one of the key demand drivers of the industry and hence would provide a fillip to the consumption of glazed tiles.
Within the glazed tiles, the wall tile segment has a higher market share over the floor tiles. However, the latter has shown promising growth trends (15-20%) over the past few years. This is largely on account of floor tiles being preferred over the other substitutes, especially mosaic tiles.
Presently there are no manufacturing units for Ceramic glazed tiles in the North-East region. Consequently, the existing market demand is largely catered to by the manufacturing units located in other parts of the country. Hence, there exists a prima facie need to set up a manufacturing unit in this region.
Moreover, a recent study carried out by Regional Research Laboratory, Jorhat (Assam) in collaboration with the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) suggests that there exist ample reserves of one of the key raw materials i.e. Kaolin (China Clay) in Meghalaya. Thus the existing scenario presents excellent opportunities for the entrepreneurs to set up manufacturing units for the Ceramic Glazed tiles in the region.
PLANT CAPACITY AND PRODUCTION TARGETS
The proposed Ceramic glazed tile manufacturing unit would have a rated capacity of 9000 MT p.a. on a 3- shift basis. The unit would operate on a 2-shift basis with a total production of 6000 MT p.a. (Capacity utilization –67%) for the first three years. Given the existing demand supply gap in the region coupled with the cost competitiveness (largely due to the savings on the freight cost) of the product manufactured by the proposed manufacturing unit vis-à-vis finished good procured from unit located elsewhere, it is assumed that the unit would be able to acquire 25 – 30% market share in the North- East region in the first 3 years of its operation.
Therefore, the unit would operate at its rated capacity on a 3- shift basis as in due course of time; it would explore the possibility of supplying the products to the other adjoining regions of the country as well. Besides, it would also enable the unit to achieve economies of scale, given the high investment involved in the plant
and machinery.
The project envisages manufacture of Ceramic glazed tiles (Wall as well as Floor tiles). The manufacturing unit would utilize the key raw materials viz. China Clay, Quartz, Feldspar, etc available in abundance in Meghalaya and adjoining North-Eastern states such as Assam, etc. Besides it would procure raw materials from other states viz. Rajasthan, Gujarat, etc.
Glaze application
A glaze is a special glassy substance chemically formulated to adhere to the surface of the clay of fused into the body when fired. Glaze essentially comprises silica (glass forming element), flux (aids the melting of the glaze) and alumina (provides stability). In addition various minerals, oxides and chemical compounds are added for colour and shade. The common oxides added are Titanium, Iron, Copper and Cobalt oxide. The glaze can be applied by several methods. Spraying of glaze on tile is a conventional method of application. Besides, the other methods which are increasingly being adopted includes Screen printing and roll printing.
Firing
It is the last step wherein the clay is fired in a kiln to form a hard tile. The firing temperature for decorative wall tiles is usually lower than that of floor tiles. The kilns used for this process are of two types – periodic (also known as Batch) and Continuous. In a batch kiln the material to be fired is placed inside a kiln and the heat is applied to the kiln. After the desired temperature is reached, the tile is removed.
On other hand in case of continuous/Tunnel kilns, the bodies to be fired pass through the tunnel on cars, belts or sliding slabs. The tile bodies, in the process of entering from one end and leaving from the other end, get fired. The entrance and exit temperature is only a few degrees above the room temperature while it is at the peak at the centre of the tunnel. The fast fire kiln, which uses ceramic rollers, is another kind of continuous kiln, used specially for single firing technology and where the firing cycle duration is drastically reduced.
There are basically two types of firing technology used in the Ceramic tile industry – Single firing (Monocottura) and Double Firing (Bicottura). In case of Monocottura, a relatively recent technique developed provides considerable energy savings in kilns. Here the body of the tile and the glaze undergo a single firing
in an extremely high temperature. The resulting tiles have a higher mechanical resistance and a greater body glaze adhesion than the double fired tiles although there exists less flexibility in decorating possibilities.
Storage –
After firing, the tiles is allowed to cool to room temperature, stacked on pallets and taken to the sorting area where it is separated by shade and grade. In the past, the inspection was largely done manually, however, automatic tile inspection machines are now increasingly being used across the world by the large manufactures.