Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

On 12 and 13 of November the "Téglás Napok”, which can be translated as Brick Day, was held in Hortobágy (Hungary).

This year “Téglás Napok” was spread across two days. The first day revolved around several conferences and presentations while the second day held a visit to the Hajdúnanás ceramics plant in Wienerberger.

A highlight of the conferences was the contribution made by Mr. Aladar Kató and Ms. Judit Duda, president and adminsitaror respectively of the MATÉSZ (Association of Hungarian Ceramists), who reinfoced the need for the creation of a ceramics cluster in Hungary.

The second day ended with a pleasant closing lunch.

AMEC is a private non-profit business association, with headquarters in Barcelona, which was founded in 1969 with the aim of promoting the export and internationalisation of its associated businesses and improving the competitiveness of their sectors.

With time, AMEC has consolidated itself as a benchmark business association, with offices in Madrid, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Tunis with more than 500 associated exporting businesses organised in 11 sector groupings.

In honour of its 40th anniversary, AMEC is holding a series of events under the slogan “AMEC, 40 years of breaking ground”, and among other initiatives it has decided to acknowledge a number of companies, including BERALMAR, for their track record. BERALMAR has been acknowledged specifically in the category of a “Company which has contributed to associative dynamism”, in an event held on 15 October in the CaixaForum auditorium in Barcelona.

Other award winners of worth of note include CUSTO BARCELONA for “best brand of 2009”, collected by Custo Dalmau, the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games for “best event”, an award collected by the then mayor of Barcelona Pasqual Maragall, and the chef Ferran Adrià “best person”, an accolade which highlights the humility and devotion to work of who is considered to be the greatest chef in the world.

Likewise, AMEC has published a book containing biographical details of the directors of well-known companies, as is the case of Ramón Sarió, Managing Director of BERALMAR TECNOLOGIC S.A.

In 2009, BERALMAR opened a new Automation Department which entails a huge qualitative leap as supplier to the ceramics industry and as a result we thought it appropriate to carrying out the following interview with its head, Cayetano Jiménez.

NEWSLETTER BERALMAR: Our readers would like to know who Cayetano Jiménez is and what experience he has in our sector.

CAYETANO JIMÉNEZ: Well, since starting in 1969 as a planner at SEVECO, manufacturer of automation systems linked to eth AGEMAC group, until now, I have accumulated 40 years of experience in the world of automation systems for the ceramics industry. I was Director of Projects at SEVECO from 1974 to 1990, a role I combined with that of Director of the Technical Office at AGEMAC from 1990 to 1998 when the AGEMAC group collapsed. Since then I have been a part of, always as Technical Director, the INGICER and PRC projects until landing at BERALMAR this year.

NB: I understand that you have managed complete line automation projects in countless countries.

CJ: Yes I have. I've been lucky enough, through the organsations in which I've worked, to carry out projects in Western Europe, the former Soviet Union, China, Noth America, Arab countries, Southeast Asia, Latin America, South Africa, Australia...

NB: Wow, wouldn't it have been quicker just to say “the whole world”?

CJ: Well, the world is very big, but it's true that I must have managed projects in over thirty countries.

NB: What does it mean for a professional with your experience to join a company such as BERALMAR?

CJ: It's very satisfying because although BERALMAR has never manufactured automation systems, it has always been a pioneering, innovative manufacturer in everything it has done. It is a top calss company which will allow me to continue my career as head of an automation systems design and manufacturing team. Moreover I believe this has been a natural step for BERALMAR as a supplier. With its experience in the fields of drying and firing, it was natural to enter the field of automation.

NB: What can you tell us with regards to your team?

CJ: It's a team that combines youth with experience. My collaborators have between 10 and 22 years of experience designing and manufacturing automation systems and as a result they have acquired a certain maturity in this field while still having a long way to go.

NB: The arrival of your team at BERALMAR signifies an important increase in know-how. What are we talking about? What distingusihes BERALMAR's new automation systems offering?

CJ: On the one hand I would say that it is now a complete offering. We have experience in any solution for any part type: cutters, loading and unloading of any type of dryer, different truck stacking and destacking solutions, packaging, robotics applications, transport etc. You can say that there is no need which we can't cover.

NB: Now you just need the orders to arrive

CJ: Well, BERALMAR already sold automation systems before we got on board, as part of their supply of complete plants. The difference is that now with the new Automation Department its propietary technology designed and manufactured by BERALMAR like the rest of the drying and firing equipment. In this sense we have joined a company with a very active organisation which was already immersed in different projects and after a necessary integration and coordination period with the other departments we are lucky enough to already be busy with certain projects.

NB: Long may it last!

CJ: Touch wood. It must be said that our integration has been easy for two reasons. On the one hand I already knew Artur Massaguer (BERALMAR's Technical Director) very well from my time at AGEMAC, as well as other professionals in the company. In addition, we have encountered an extraordinary working environment at BERALMAR and we have been made to feel very welcome both by Management and by our new colleagues in the other departments. In this sense I would like to take advantage of the interview to say thanks publicly on behalf of all my team.

BERALMAR has just commissioned new new tunnel kiln for the MÁLYI TÉGLA ceramics plant in Mályi (Hungary).

It is a PRESTHERMIC tunnel kiln which is characterised by its welded plate which along with its structural design, give it airtight properties resulting in low energy consumption compared to traditional tunnel kilns.

The new tunnel kiln at MÁLYI TÉGLA, which is 85 metres long and 4.70 metres wide, has a production capacity of 350 tonnes/day for different thermoblock formats. The kiln is completely automated and is equipped with vertical and lateral gas combustion equipment and MICROBER automatic control of the firing process.

One of the most spectacular aspects of the installation is its location: the new kiln has been constructed in an industrial warehouse with few possibilities and severe size limitations which has made the planning of the project very difficult and which adds to the value of the final result.