State-of-the-art automatic packaging line at Pamesa Group’s Geotiles plant

Grupo Pamesa had it clear that they required the best protection for their ceramic loads. So when they opened their new Geotiles factory, they decided to rely again on Innova’s automatic packaging line for its advantages in protection and load securing. This project was designed with the latest automatic packaging technologies to meet the high production of the new plant.

The installation of Innova’s complete packaging line went into full production in early 2020 at the Geotiles factory, recently acquired by the company and located in the municipality of Vila-Real (one of the most important ceramic hubs in Spain). With this installation, Grupo Pamesa, a world leader in the sector, has once again chosen Innova as its partner in packaging solutions, as it has been doing for the last decade in many of its ceramic installations.

The goal of Geotiles: maximum protection for their ceramic tiles

The production of Geotiles is used to service several brands of the Pamesa Group, with very different formats and sizes, including large formats. Therefore, the packaging line required for Geotiles had to adapt to the different pallet and load formats and prioritize the safety and protection of the loads.

Innova Group offered Pamesa a packaging line project with the best automatic packaging systems to achieve this goal: Horizontal Strapping Machine, automatic stretch wrapper and Stretch Hood wrapping, a combination of line used in other recent installations with Innova as was the case of Tau Cerámica.

The Pro line of packaging for Geotiles

The automatic packaging line installed at Geotiles was one of the most complete in the sector, with the capacity to meet the group’s high production. Thus, the route of the installed line consisted of:

• Infeed conveyor line: The conveyor line is adapted for pallet access by AGV and/or forklift.

• Horizontal Strapping Machine with Edge Protector Applicator: The next station was our renewed version of the horizontal strapping machine with the edge protector applicator that serves to protect the ceramic loads from the pressure of the strap. In addition, the automatic strapping machine is equipped with an intelligent strapping head of our own manufacture that allows us to optimize and customize the application of the strap to the maximum. This type of horizontal strapping machine is used to compact the load in a single block, offering greater stability during transport.

• Automatic Ring Wrapping Machine: The ceramic pallet then passes through the automatic wrapping machine, which in the Geotiles case has a double film application reel for greater speed and precision. The pallet wrapping machine installed on the line is also equipped with the latest wireless communication technology and torque control system for the application of the film and the fixing cord. The ring stretch wrapper allows a load-friendly holding that adapts to the volume of the load.

• Stretch Hood Pro2 S2: The latest packaging station is the Stretch Hood Wrapping machine with an advanced model that allows a higher packaging speed of up to 150 pallets/hour to meet the high production of Pamesa in Geotiles. The Stretch Hood system is responsible for applying the hood that will provide watertightness and total protection to the ceramic product, both in the rain and in the sun.

– Outfeed conveying line: Finally, the pallet route ends at a conveying line with two turntables to carry the load to the outside where it will be picked up to travel thousands of kilometers.

Results for Geotiles: protection and sustainability

The objectives that the Pamesa Group sought for Geotiles have been met, as the line has responded to their needs for total load protection and securing with the latest packaging technologies.

The line has been designed to achieve energy efficiency and reduction of consumables, contributing to the Pamesa Group’s sustainability plan. Both the strapping and wrapping systems use only the strictly necessary consumables, thanks to their intelligent components. The Stretch Hood system reduces CO2 emissions, as it does not require heat combustion to apply the hood, and uses less plastic than other similar solutions such as shrink hooding.

In short, the line installed in Geotiles has been one of the most complete and advanced for both Innova and Grupo Pamesa. A project that we are proud of and we are pleased to continue working with Pamesa Group, more than a partner for us.

Thank you Grupo Pamesa for trusting Innova once again!