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Description
Cherkezov Ltd., a well-established company based in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, has built a strong reputation in the manufacturing and sale of natural stone products. With over 50 different varieties of natural rock cladding materials, including limestone, marble, granite, and travertine, the company has a substantial presence in both domestic and international markets.
To further bolster its production capabilities and maintain its commitment to delivering exceptional quality, Cherkezov Ltd. aims to acquire a Resin line with a robotized pilot. Automatic Resin Line is used for filling, netting & epoxy application for natural stone slab to improve stone quality, strength with reduced time, less weather dependency & reduced manpower. This cutting-edge technology is designed to enhance the mechanical properties and surface finishes of natural stone slabs. By automating the stone treatment process, this project will lead to an increase in production capacity, enabling the company to meet growing demand efficiently.
Additionally, the innovative Resin line will aid in rectifying physical imperfections such as cracks, holes, and surface defects in stone materials. The implementation of this technology will have a positive impact on the company''s efficiency, product quality, and overall competitiveness, thereby ensuring Cherkezov Ltd.''s continued success in the industry.
Summary of project results
Cherkezov Ltd. has been facing several significant challenges in its natural stone processing operations:
Material Defects and Variability: Natural stones have unique textures, shapes, and colors, often with defects like cracks and pits, requiring careful handling to avoid loss of usable material.
Manual Resin Application Limitations: The current manual resin application process is time-consuming, inconsistent, and heavily weather-dependent, which slows production and reduces efficiency.
Low Production Capacity: Manual processes restrict production scale, preventing the company from meeting higher demand and limiting growth potential.
High Material Waste: Inefficiencies in treating defective stones lead to a considerable amount of waste, increasing operational costs and impacting profitability.
Inconsistent Quality Control: Manual processes result in uneven resin application, leading to variable product quality, which may not meet client expectations for high-standard finishes.
Competitive and Regulatory Pressure: Without advanced technology, Cherkezov Ltd. risks falling behind competitors and struggles to meet market demands for efficient, sustainable practices.
Together, these challenges impact the company’s productivity, cost-efficiency, and competitiveness, highlighting the need for automation and improved processing capabilities.
Through this project, Cherkezov Ltd. has achieved significant advancements in its marble and granite processing capabilities, transforming operations that were previously manual and weather-dependent into a streamlined, automated system. The new resin line equipped with a robotized pilot has enabled the company to meet higher production demands with greater precision and efficiency. Key aspects of the setup include:
Automated Slab-Loading Robot and Rotating Platform: These components allow for quicker and safer loading and unloading of stone slabs, reducing manual labor and speeding up production cycles. The rotating platform offers added versatility by enabling various positioning options, which are especially useful for processes like “book matching” and block recomposition. This increases efficiency by minimizing handling time and allowing seamless transitions between steps in the resin treatment.
Chain Conveyor System with Tray Lifting: The chain conveyor connects the primary machines in the resin line, facilitating the smooth transfer of materials throughout the treatment process. The integration of tray lifting mechanisms allows slabs to move through different stages without interruptions, ensuring steady and continuous flow. This contributes to faster processing speeds and minimizes bottlenecks, significantly boosting production throughput.
Dual-Chamber Drying and Catalysis Ovens: The addition of vertical drying and catalysis ovens eliminates the previous dependence on weather for drying slabs. These ovens are designed to handle substantial volumes and apply consistent drying conditions, ensuring a reliable resin curing process. The dual-chamber design allows for multiple drying stages, enhancing the final durability and finish of each slab and resulting in a higher-quality end product. By reducing drying time, the ovens enable faster turnover, directly improving production capacity.
Vapor Capture Hood and Emissions Control: The vapor capture hood, equipped with a piping system that connects to an intake unit, efficiently manages and filters out vapors released during the resin application. This feature promotes a safer, cleaner working environment by controlling emissions and meeting regulatory requirements for environmental safety, aligning with industry standards and sustainable practices.
Customizable Software for Enhanced Precision and Process Control: The integrated software enables precise management of loading, book matching, material overturning, and other essential functions. This customization facilitates high accuracy in each processing step, allowing for optimized resin application, alignment, and handling. As a result, Cherkezov Ltd. can consistently meet the highest standards for quality, delivering polished and durable slabs that meet client expectations.
The automation of slab treatment, from loading through to drying, has markedly improved Cherkezov Ltd.’s ability to utilize raw stone materials efficiently, enabling nearly waste-free production. This process minimizes stone loss due to imperfections, as the resin reinforcement enhances the structural integrity of slabs with natural flaws. Additionally, the reduction in manual labor and the increased speed of operations have lowered production costs and allowed for increased output, aligning the company’s operations with rising market demands for high-quality, resilient stone products.
In summary, the project’s successful implementation has not only increased Cherkezov Ltd.’s production capacity but has also elevated product quality and environmental responsibility, positioning the company as a competitive and sustainable leader in the natural stone processing industry.
The acquisition of the new resin line has marked a transformative shift for Cherkezov Ltd., particularly in terms of efficiency, environmental impact, and sustainable practices in stone processing. Here are the specific improvements and green benefits the project has brought:
Enhanced Marble Usage and Waste Reduction
The advanced resin line enables Cherkezov Ltd. to treat all types of stone in a structured, multi-step process, including block reinforcement, resin line treatment for slabs or tiles, and surface polishing. By reinforcing stones with natural imperfections like cracks or pits, the resin line allows Cherkezov Ltd. to maximize the use of materials that would otherwise be discarded. This nearly waste-free processing approach is expected to reduce stone waste by approximately 500 tonnes per year. The ability to treat and salvage stones that might previously have been deemed unusable has thus transformed both the company’s material efficiency and its environmental footprint.
Better Utilization and Recovery of Raw Materials
Through careful resin treatment and block reinforcement, Cherkezov Ltd. can now recover an estimated 100 tonnes of raw materials annually. The new process enables the company to repurpose byproducts or previously discarded fragments, reducing the need for fresh stone blocks and preserving valuable natural resources. This approach is aligned with circular economy principles, where material usage is maximized, and waste generation is minimized, enhancing sustainability across the production line.
Energy Efficiency and Reduced Consumption
The new equipment purchased under the project is designed with energy efficiency in mind, using advanced automation and optimized processing steps to lower the overall energy required for production. By implementing these energy-efficient systems, Cherkezov Ltd. is reducing its energy consumption at a company-wide level, which will also contribute to lower operational costs. The reduced energy usage not only lessens environmental impact but also positions the company as a responsible player in an industry where high energy demands are typically a concern.
Broader Environmental and Operational Impact
These advancements collectively strengthen Cherkezov Ltd.’s commitment to greener operations. The reduced waste output and improved material utilization contribute to a lower carbon footprint, aligning the company with environmental standards and potentially enhancing its market appeal among eco-conscious clients. The resource efficiency gained from the new resin line enables Cherkezov Ltd. to offer high-quality, sustainably processed marble and stone products, meeting modern client demands for sustainable practices without compromising on product quality.
Competitive Advantage and Industry Positioning
By adopting nearly waste-free processing, resource recovery, and energy efficiency, Cherkezov Ltd. not only achieves cost savings but also sets itself apart within the competitive stone processing sector. The improvements support Cherkezov Ltd.’s capacity to fulfill larger contracts, meet client expectations for quality and sustainability, and respond to market trends that prioritize green practices. This strengthens the company’s market position and enhances its reputation as an environmentally responsible supplier of premium marble and stone products.
In conclusion, the project has achieved multiple objectives, including waste reduction, resource efficiency, and lower energy consumption, positioning Cherkezov Ltd. as a forward-thinking leader in sustainable stone processing. The enhanced efficiency, environmental responsibility, and production capacity achieved with the new resin line demonstrate a successful transition toward greener, more cost-effective operations, benefiting both the company and the environment.