Large formats: the resurgence of technical porcelain

The market for slabs and large-format tiles continues to evolve towards new applications, supported by the advanced capabilities of Sacmi Continua+ technology, which ensures outstanding versatility in terms of size and thickness.

The market for slabs and large-format tiles continues to evolve towards new applications, fuelled by a return to material authenticity, functionality and aesthetics. This growth in demand is driven by a renewed appreciation of the timeless tradition, tactile depth and functional superiority of ceramics. The advanced capabilities of Sacmi Continua+ technology ensure outstanding versatility in terms of size and thickness, allowing ceramic materials to reclaim their pivotal role in the industry, even as they compete with alternative slab materials.

The “Total Look” in luxury residential design

From flooring and wall coverings to countertops and bespoke furniture, the high-end residential sector is embracing the “total look”. The introduction of thin, lightweight slabs has opened up new possibilities for cladding furniture and interior surfaces, creating seamless, hygienic and durable living spaces.

Borrowed from the world of fashion and adapted for modern interiors, this “total look” in ceramics allows slabs to transcend their traditional role as floor and wall coverings to become an integral part of a home’s decorative identity.

New opportunities for technical surfaces

Manufacturers who choose Continua+ technology have an opportunity to move beyond classic glazed products and enter the “technical product” segment, consisting of slabs with specific characteristics such as high abrasion resistance suitable for demanding applications including airports, shopping centres and high-traffic urban environments.

While this segment was until recently dominated by medium-sized tiles produced on traditional presses, technical porcelain has gained new appeal because Continua+ allows for a much wider range of formats.

Sacmi’s digital feeding devices, installed upstream of the compactor, allow for the precise distribution of grains, flakes and coloured powders. This enables the creation of both technical and glazed products with outstanding versatility and perfectly consistent quality.

Features such as easy “double filling” and the ability to digitally decorate the surface and the body in a perfectly coordinated manner provide manufacturers with creative options that are unattainable with traditional pressing. In addition, the smooth or structured roller of the PCR ensures a superior surface quality.

Continua+ technology’s exclusive digitalised filling feature makes the entire process highly flexible. Graphics can be modified directly via software without manual intervention or specific press adjustments, ensuring consistent quality over time without compromising production efficiency.

While already well-established for glazed surfaces and now capable of incorporating textures thanks to the latest generation of structured belts, Continua+ is particularly effective for technical products. Its controlled de-aeration process ensures that slabs are perfectly homogeneous and uniform across their entire surface from the moment they are formed.

Expanding the scope of application

Technical products are gaining new momentum as manufacturers convert production from small and medium formats to large-format slabs. With Continua+, this portfolio expansion is seamless, offering immediate and measurable advantages in terms of quality and output.

Finally, Continua+ allows manufacturers to cater to every segment of the “multi-format” market as the system can produce not only large slabs but also a full range of technical or glazed coordinated modular sub-sizes directly in-line at high speeds.

To complete its portfolio, Sacmi offers the widest range of finishing technologies on the market. BMR solutions for polishing, honing and lapping open up new horizons for surface functionality, including anti-slip, antibacterial and even photovoltaic capabilities. These increasingly advanced solutions offer digital control, optimised tool consumption and ease of use and management.