INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FROM ANCORA GROUP HELPS SIERRAGRES WIN THE ALFA DE ORO AWARDS

Produced using the innovative squaring machines from Ancora Group, Sierravent® won the prestigious award at Cevisama 2011

The Spanish company Sierragres has won the Alfa de Oro award at Cevisama 2011 for a product manufactured using a squaring machine for large ceramic elements designed and produced by Sassuolo-based Ancora Group. The Cordoba-based company was presented with the top award for innovation for its Sierravent® load-bearing ventilated façade elements produced from blocks of extruded stoneware. Technicians from Ancora tailored the machines to the specific manufacturing requirements of Sierragres, resulting in an end product whose innovative content has been recognised by the prestigious Cevisama award. Delivered to Sierragres in October, the squaring lines are additionally able to process Sierrablock® blocks, innovative products for non-ventilated facades that won the Alfa de Oro award at Cevisama 2009.
SECV, the Spanish ceramic and glass society, has been presenting the Alfa de Oro awards since 1977 to sector companies that excel for their innovative technological and aesthetic capabilities.

 “We too are very pleased with this award given our contribution to the production of Sierravent®,” commented Fabio Corradini, Ancora’s Vice Chairman. “Investing in innovation and technological research has always been a major focus for our Group and has proved to be a winning strategy.”

At Tecnargilla 2010, Ancora Group presented its new range of squaring machines with highly innovative characteristics. Faithful to the company tradition of ruggedness and reliability, these machines have been completely redesigned to assure superior belt protection and improve ergonomics and accessibility. But the most important new feature is the introduction of numerical control on all the machine’s axes of movement. In the automated versions, the motors are brushless and the movements can be controlled from the control panel via a touch screen.

Sassuolo-based Ancora Group closed 2010 with a turnover of 43 million euro, 19% up from the previous year’s already strong performance of 36 million euro. It currently employs 265 people and is planning to make investments of more than 5 million euro over the three-year period 2009-2011. These figures indicate the vitality of this well-established and expanding industrial group based in the Sassuolo manufacturing district which specialises in the twin fields of mechanical engineering and finishing.