The branch is facing a challenge called energy economy
Representing the ceramic plant and equipment manufacturers of Europe, the VDMA working group ECTS (European Ceramic Technology Suppliers) is actively injecting its know-how into the generation of an “Ecodesign Directive”. The ceramic industry will belong to Energy-using Product Group Analysis Lot 4: Industrial and Laboratory Furnaces and Ovens. Lingl Managing Partner Frank Appel, as ECTS deputy, is representing the interests of the ceramic plant and equipment manufacturers. We asked him to tell us about the options that are open to the brick and tile industry for conserving energy and about the challenges our branch will be facing in the future.
Zi: Until now, consumers have only been familiar with the Ecodesign Directive to the extent that it pertains to the classification of such items as refrigerators and washing machines. Will brick and tile producers soon be purchasing dryers and kilns on the basis of energy efficiency categories?
F. A.: The purpose of the directive is to provide appropriate political instruments for helping companies design resource-conserving, energy-efficient products. The amended version of the directive has an expanded range of validity and now pertains in general to energy-related products (with the...
