ZAKŁAD CERAMIKI BUDOWLANEJ "OWCZARY" R.E.R. STĘPIEŃ SP.J.

Innovation and tradition – the history and development of TERMOTON®

The modern economy increasingly relies on innovation. For many entrepreneurs, the word ‘innovation’ is still associated with something difficult to achieve or reserved exclusively for the largest technology companies. In reality, innovation does not always mean groundbreaking scientific discoveries – very often it involves the consistent improvement of products, technologies and production processes. It is precisely this approach that has for years formed the foundation of TERMOTON®’s operations; through technological development, investment in people and a modern machine park, the company sets the direction for the development of the building ceramics market in Poland.

History and foundations of development

TERMOTON® is a family-run company based entirely on Polish capital, which has been growing for years on the basis of a tradition of ceramic production and modern technological solutions. Thanks to a consistent investment strategy, the company has undergone a series of modernisations and upgrades over the last decade, enabling it to create one of the most technologically advanced production facilities in the industry.

A particularly significant milestone in the company’s history was the launch in 2020 of a modern factory, equipped with an automated production line utilising innovative technological solutions, a team of Fanuc industrial robots and proprietary patented solutions. As a result, the plant is capable of producing over 1,000 pallets of ceramic products per day in both standard and polished finishes, maintaining the high quality appreciated by investors, contractors and designers.

One of TERMOTON®’s greatest strengths is also its full control over key stages of production. The company owns its own clay mines, the raw material from which is characterised by unique properties on a national scale. The extracted material undergoes an extensive and extremely meticulous quality control process, which allows for its optimal use in subsequent technological processes.

In addition, the company has its own transport fleet and logistics facilities, enabling the efficient delivery of raw materials to the production plant, as well as the distribution of finished ceramic products throughout Poland. This approach ensures high operational flexibility and rapid order fulfilment, which constitutes a significant competitive advantage in the market.

Advanced quality control and certification

One of the cornerstones of TERMOTON®’s operations is an extensive in-house quality control system, which covers every stage of the production process – from sourcing raw materials, through the preparation of the ceramic mix, to the final inspection of the technical parameters of finished products.

Thanks to its high quality control standards, the company has obtained the Certificate of Conformity of In-House Production Control No. 1434-CPR-0355, relating to Category I ceramic masonry units. The certificate was issued by the Polish Centre for Testing and Certification and confirms that production complies with stringent European standards.

It is worth noting that not all companies operating on the Polish market can boast such a certificate, which confirms the high quality and stability of the technical parameters of the ceramic products manufactured by TERMOTON®. This is proof that the company not only develops modern technologies but also maintains the highest quality standards.

Three main product lines

TERMOTON®’s development strategy is based on the consistent improvement of three main product segments, which meet the diverse needs of modern construction.

The most important product lines include:

• traditional ceramic products,
• polished ceramic products,
• acoustic ceramic products.

Each of these product lines is constantly being developed and improved thanks to the work of our technical teams and the research and development department.

Innovation in production technology

One of the most significant outcomes of TERMOTON®’s innovative approach is the development of ground product technology, which currently represents one of the most efficient and modern construction methods in both Western Europe and Poland.

The production process for ground elements is extremely technologically demanding. It involves the precise mechanical machining of a pre-fired ceramic block, which enables very high dimensional accuracy to be achieved. In the case of TERMOTON® ground products, the height of the element is 249 mm with a tolerance of just ±0.3 mm.

Such high precision allows for the use of a thin-bed joint approximately 1 mm thick, created using foam adhesive and special thin-bed mortars designed for this type of product. This solution significantly changes the way bricks are laid, enabling faster, cleaner and more cost-effective completion of construction projects.

Benefits of using ground product technology:

• improved thermal insulation performance of the wall,
• reduction in construction moisture,
• faster bricklaying,
• reduction in construction waste,
• reduction in the amount of equipment required on site.

Thanks to these solutions, building with ground-finish products means building more cheaply, more quickly, more cleanly, more economically and more environmentally friendly.

The technology of the future, available today

Although ground block technology is only just gaining popularity in Poland, it is already the standard in Western European countries – over 90% of the ceramic blocks sold there are produced using this technology. TERMOTON® is successfully bringing these solutions to the domestic market, offering products that can compete with the best foreign manufacturers.

The company’s leading products are:

• TERMOTON® P+W 25 S Ceramic Block
• TERMOTON® P+W 25 DIAMENT S Ceramic Block
• TERMOTON® P+W 25 DIAMENT PLUS S Ceramic Block

These products stand out for their superior technical parameters, such as:

• very low water absorption,
• high mechanical strength,
• exceptionally favourable thermal conductivity:

λ = 0.254 W/(mK) – P+W 25 S
λ = 0.165 W/(mK) – DIAMENT S
λ = 0.153 W/(mK) – DIAMENT PLUS S

These excellent parameters have been achieved through the use of innovative methods to improve thermal insulation, encompassing both the appropriate selection of raw materials and a specially developed formulation that allows for the creation of an optimal microporous structure.

The unique shape of the block also plays a significant role, as it extends the path of heat flow between the surfaces of the element. The 3–4 mm thick walls of the block have been designed with a honeycomb-like structure, which provides a unique combination of high strength and excellent insulation performance.

Naturalness and comfort of use

Despite the use of modern technologies, TERMOTON® ceramic blocks remain a fully natural material, retaining all the advantages of traditional building ceramics. Buildings constructed from these materials are characterised by:

• a healthy and natural indoor microclimate,
• very good thermal insulation,
• high sound insulation,
• high fire resistance,
• high structural durability.

As a result, they are an excellent solution for both single-family housing and projects with higher technical requirements.

Research, development and the future

Continuous technological development is one of the key pillars of the company’s operations. The work carried out by the R&D department has resulted in numerous solutions protected by patents and utility models, which form the basis for the further development of the product range.

In the coming years, TERMOTON® plans to launch further premium-segment products and solutions, which respond to the European Union’s increasingly stringent requirements regarding the technical parameters of masonry partitions. New technological investments also have a significant environmental dimension. Thanks to the use of modern production solutions, it will be possible to:

• reduce electricity consumption in the drying process by up to 50%,
• reduce unit thermal energy consumption by approximately 20%,
• a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions through the use of a hybrid tunnel kiln firing system.
• Utilisation of renewable energy from an installed 1.1178 MWp photovoltaic system in the production process.

A family-run business with a vision

One of the most important elements of TERMOTON®’s identity is the fact that the company remains a family-run business with Polish capital, combining many years of experience with an openness to new technologies and market needs.

The company actively collaborates with designers, architects and contractors, constantly refining its products in terms of form, structure and functionality. As a result, TERMOTON® products not only meet current construction standards, but often set the direction for its development.

The foundation of a good home

Choosing the right building material is one of the most important stages in planning a house. It is this choice that determines the building’s durability, comfort of use and energy efficiency.

The technology behind TERMOTON® sanded products demonstrates that modern construction can be faster, more economical, cleaner and environmentally friendly, whilst still being based on natural and proven materials.

That is why, when planning to build a house, it is worth considering its foundation – the material from which the walls will be constructed – as this largely determines the quality and comfort of living for many years to come.