Industrial decarbonization: EDILIANS modernizes its Landes tile factory

A modernization of the tunnel kiln to reduce carbon emissions

The Saint-Geours-d'Auribat site produces over 10,000 m² of terracotta roof tiles daily, primarily for the southern regions and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Located on a 13-hectare site, this historic factory employs 88 people and generates over 150 indirect jobs.

To reduce the carbon footprint of this energy-intensive activity, EDILIANS GROUP has undertaken work on its cooking line. This operation is part of its decarbonization plan launched in 2021, with a stated objective of reducing direct CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 across all its industrial sites.

The work focused on several strategic pieces of equipment in the industrial process:

• replacement of industrial wagons with high-performance insulated models,
• modernization of the tunnel kiln
• extension of waste heat recovery systems.

These interventions required three months of work. They directly concern the thermal optimization of the firing process, which today represents nearly 90% of the carbon emissions related to the manufacture of terracotta tiles.

Roofing file

👉 Priority file :

• Latest advances in roofing
• The different types of tiles
• Choosing your roof covering according to your region
• What is the price of a roof covering?
• What financial assistance is available for roof renovation?

The FTO concept is adapted to several oven configurations.

This modernization is based on the concept of "Optimized Tunnel Oven" (OTO), developed by CERITHERM, an engineering company acquired by EDILIANS GROUP in 2023. Specializing in industrial thermal equipment, the company has been working for more than fifteen years on energy recovery and cooking optimization solutions.

The innovation had already been deployed at the Saint-Germer-de-Fly site. This time, the Landes project aimed to adapt the device to a different oven configuration.

"These initial results clearly demonstrate that decarbonizing our cooking processes is an industrial reality."

According to EDILIANS, this adaptation validates the possibility of deploying the system on different types of industrial furnaces. Three patents were used in the project.

In the ceramics industry, kiln optimization is a major lever for energy efficiency. Thermal design offices and methods teams generally work on several parameters: temperature control, heat recovery, equipment insulation, and improvement of clay mixtures.

The recovery of waste heat represents a significant challenge for industrial companies subject to energy efficiency requirements and emission reduction targets defined by the national low-carbon strategy.

A reduction in fuel consumption validated under real-world conditions

After several months of operation, EDILIANS GROUP reports an 11% reduction in gas consumption on this production line. This saving corresponds to approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided each year.

"The Ceritherm team is fully committed to improving settings and concepts to achieve CO2 reductions at Edilians."

The manufacturer clarifies that these performance figures remain dependent on the actual operating conditions of the furnace and the ongoing technical adjustments made by the production and engineering teams. In this type of continuous thermal process, energy efficiency depends in particular on production rates, firing temperatures, and the quality of the raw materials used.

The project is partly funded by public subsidies. The Aquitaine Region has contributed approximately €1 million. The Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) scheme could also contribute €0,4 million to the funding.

A decarbonization strategy extended to all 18 industrial sites

EDILIANS GROUP plans to invest nearly €100 million over ten years to transform its industrial facilities. This strategy concerns all 18 of its production sites located in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

The decarbonization plan is based on four main pillars:

• improving the energy efficiency of processes,
• modernization of industrial equipment,
• technological innovation,
• use of decarbonized energy sources.

The company is exploring several alternatives to natural gas for firing tiles: biomass, biomethane, hydrogen, or partial electrification of the processes. However, these developments require significant adaptations to thermal infrastructure and industrial energy networks.

In the construction materials sector, reducing carbon emissions is becoming a strategic issue. Manufacturers must respond to several constraints: environmental regulations, rising energy costs, and increasing demand for low-carbon materials.

The Saint-Geours-d'Auribat site already holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 certifications related to quality, environmental, and energy management. These standards generally structure continuous improvement processes in the manufacturing industry.

This operation illustrates the evolution of industrial processes in the terracotta sector. Between thermal optimization, energy recovery and innovation in firing equipment, manufacturers are now seeking to reconcile industrial performance, quality of products and sustainable reduction of carbon footprint.