Portobello renews its trust in Durst

A total of 7 Gamma 98 XD digital systems from Durst have been installed and started up in recent months in Portobello factories in Brazil.

Three of these are at the facility in Tijucas (Santa Catarina), the other four at the new Pointer plant in the state of Alagoas, in the northeast of the country.

Launched last April and officially opened in September, the new plant has a production capacity of 20 million square metres/year of competitively priced floor and wall tiles for sale on the domestic market (under the ViaSeca brand) and for export (Pointer brand).

The Brazilian group's decision to use the same Gamma 98 XD digital printing systems with up to 8 colours for both the premium and mass market lines reflects its intention to offer Pointer customers the same quality for which Portobello is renowned. With its special greyscale function, Gamma 98 XD is able to achieve an original resolution of between 300 and 1000 dpi and produce drops of different sizes up to 200 pl directly on the nozzle bar.

The printers also have a high level of productivity, "enabling us to achieve high volumes reliably and without any malfunctions within a few weeks of installation", noted Stefano Galli, the Brazilian group's head of design and development. Another key factor is the Gamma 98 XD's integrated self-maintenance capability, which enables it to perform routine maintenance automatically. "The closest Durst Service Point is more than 4 hours by plane from the Pointer factory and it's crucial for us that the printers remain operational 24/7," Galli explained. 

Portobello has been using Durst technology since 2011, including six Gamma 75 and 120 series printers which have improved productivity and brought significant savings in terms of downtime along with very high final quality. These advantages have contributed to the company's steady growth. Portobello closed 2014 with a turnover of approximately $ 320 million and a production volume of over 30 million sq.m.