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The sourcing of raw materials is becoming an increasingly concerning issue for the European Union, which is adopting a series of strategies aimed at mitigating the dependence on third countries for procurement. The supply of feldspars, for instance, which is significant within the ceramic industry, raises concerns due to heavy reliance on third countries. Therefore, it is imperative to identify potential alternative sources for procurement, including the recycling of waste from the extraction of ornamental granite rocks enriched in such minerals. The Sardinia region in Italy, once a global leader in granite extraction, has now witnessed a significant reduction in production due to intense competition worldwide, resulting in severe economic repercussions. Additionally, traces of this period remain in the territory in the form of enormous quantities of extraction waste, defacing the landscape and posing potential environmental issues. This study is part of a broader research initiative aimed at identifying a physical process to concentrate rare earth element (REE) minerals from granite waste in a quarry located in Buddusò, Sardinia. The specific objective of this study is to analyze the whole rock composition, crushing powder, and the diamagnetic by-products generated by gravity and magnetic separations to identify potential applications for their use.

Waste heat recovery (WHR) has been regarded as a viable method to improve energy efficiency and promote sustainability in industry. The operation of high energy consuming thermal processes in industry generates high quantities of thermal losses, thus being associated to a great waste heat potential. In this sequence, several technologies have emerged to reuse this industrial waste heat. The implementation of these technologies within the operation of plants results in the project of different WHR strategies. This work presents a simulation model developed in Modelica language for an industrial waste heat recovery (WHR) installation. Such installation involves several industrial processes, which integrate system of thermal processes and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). Based on the specific data from a case-study of a ceramic industry plant, namely two tunnel kilns, a WHR strategy is conceptualised,​ simulated and assessed in terms of economic viability and environmental impacts. The simulation results demonstrated the validity of the developed model (deviation values for key variables were calculated with a maximal value of 0.94% having been obtained for one of the variables, which is a considerably negligible deviation). The economic and environmental assessment revealed that the WHR project is overall viable, considering a 1.1 years payback period and 2.36 kton CO2,eqreduction (corresponding to 32.8% of natural gas savings and 11.3% of electric energy savings).

This research aimed 1) to study the effects of the factors influencing the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand; 2) to study the development of a model for factors affecting the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand; and 3) to study the guideline and development of the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand. The study employed the quantitative research methodology and the statistical devices of percentage and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The population and sample group comprised executives in the ceramic industry in Thailand. The findings revealed the following: 1) The factors concerning knowledge of information technology, warehouse management and digital system positively affected the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand at the statistically significant levels of β = 0.324, 0.163 and 0.271 respectively. The antecedent variables which had Direct Effect (DE) and Total Effect (TE) on the latent variable of the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness were 1. knowledge of information technology (DE = 0.324, and TE = 0.324), 2. warehouse management (DE = 0.271, and TE = 0.271), and 3. digital system (DE = 0.163, and TE = 0.163) respectively; 2) The results of the study of the guideline and development of a model for factors affecting the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand revealed that the factors concerning knowledge of information technology, warehouse management and digital system were well-fitted with the empirical data at statistically significant levels; and 3) The factors concerning knowledge of information technology, warehouse management and digital system contributed to the performance of warehouse management to increase the competitiveness of the ceramic industry in Thailand in terms of speed, time and customer service.

Günümüz rekabet ortamında küreselleşme ve dış kaynak kullanımı, işletmelerde tedarikçi seçimini önemli bir ortaklık konusu haline getirmiştir. Rekabet üstünlüğü açısından işletmeler, iş birliği içinde olduğu tedarikçiden; gerekli hammadde ve malzemelerin zamanında ve etkili bir şekilde sağlanmasını istemektedir. Üreticilerin rekabetçi pazardaki taleplerinin artmasıyla daha da karmaşık hale gelen tedarikçi seçim süreci; çok sayıda alternatif tedarikçi ile bu tedarikçilerin performanslarının değerlendirilmesinde niteliksel ve niceliksel pek çok kriteri içermesi nedeniyle çok kriterli bir karar verme problemidir. Bunun yanında tedarikçi performansları hakkında bilgi eksikliği veya bulanıklık bulunması, bu sürecin doğasında belirsizliğe- griliğe neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışma, tedarikçi seçim süreci için analitik hiyerarşi süreci (AHP) ve gri ilişkisel analiz (GİA) yaklaşımlarını birleştirerek seramik sektöründe değerlendirmek üzere yapılandırılmış entegre bir karar modeli sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada, tedarikçi değerlendirme ve seçim sürecinde kullanılabilecek, sektöre özgü kriter ve alt kriterlerden oluşan bir AHP Modeli geliştirilmiştir. Modelin çözümü, AHP ile tedarikçi seçim kriterleri ağırlıklarının hesaplanması ve GİA yardımıyla da alternatif tedarikçilerin değerlendirilmesi ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmanın temel amacı, özelikle seramik sektörü için alternatif bir tedarikçi seçim modeli geliştirmek; belirsiz ve yetersiz verilerin olduğu koşullar altında bir çözüm sunmaktır. Ayrıca tedarikçilerin değerlendirilmesi ve seçilmesi sürecinde modelin, seramik sektöründe faaliyet gösteren işletmelerde bir karar destek aracı olarak kullanılması hedeflenmektedir. Böylece satın alma sürecindeki riskleri azaltıp, tedarikçiler ile uzun vadeli, karşılıklı değer yaratmaya odaklanan ve güvenilir ilişkilerin kurulması sağlanacaktır. Çalışmanın, tedarikçi seçim sürecinde fazla vakit ve maliyete katlanmadan; güvenilir, yansız ve bilimsel sonuçlara ulaşılması adına, seramik sektöründeki işletmelere ve bu alandaki literatüre katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

This work aims to solve the complex problems of non-linearity, instability, and multiple economic factors in the tax forecast of the ceramic industry to ensure the sustainable development of the ceramic industry. The key influential indicators of the tax forecast are obtained by analyzing the principal components affecting the tax index. In addition, a human-computer interaction (HCI) system is established based on cognitive psychology theory to improve the user-friendliness of tax analysis. At the same time, the tax data of the ceramic industry in Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province in different years are used for the empirical analysis of the tax prediction of different prediction models, including particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, and fusion algorithm (FA), and support vector machine (SVM). This work comprehensively analyzes the influence of the optimized tax supervision mode on the economic development of the ceramic industry and provides ideas for the development of the ceramic industry in Jingdezhen. The research results demonstrate that the main indicator affecting tax revenue is the added value of the primary and secondary industries. The optimized SVM based on grid search method can provide a comprehensive data base for tax forecasting. The optimization of the computer system based on cognitive psychology improves the model prediction accuracy by 10%, and the absolute error decreases from 6.9 to 1.8%. The tax forecast results indicate that the tax imbalance in Jingdezhen is increasing. Therefore, the government needs to attach great importance to the development of the ceramic industry and strictly implement the tax policy. The tax supervision model can alleviate the problems of low fiscal contribution rate, tax evasion, and management loopholes. In addition, the SVM tax prediction model optimized by grid search method will lay a theoretical foundation for the research and application of taxation in the ceramic industry.

Taking into account the issues associated with climate change and reliance on external sources of energy, among others, the European Union and its commission have developed a strategy for transitioning to a climate-neutral economy by 2050. In this sense, a wide-ranging package was adopted to ensure the EU meets its climate and energy targets for the years 2020, 2030, and 2050. Hence, energy efficiency is a key principle of the European Union, as is energy saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy. The most evident force is the European Efficiency Directive, adopted in 2012, which embraced a set of measures such as legal obligations to establish energy-saving schemes and/or alternative measures in the Member States. Concerning final energy consumption, the industrial sector is the second biggest consumer of final energy and one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Some publications have studied the effectiveness of European policies, but they generally focus on a macro perspective. Few present case studies in specific industries, especially in intensive energy industries such as the ceramic industry. In this context, its higher consumption forces it to find solutions. From a challenge posed by the company, this paper presents a case study in the Portuguese ceramic industry. This study is motivated by the high energy consumption and associated costs. The main purposes of this study are to check the effectiveness of the applied measures resulting from the audit carried out in 2018, to improve energy efficiency, and to study the feasibility of implementing renewable energy sources. This work consisted of four phases: (i) studying the significant impacts of energy costs on the company; (ii) verifying if the energy indicator goals were achieved, using the 2018 energy audit as a reference; (iii) suggesting actions to improve energy efficiency and checking their effectiveness; and (iv) studying the feasibility of implementing renewable energy sources. The measures taken not only contributed to the achievement of the company’s goals established in the Portuguese National Energy and Climate Plan but also enabled them to meet the annual and end goals for 2024 outlined in their energy rationalization plan. This was a consequence of the mandatory energy audit conducted in 2018 under the Portuguese Intensive Energy Consumption Management System (IECMS). In this sense, this case study provides a practical demonstration of how mandatory European policies and regulations at the member state level can help enterprises improve their energy efficiency. It also highlights the importance of evaluating renewable energy constraints rather than adopting them directly as a panacea.

Heat recovery opportunities and total plant energy efficiency improvements need to be evaluated before manufacturing the real components when addressing the energy and economic effectiveness in industrial applications. Numerical modelling of the complete energy systems can be a key design tool in order to investigate the potential solutions to improve the performance of the considered system. In this study, a 0D/1D numerical analysis and transient system simulation analysis are adopted to investigate the energy efficiency enhancement given by the application of a heat pipe-based heat exchanger in the ceramic industry. The thermal power is recovered from the exhaust gases of the kilns used to fire the tiles. The numerical model includes all the main components of the heat recovery system: the primary side of the exhaust gases, the heat exchanger, the secondary circuit of the heat transfer fluid and the heat sink where the thermal power is exploited. Particular care is devoted to the modelling of the heat pipe-based heat exchanger and the necessary control strategy of the system; a specific model for the simulation of the secondary side pump is also accounted for in the analysis. The numerical results of the primary circuit are validated against experimental measurements carried out on the real ceramic facility. The good agreement between the numerical and experimental results demonstrates that the numerical model is an appropriate tool for investigating the energy efficiency enhancement of an industrial plant and for evaluating different configurations and solutions in order to fulfil the industry requirements.

In the ceramic industry, quality control is performed using visual inspection in three different product stages: green, biscuit, and the final ceramic tile. To develop a real-time computer visual inspection system, the necessary step is successful tile segmentation from its background. In this paper, a new statistical multi-line signal change detection (MLSCD) segmentation method based on signal change detection (SCD) method is presented. Through experimental results on seven different ceramic tile image sets, MLSCD performance is analyzed and compared with the SCD method. Finally, recommended parameters are proposed for optimal performance of the MLSCD method.

Pada Iklim kerja dengan suhu panas berawal dari timbulnya energi yang bersumber dari panas yang masuk ke lingkungan atau tempat kerja kemudian jadi tekanan yang panas, hal tersebut menjadi beban kerja tambahan untuk pekerja. Kondisi seperti itu memengaruhi kesehatan dan energi/ stamina pekerja jika dihubungkan dengan beban kerja berat yang dikerjakan. Kondisi Iklim kerja dengan suhu panas dapat memperberat kondisi kesehatan fisik dan mental pekerja. Dampak yang sering terjadi pada pekerja akibat iklim kerja panas yaitu dehidrasi dan keluhan kesehatan lain seperti heat rash. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui gambaran dan pengendalian iklim kerja dengan keluhan kesehatan pada pekerja, hasil tersebut nantinya akan dibandingkan dengan nilai ambang batas sehingga dapat dijadikan dasar dalam melakukan tindakan pengendalian dalam upaya pencegahan penyakit akibat kerja pada industri. Pengukuran Iklim kerja yang dilakukan pada bagian kerja di indutri pembuatan lilin, diketahui memiliki hasil yaitu sebagian besar memiliki nilai ISBB > 30oC. Berdasarkan pengamatan yang telah dilakukan beban kerja pada pekerja yaitu beban kerja dengan tingkatan sedang dengan waktu kerja 75% hingga 100% dengan 25% waktu beristirahat. Berdasarkan hasil rata-rata 10 titik dari ke dua bagian kerja di industri tersebut, sebagian besar nilai ISBB hasil pengukuran lebih besar dari nilai NAB yang telah ditetapkan, dengan nilai NAB 28oC. Pada keluhan kesehatan yang sering di rasakan oleh pekerja yaitu dehidrasi banyak dirasakan oleh pekerja karena pekerja yang jarang mencukupi asupan cairan atau air. Begitu pula pada keluhan heat rash, keluhan ini dirasakan para pekerja yang jarang menjaga hieginitas diri. Oleh sebab itu, perlunya pengendalian iklim kerja baik dalam lingkungannya maupun pekerjanya. Pengendalian tersebut seperti Training (pendidikan/latihan), Pengendalian tekanan panas melalui penerapan hygiene.

The concept of lean management in an organization, improving products and processes using the Lean Manufacturing concept, is discussed in this paper. Striving for excellence is the key factor in maintaining competitiveness on the market. Only organizations able to adapt to changing environmental conditions faster than others achieve an advantage, and the management in line with the Lean Manufacturing philosophy is de facto change management. In this paper, important factors in the ceramic industry, which should be taken into account when implementing Lean Manufacturing are characterized. Important factors affecting the implementation of lean tools include, such as: the size of the enterprise, involvement of employees, knowledge about the Lean concept, technological factor, type and variety of the product line, as well as the specificity of the ceramic industry. The greatest opportunity associated with the implementation of Lean is to increase the competitiveness of the company obtained through: meeting the quality and economic expectations of customers. The greatest opportunity associated with implementation of the Lean is to increase competitiveness of the company obtained through: meeting the quality and economic expectations of their customers. Practice shows, however, that despite the simplicity of rules and tools, few organizations manage to achieve the level of excellence of the pioneer of this concept, the Japanese Toyota Corporation.

Background: The basis of welfare and health in all individuals is their work ability. Many factors such as work and working conditions, fatigue, and individual characteristics affect the work ability. In the present study, we evaluated the work ability among workers employed in a ceramic industry and determined the relationship between fatigue areas. Methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. 200 subjects were randomly selected and investigated. This study was conducted using two standard questionnaires of Work Ability Index (WAI) and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: Mean general fatigue score was of 9.65 (SD=2.88) and the mean motivation score was 7.11 (SD=2.45). There was a significant difference in fatigue in different job groups in terms of work experience (P

Results of research connected with determining the degree of implementation of 5S practices in ceramics industry are discussed in this paper. Direct survey with employees of companies plus ex-pert interview was used in the research. A 21 point scale was used to assess the degree of implemen-tation the 5S practices at individual stages of the manufacturing process. The specificity of produc-tion in ceramics industry enforces maintaining the regime of cleanliness during production. The research revealed that the level of conscious implementation of the 5S practices in companies de-pends on the culture of organization and the degree of involvement of employees in the improvement actions in their company. The presented results are a part of the research aimed at determining refer-ence requirements for companies in terms of implementation and making use of the Lean Manage-ment (LM) instruments.

Results of research connected with determining the degree of implementation of 5S practices in ceramics industry are discussed in this paper. Direct survey with employees of companies plus expert interview was used in the research. A 21 point scale was used to assess the degree of implementation the 5S practices at individual stages of the manufacturing process. The specificity of production in ceramics industry enforces maintaining the regime of cleanliness during production. The research revealed that the level of conscious implementation of the 5S practices in companies depends on the culture of organization and the degree of involvement of employees in the improvement actions in their company. The presented results are a part of the research aimed at determining reference requirements for companies in terms of implementation and making use of the Lean Management (LM) instruments.

Introduction: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a major problem in industrialized and developing countries. Trend of industrialization and lack of proper protective equipment lead to an increased frequency of noise-related disorders especially NIHL. This study was conducted to investigate noise pollution and the frequency of NIHL in workers of one of the ceramic industries. Materials and Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 155 tile workers were studied in 2015. Mean of age and working experience in participants was 29.45± 6.8 and 5.3 ±3.65 years, respectively. Sound pressure level in different sections of ceramic industry were measured using Brüel & Kjær sound level meter. Pure tone audiometry of air conduction was performed in both ears at frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. Hearing threshold higher than 25 dB at different frequencies was defined as hearing loss. Results: Mean of hearing threshold was 20.06 ±7.64 dB in right ear and 17.46 ±8.7 dB in left ear. Total hearing threshold was 17.9 ±8.04 db. About 18.7% of subjects suffered from NIHL in the right ear and 10.3% in the left ear. A significant relationship was found between work experience, job, lack of using proper protective equipment and hearing loss. Conclusion: In conclusion, the rate of hearing loss among tile workers was high, hearing loss was more frequently seen in right ear than left ear.

Thermal processes represent a considerable part of the total energy consumption in manufacturing industry, in sectors such as steel, aluminium, cement, ceramic and glass, among others. It can even be the predominant type of energy consumption in some sectors. High thermal energy processes are mostly associated to high thermal losses, (commonly denominated as waste heat), reinforcing the need for waste heat recovery (WHR) strategies. WHR has therefore been identified as a relevant solution to increase energy efficiency in industrial thermal applications, namely in energy intensive consumers. The ceramic sector is a clear example within the manufacturing industry mainly due to the fuel consumption required for the following processes: firing, drying and spray drying. This paper reviews studies on energy efficiency improvement measures including WHR practices applied to the ceramic sector. This focuses on technologies and strategies which have significant potential to promote energy savings and carbon emissions reduction. The measures have been grouped into three main categories: (i) equipment level; (ii) plant level; and (iii) outer plant level. Some examples include: (i) high efficiency burners; (ii) hot air recycling from kilns to other processes and installation of heat exchangers; and (iii) installation of gas turbine for combined heat and power (CHP). It is observed that energy efficiency solutions allow savings up to 50–60% in the case of high efficiency burners; 15% energy savings for hot air recycling solutions and 30% in the when gas turbines are considered for CHP. Limitations to the implementation of some measures have been identified such as the high investment costs associated, for instance, with certain heat exchangers as well as the corrosive nature of certain available exhaust heat.

Gres Porcelain stoneware is a ceramic with a compact, hard, coloured and non-porous body. It is largely used as building materials, for a quality architecture, offering high resistance to impact, stress, wear, scratching, frost, chemical attach and stains. It is produced in flat tiles, billions of tons per year. A very prominent technology, based on a pyroclastic deformation, permits to obtain bended porcelain tiles as innovative solutions for a modern architecture. This technology is grounded on a proper combination of heavy machining by cutting tools and secondary firing in a kiln. This new element, the bended tile, can be used in several innovative applications (as steps, shelves, benches, radiators...). But, new functions require a better and in-depth knowledge of these materials, especially referring to the mechanical proprieties. This paper investigates the limits of applicability of ISO standards for the quality classification of ceramics and experimental measures of their mechanical proprieties.

The aim of this study was to analyze the environmental impacts caused by the red ceramic industry, based on the vision of workers and residents in region from Crato - Ceará. Two indexes were calculated: IQA and ISA. The results showed that in the view of respondents the ceramic industry led to degradation. However, these activities were also responsible for creating new jobs.

In the current competitive contexts, it is widely accepted and proved that inter-enterprise collaboration lead in many occasions to better results. The Spanish ceramic industry must improve, dropping its manufacturing costs in order to be able to compete with low cost products coming from Asia. In this sense, this work presents the main results obtained from applying an innovative model, which facilitates the transfer of manufacturing options between two ceramic enterprises that share a common supplier in the scenario where one of them needs more manufacturing capacity than the one booked according to its demand forecast and the another need less. Then, some decisional mechanisms are applied, which output the values for certain parameters in order to augment the benefit of all the three participants. With the application of this model better organisational results both economic and of service level are achieved.En los contextos actuales de competitividad es ampliamente aceptado que la colaboración entre empresas conduce muchas veces a mejores resultados. Además, la industria cerámica española debe mejorar y reducir los costes de sus procesos de fabricación para así poder competir con los productos de menor coste que provienen principalmente de países asiáticos. En este sentido, este trabajo presenta los resultados de aplicar un modelo innovador para facilitar el trasvase indirecto de opciones de fabricación entre dos empresas fabricantes cerámicas competidoras que comparten un mismo proveedor de productos, cuando una de ellas necesita más capacidad de fabricación de la que reservó en base a sus previsiones de demanda y la otra tiene un excedente. Así, se desarrollan una serie de mecanismos decisionales los cuales proporcionan los valores que deben tomar ciertos parámetros para aumentar el beneficio de todos los participantes en el proceso. Con la aplicación de este modelo se alcanzan mejores resultados empresariales tanto económicos como de nivel de servicio.

This paper analyses how energy consumption and energy efficiency evolved in the Spanish ceramic tile industry in the 20th century and explores the emerging possibilities in the 21st century. In the last century, the tile industry undertook three radical transitions by switching from traditional biomass fuels to liquid hydrocarbon fuels (fuel oil and gas oil), and subsequently to gas fuels, mainly involving natural gas. Although it is difficult to obtain the information that enable the real energy efficiency in manufacturing plants to be reliably evaluated, the available data indicate that a high degree of efficiency has been achieved with current manufacturing technologies. Consequently, significant developments in this sense are not expected, even though efforts are still being made to reduce energy consumption in the production process. However, environmental regulations and impacts, and the emerging new energy sources based on agricultural biomass could open up new avenues for energy supply in the Spanish ceramic tile cluster.El presente texto analiza cómo ha ido evolucionando el consumo y la eficiencia energética de la industria española de baldosas cerámicas durante el siglo XX, y explora las posibilidades que se le plantean en el siglo XXI. Durante el pasado siglo este sector industrial acometió tres transiciones radicales al pasar de los combustibles tradicionales de biomasa a los hidrocarburos líquidos (fuelóleo y gasóleo), y posteriormente a los gaseosos, principalmente gas natural. Aunque la información que permite evaluar de manera fiable la eficiencia energética real en las plantas de fabricación no es fácil de obtener, los datos disponibles indican que se ha llegado a una elevada eficiencia con las tecnologías productivas actualmente utilizadas. Por tanto no se prevén cambios importantes en este aspecto, aunque siguen realizándose esfuerzos encaminados a reducir el consumo de energía en el proceso productivo. Sin embargo, los impactos y las regulaciones medioambientales, y nuevas posibles fuentes energéticas basadas en biomasa agrícola pueden abrir paso a nuevas vías de suministro energético en el sector cerámico español de baldosas.

Objectives: Epidemiological studies provide evidence that airborne particulate matter may contribute to the increased incidence and mortality rates due to pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Only some of them address the problem of occupational exposure to particulate air pollution. The aim of our study was to assess cardiovascular reaction and autonomic regulation in workers exposed to fine particles. Materials and Methods: All workers had medical examination, resting ECG with heart rate variability analysis (HRV), 24-h ECG, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) performed. The subjects were 20 male workers (mean age: 32.14.0 year) of a ceramic ware factory exposed to the dust and 20 workers who were not exposed (mean age: 39.4±7.8 year). The period of employment under exposure amounted to 5.6±2.1 year. Dust exposure was measured using individual dosimeters. Results: The geometric mean total dust concentration was 44±1.5 mg/m3 and the FPD (fine particulate dust) concentration amounted to 11.5±1.6 mg/m3. No abnormalities were noted in the resting ECG in both groups, in 24-h ECG 2 subjects, both from exposed and control groups, had ventricular heart rhythm and repolarization disturbances. Blood pressure in ABPM, both systolic as well as diastolic, was normal and did not differ between the groups. Resting heart rate in the exposed group was significantly lower (p = 0.038) than in the control group. In the exposed group STD R-R from short-term records was significantly higher (p = 0.01). Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis showed that the low frequency power spectrum (LF) did not differ in the exposed and the control group, while high frequency (HF) was significantly higher in the exposed group. LF/HF ratio was significantly lower in the exposed in comparison with the control group. Conclusions: Although we did not reveal significant abnormalities in ECG as well as in ABPM in the exposed group, it seems that neurovegetative disturbances (parasympathetic predominance) may serve as an early indicator of fine particulate dust effect on cardiovascular system.

Currently, the existing information systems, and specifically the ERP, can not give adequate support to the management of manufacturing companies of ceramic tile, because, among other reasons, not to contemplate the existence of tone, size and quality within the same product. This feature, caused by the lack of homogeneity of the product (LHP), generates various problems in managing the product through the different business processes, such as, stocks management, order management, the production management, etc. Thus, it is necessary to develop an ERP solution that is able to manage adequately the ceramic product, including tone, size and quality. In this paper we analyze the requirements of the ceramic sector, in terms of product identification, and propose a data model to meet these requirements. The model arises as a basic guide for the development of vertical ERP solutions tailored to the ceramic industry.En la actualidad, los sistemas de información existentes, y en concreto los ERP, no pueden dar un soporte adecuado a la gestión de las empresas de fabricación de baldosa cerámica, debido, entre otros motivos, a que no contemplan la existencia del tono, calibre y calidad dentro de un mismo producto. Esta particularidad, ocasionada por la falta de homogeneidad del producto (FHP), genera diversas problemáticas en la gestión del producto a través de los diferentes procesos de la empresa, como por ejemplo; la gestión de stocks, la gestión de pedidos de venta, la gestión de producción, etc. Así pues, se hace necesario el desarrollo de una solución ERP que sea capaz de gestionar el producto cerámico de forma adecuada, incluyendo tono, calibre y calidad. En este trabajo se analizan los requerimientos del sector cerámico, en cuanto a la identificación de los productos, y se propone un modelo de datos para dar respuesta a dichos requerimientos. El modelo se plantea como una guía básica para el desarrollo de soluciones ERP verticales adaptadas al sector cerámico.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo a caracterização química e mineralógica de matérias-primas argilosas utilizadas pelas indústrias cerâmicas do Vale do Rio Caí, RS. Essa região, situada entre Porto Alegre e a Serra Gaúcha, é o maior centro produtor cerâmico para construção civil do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Apesar da importância da indústria cerâmica para a economia local e do Estado, a grande maioria das argilas disponíveis para consumo nunca foi caracterizada satisfatoriamente e não existem dados técnicos e científicos que possam orientar tanto a correta exploração das jazidas quanto o desenvolvimento de produtos cerâmicos de maior valor agregado. Neste trabalho foram feitas análises por fluorescência e difração de raios X das principais argilas utilizadas pela indústria cerâmica da região. De acordo com o método de análise hierárquica de agrupamentos e tendo como base a composição química das amostras, foram identificados três grupos de matérias-primas: argilas residuais (ou primárias) e dois grupos de argilas transportadas (ou secundárias). A diferenciação das matérias-primas em grupos se manifesta também na composição de fases das amostras, tal como determinada por difração de raios X e análise racional.This work aims to characterize the chemistry and mineralogy of clay raw materials used in the heavy clay industry of the Caí River Valley, in southern Brazil. This region lies between Porto Alegre and Serra Gaúcha and is regarded as the major production center of brick and tiles in the Rio Grande do Sul. Despite the importance of this activity for both the local and state economy, the vast majority of clay raw materials have never been satisfactorily characterized, so there is not adequate data to guide its correct exploitation or to allow the development of ceramic products of higher quality. In this work X-ray fluorescence and diffraction were applied to analyze the clays largely used by the ceramic industry. Three groups of heavy clay were identified based on the hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis of the samples chemical composition: residual (or primary), and transported (or secondary) clays. This was further verified considering the phase composition of samples, as estimated by X-ray diffraction and rational analysis.

Introduction: Glazers in ceramic industry are exposed to a variety of glazes, containing heavy metal salts, particularly cobalt. Cobalt is used in glaze to produce blue dye; therefore, occupational exposure can be taken place, causing adverse effect on the body organs. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of cobalt in the breathing zone of 49 glazers exposed to this metal while mixing, handling, and firing processes is performed in the ceramic industry. Materials and methods: An air sample was taken from the breathing zone of each worker continuously for 8 h on a cellulose ester membrane filter of 37 mm diameter followed by determination of cobalt concentration using Inductively Coupled Plasma-atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). In order to examine whether a correlation exists between work shifts, kind of job, ventilation system, and cobalt concentration, all participants filled out a self administered questionnaire. The lung function tests were also performed on each control and cobalt exposed subjects. T-tests was carried out to compare the cobalt concentrations between groups. Results: The mean value of cobalt concentration in glazers was 5.5 times higher than the ACGIH threshold limit value (0.02 mg/m3). Tile glazers had higher concentrations of cobalt than the pottery glazers. Spirometric parameters were significantly lower in the glazers compared to the control group (P

Glazers are exposed to a variety of heavy metals in the ceramic industry, causing adverse effect on the body systems. Cadmium is one of the major raw materials for production of colored glazes. To evaluate occupational exposure to cadmium, spot urine samples were collected from 49 tile and pottery glazers in Yazd City in 2010 at the beginning and end of the work shift (98 samples). Totally, 55 office workers were also evaluated as control group. Samples were prepared using solid phase extraction followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. All the participants filled out a self administered questionnaire comprises questions about work shift, kind of job, use of mask, ventilation,work history, overtime work, age, weight, and height. The lung function tests were performed in a standing position according to the American Thoracic Society recommendation on both control andcadmium exposed individuals. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to evaluate the data. The mean values of cadmium levels before and after shift in study group was 3.88 and 10.85 μg/gcreatinine,respectively. The mean values of cadmium levels at the end of the work shift in the glazers urine samples was almost 3.53 times higher than the control group and 2.17 times higher than the ACGIHbiological exposure indices (5 μg/g creatinine). In addition the lung functions of glazers was significantly lower than the office workers (p

Innovation and sustainable development are considered to be economic drivers and crucial in fixing competitive position of companies. Eco-innovation, known as a synergic relation among both concepts must be an element to consider when designing the company´s strategy. The objective of this paper is to analyze which are the variables that determine that innovative companies go beyond and consider the improvement of their environmental impact as an output when developing innovating activities. This research considers firms belonging to the Spanish tile industry. Data has beeen provided by PITEC Database. The paper identifies the moderating factors that influence the eco-innovative behavior of firms.La innovación y el desarrollo sostenible se consideran motores económicos cruciales en la fijación de la posición competitiva de las empresas. La eco-innovación, entendida como relación sinérgica entre ambos conceptos, debe ser un elemento a considerar en el diseño de la estrategia de las empresas. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar cuáles son las variables que determinan que las empresas innovadoras vayan más allá y consideren la mejora del impacto ambiental como un objetivo al desarrollar actividades innovadoras. En este trabajo se analizan las empresas pertenecientes al sector cerámico español. Los datos provienen de la base de datos PITEC. El documento identifica los factores moderadores que influyen en el comportamiento eco- innovador de las empresas.

Sete amostras compostas, representativas de três ocorrências de argila caulinítica do Quadrilátero Ferrífero, foram caracterizadas física, mineralógica e quimicamente visando seu uso na indústria cerâmica. Apesar da presença predominante de caulinita, variações nos teores de Fe2O3 entre 2 a 44%, refletidos pela presença de goethita e hematita, acarretam diferentes cores que variam entre branco (ACM e DB), amarelo (R5), vermelho amarelado (FS) e vermelho (DV, R1 e AM). Corpos cerâmicos foram queimados a 900 e 1100 °C, sendo que as cores praticamente não mudaram após a queima. Entretanto, somente corpos feitos com DV e R1 cumpriram as especificações técnicas para cerâmica, não apresentando fraturas e atingindo altas resistências à compressão: 96,2 MPa e 64,2 MPa, respectivamente. Para as outras amostras foram testadas misturas com filito (F) nas proporções de 5, 10, 15, 20 e 25% e queima a 900 e 1100 °C. Os melhores resultados dos corpos cerâmicos, com ausência de fraturas, resistências à compressão entre 69,15 e 29,6 MPa e que cumpriram as especificações técnicas, foram obtidos nas proporções: ACM+15F, DB+5F, R5+5F, FS+5F, AM+5F e queima a 900 ºC.Seven samples from three kaolin deposits of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero were characterized by physical, mineralogical and chemical analyses in order to determine their use in the ceramic industry. Despite the predominant presence of kaolinite, the variations in the Fe2O3 content from 2 to 44%, due to presence of goethite and hematite, resulted in different colors, namely: white (ACM and DB), yellow (R5), yellowed red (FS) and red (DV, R1 and AM). Specimens were burned at 900 and 1100 °C and they almost didn't change color. However, only specimens made with DV and R1 samples reached the technical specifications for the ceramic industry, without fractures and with values of compression strength of 96.2 and 64.2 MPa, respectively. The other samples were made by mixing phyllite in the proportions of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% and burned at 900 and 1100 °C. The bricks made with ACM+15F, DB+5F, R5+5F, FS+5F, AM+5F and burned at 900 ºC reached the technical specifications for ceramic industry, without fractures and with values of compression strength between 69.15 and 29.6 MPa.

No sudeste de Santa Catarina existem inúmeras minas de exploração de argilas destinadas à indústria cerâmica da região. Para o conhecimento desta matéria prima foi realizada a caracterização em detalhe de uma frente de lavra em atividade. A exploração é realizada em terrenos sedimentares da Formação Rio do Rasto (Permiano Superior) na Bacia do Paraná que afloram como morros testemunho. Foram coletadas quatorze amostras representativas dos níveis desta mina composta de argilitos com intercalação de siltitos de pequena espessura. As amostras foram analisadas por difratometria de raios X pelo método do pó na rocha total e na fração < 4 µm. A composição química foi determinada por fluorescência de raios X. Foram realizadas observações ao microscópio eletrônico de varredura (elétrons secundários) de fragmentos das amostras e microanálises por microssonda eletrônica de lâminas delgadas. Os resultados mostraram uma grande variação vertical da mineralogia, tendo sido identificados três níveis diferentes. Até 2,00 m há predomínio de esmectita. Entre 2,00 m e 5,50 m a esmectita é o principal argilomineral, mas com quantidade significativa de ilita/mica, e acima de 5,50 m há grande aumento do feldspato potássico e mica detrítica. Estudos de detalhe por difratometria de raios X (determinação do parâmetro b) e microanálises WDS por microssonda eletrônica permitiram identificar como montmorilonita a espécie argilomineral do grupo das esmectitas.In the southeastern part of Santa Catarina state, Brazil, many mines of clays used as raw material for the ceramic industry are found. A detail study of this material was developed in a mine in activity. The exploitation of clays is held in sedimentary rocks of Rio do Rasto Formation (Upper Permian) in the Paraná Basin. The outcrops are in hills testimonies. Fourteen samples were collected and represent the levels of this mine which consisted of argillites with intercalation of slim siltite layer. These samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction using the powder method and in the fraction < 4 µm. The chemical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Petrographic observations in thin section were also performed. Scanning electron microscope images was obtained in samples fragments by secondary electron method. Electron microprobe microanalysis was performed in one thin section. The results showed large vertical variation in the mineralogy and it has been identified three different levels. Up to 2.00 m there is a predominance of smectite. Between 5.50 m 2.00 m the smectite is the main clay mineral, but with significant amounts of illite/mica and above 5.50 m occurs large increase in K-feldspar and detrital mica. Studies in detail by X-ray diffraction (determination of the b-parameter) and microanalysis by wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy have identified montmorillonite clay mineral as the smectite mineral specie.

The aim of this work is not only the synthesis of black ceramic pigment with spinel structure using local and inexpensive minerals (chromite and manganese ores) but also throw some light on the relations between the structure and the colour of obtained pigment. Ultimate utilization spinel solid solution in ceramic materials is mostly due to their structure characteristics, their thermal and chemical stability. In this study colour pigments were ned by calcinations at 1250 ºC starting from a mixture of chromite and manganese oxide. Different compositions were tested containing 30, 40 and 50 wt.% of manganese oxide (low and high content respectively). The phase composition and microstructure characterization of both raw material and obtained pigments were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, polarizing microscope and scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, the colour measurements of the obtained pigments and tiles were evaluated. Composition of all pigments reveal the spinel structure with Cr2FeO4; hematite was also recorded in the mixture of low manganese. The degree of lightness is relatively same in the pigments mixtures of both manganese types. However, tiles could be considered lightness compared with its pigments, especially of the high manganese type. The solid state calcinations reactions are indeed able to form intense brown pigments that can be used as a stain for industrial ceramic applications. The production of less expensive black ceramic pigments from low cost and less pure raw materials that can be utilized in Egypt to substitute for the imported pure oxides or salts is proved superior performance for producing painted pigments.O objetivo deste trabalho é não somente a síntese de pigmento cerâmico negro com estrutura espinélio usando minerais locais e de baixo custo (minérios de cromita e manganês) mas também pesquisar as relações entre a estrutura e a cor dos pigmentos obtidos. O porquê da utilização de soluções sólidas de espinélio em materiais cerâmicos é principalmente devido às características estruturais, estabilidades térmica e química. Neste estudo pigmentos coloridos foram obtidos por calcinação a 1250 ºC partindo-se de mistura de cromita e óxido de manganês. Foram testadas diferentes composições contendo 30, 40 e 50 peso% de óxido de manganês (alto e baixo teor, respectivamente). A composição de fases e a caracterização microestrutural da matéria-prima e dos pigmentos obtidos foram avaliadas por difração de raios X, fluorescência de raios X, microscópio óptico com luz polarizada e microscópio eletrônico de varredura. Além disso, foram determinadas as cores dos pigmentos obtidos e dos azulejos. A composição de todos os pigmentos mostra a estrutura espinélio com Cr2FeO4; hematita foi também detectada na mistura de baixo teor de manganês. O grau de brilho é relativamente o mesmo em todas as misturas de pigmentos com os dois conteúdos de manganês. Entretanto, os azulejos podem ser considerados brilhantes comparados com seus pigmentos, especialmente o de maior teor de manganês. As reações de calcinação em estado sólido são realmente capazes de formar um pigmento marrom intenso que pode ser usado em aplicações em cerâmica industrial. A produção de pigmentos cerâmicos negros a partir de matéria-prima de menor custo e menor teor de pureza, que podem ser utilizadas no Egito para substituir os óxidos e sais puros, mostrou desempenho melhor para a produção de pigmentos pintados.

Particle emission into the atmosphere is one of the major impacts of the ceramic industry from both channelled sources (stacks) and fugitive sources. The latter give rise to so-called diffuse or fugitive emissions, which have traditionally received little regulatory attention and have been the focus of few technical studies. However, this situation is changing in view of the importance of the relative contribution of these emissions in certain industrial activities, such as the ceramic industry, which is leading to specific requirements for fugitive emission control in environmental authorisations, as well as in the recent introduction of the need to quantify these emissions in the emissions declarations required by the European Union (EPER-PRTR). One of the current issues in fugitive particle emission control is, in fact, the quantification of fugitive particle emissions. In this study, an instrument for estimating these emissions has been developed, based on methodologies proposed in the literature, which is applicable to ceramics manufacturing processes in different technological scenarios. Two estimation methods have been used: an analytical method, based on the use of equations and emission factors, and a completely experimental method. Appropriate combination of both methods has allowed estimation of the mass flow in fugitive particle emissions at two industrial facilities, in two technological scenarios. The treatment of the results has enabled the efficiencies achieved in reducing the fugitive emissions of particulate matter at the studied facilities to be estimated.La emisión de partículas a la atmósfera constituye uno de los mayores impactos de la industria cerámica, tanto por focos canalizados (chimeneas) como por focos difusos. Estos últimos producen las denominadas emisiones difusas o fugitivas, a las que tradicionalmente se les ha prestado poca atención, tanto por la normativa legal como por los estudios técnicos. No obstante, esta situación está cambiando dada la importancia de la contribución relativa de estas emisiones en algunas actividades industriales, como es el caso de la industria cerámica, lo que se está traduciendo en el establecimiento de requisitos específicos para su control en las autorizaciones ambientales, así como en la reciente introducción de la necesidad de cuantificar dichas emisiones en las declaraciones de emisiones requeridas por la Unión Europea (EPER-PRTR). Uno de los problemas que se plantea en el control de las emisiones difusas de partículas es la cuantificación de las mismas. En este trabajo, basándose en metodologías propuestas en la bibliografía se ha desarrollado una herramienta de estimación de estas emisiones, y se ha aplicado a procesos de fabricación de productos cerámicos, en diferentes escenarios tecnológicos. Concretamente se han utilizado dos métodos de estimación, uno analítico basado en el uso de ecuaciones y factores de emisión y otro totalmente experimental. Combinando apropiadamente ambos procedimientos se ha estimado el flujo másico de emisiones difusas de partículas en dos instalaciones industriales y en dos escenarios tecnológicos. El tratamiento de los resultados obtenidos ha permitido estimar los rendimientos alcanzados para la reducción de las emisiones difusas de material particulado en dos instalaciones industriales con un elevado grado de implantación de medidas correctoras.

The European Union thorough the European Ceramic Industries association, CERAME-UNIE, elaborate since 2004 a sectorial diagnostic and the published draft (9-09-2006) was transcribed in the Boletin Sociedad Española Ceramica y Vidrio issue 1 of 2007. This draft is a preliminary document that consisted in an instrument to initiate the mandatory debate in order to confront the sector expectation in the conference of the Parliament an the European Union that will be held in 2008. On behalf of the importance of the Spain Ceramic industry with a turnover of 6.000 M€ in the context of 27.000 M€ of the total of the European Ceramic industries, and due to the relevance of such spanish turnover on the Gross Domestic Product, it must necessary to analyze their own future strategy.La Unión Europea, a través de la asociación europea de fabricantes de cerámica CERAME-UNIE, lleva elaborando desde 2004 un diagnostico del sector, cuyo borrador (26-0/9-2006) se publica en el número 1 del año 2007 del Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio. Este borrador es un documento muy preliminar, pero en todo caso va a permitir disponer de un instrumento para un debate necesario, que afrontará las perspectivas del sector ante la conferencia que tendrá lugar en el 2008, organizada por el Parlamento y la Comisión Europea. Dado el elevado peso de la industria cerámica española en el contexto europeo, 6.000 M€ sobre un total de 27. 000 M€, y la importancia de su aportación al Producto Interior Bruto nacional, sería conveniente que el entorno productivo aproveche la oportunidad para analizar la estrategia de futuro.

Glazers are exposed to a variety of heavy metals in the ceramic industry, causing adverse effect on the body systems. Cadmium is one of the major raw materials for production of colored glazes. To evaluate occupational exposure to cadmium, spot urine samples were collected from 49 tile and pottery glazers n Yazd City in 2010 at the beginning and end of the work shift (98 samples). Totally, 55 office workers ere also evaluated as control group. Samples were prepared using solid phase extraction followed by nductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. All the participants filled out a self administered questionnaire comprises questions about work shift, kind of job, use of mask, ventilation, work history, overtime work, age, weight, and height. The lung function tests were performed in a standing position according to the American Thoracic Society recommendation on both control and cadmium exposed individuals. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to evaluate the data. The mean values of cadmium levels before and after shift in study group was 3.88 and 10.85 μg/gcreatinine, respectively. The mean values of cadmium levels at the end of the work shift in the glazers urine amples was almost 3.53 times higher than the control group and 2.17 times higher than the ACGIH biological exposure indices (5 μg/g creatinine). In addition the lung functions of glazers was significantly lower than the office workers (p

The present study was undertaken to determine the influence of different factors on the results obtained in the determination of the toxicity of ceramic wastes by Photobacterium phosphoreum (Vibrio fischeri) bacteria luminescence inhibition assay. The study indicates that this method, used just by itself, is inadequate for characterising ceramic industry waste.En este trabajo se estudia la influencia de diferentes factores sobre los resultados obtenidos en la determinación de la toxicidad de muestras de residuos mediante el ensayo de inhibición de la luminiscencia de la bacteria Photobacterium phosphoreum (Vibrio fischeri), llegándose a la conclusión de que este método, por sí sólo, no es adecuado para caracterizar residuos de la industria cerámica.

The Spanish ceramic industry: a business opportunity for ERP consultant services enterprises The ceramic industry is a strategic sector in Spain, which is losing market share to the production of emerging countries. To gain competitive advantage over other countries competing in cost , one of the opportunities for improvement of the ceramic industry in Spain , is to increase and optimize the use of ICT. However, there is currently no developed systems that provide appropriate to the specific problems of the ceramic sector solution. Therefore, a business opportunity arises for companies that provide consulting services for the implementation of informationsystems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP). To do this, first we need to know the industry and its specific problems, with the goal of developing a suitable ERP. This paper identifies such business opportunity and presents one of the more specific problems of the sector, which is not implemented in any ERP system. Then, ERP consulting services companies will have the knowledge of the problem and they will be able to develop an appropriate solution.El sector cerámico es un sector estratégico en España, que está perdiendo cuota de mercado ante la producción de países emergentes. Para conseguir ventaja competitiva frente a otros países que compiten en coste, una de las oportunidades de mejora del sector cerámico en España, es incrementar y optimizar el empleo de las TIC. Sin embargo, actualmente no hay sistemas desarrollados que den solución adecuada a los problemas específicos del sector cerámico.Por tanto, surge una oportunidad de negocio para empresas que ofrecen servicios de consultoría de implantación de sistemas de información, como son los Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Para ello, en primer lugar es necesario conocer el sector, y sus problemáticas concretas, con el objetivo de desarrollar un ERP adecuado. Este artículo identifica dicha oportunidad de negocio y presenta una de las problemáticas más específicas del sector, que no está implementada en ningún sistema ERP, con el objetivo de que las empresas de servicios de consultoría ERP la conozcan y sean capaces de desarrollar una solución adecuada.

The European Commission Directive, 1999/30/EC, approved on the 22nd of April 1999, on atmospheric particles establishes a standard that is more stringent than the current one. This Directive proposes the monitoring of particles lower than 10 μm (PM10, thoracic particles) based on health impact criteria. The proposed EC limits are 40 μgPM10.m-3 and 20 μgPM10.m-3 as annual means in 2005 and 2010, respectively. In accordance with the European Commission (EC), the future PM10 limits will be revised in 2003 if the European States can demonstrate that the exceedances of the new limits are attributed to natural inputs. The exceedances due to natural inputs are more frequent in Mediterranean countries due to the re-suspension of natural soil particles and to the higher frequency of Saharan air mass intrusions. This study summarises the preliminary results obtained from two research projects in Spain focused on: 1) establishing the criteria for the discrimination of natural/anthropogenic inputs of PM10; 2) identifying the events when the proposed limits are exceeded by natural inputs and 3) determining the most suitable monitoring parameter, PM10 or PM2.5, in order to avoid natural interference. Given the importance of the ceramic industry in Castelló, special attention will be placed on the preliminary results obtained this area.La Directiva de la comisión Europea, 1999/30/CE, aprobada el 22 de Abril de 1999, referida a partículas atmosféricas en suspensión, establece una normativa más estricta que la vigente. Esta normativa propone el control de las partículas inferiores a 10 μm (PM10, partículas torácicas) basándose en criterios de impacto en la salud. Según esta directiva no se podrán superar medias diarias anuales de 40 μgPM10.m-3 en el 2005 y de 20 μgPM10.m-3 en el 2010. La directiva contempla la revisión de los límites normativos y de los parámetros de control en el 2003, pudiendo variar estos en el caso de que los Estados miembros demuestren que los rebasamientos de los nuevos límites normativos se deban a causas naturales. Estas superaciones por causas naturales son más frecuentes en los países del área Mediterránea debido a la resuspensión de partículas naturales y la mayor frecuencia de intrusiones de masas de aire del Sahara. El presente trabajo presenta los resultados preliminares de dos proyectos de investigación, desarrollados en el territorio español, cuyos objetivos principales son: 1) establecer los criterios para la discriminación de aportes naturales/antropogénicos de PM10; 2) identificar cuando las superaciones de los limites de PM10 se superan por causas naturales y 3) determinar la conveniencia de medir PM2.5 o PM10 para evitar la interferencia de aerosoles naturales en el PM10. En este trabajo se van a resaltar los resultados obtenidos en el área de Castelló, debido a la gran industria cerámica presente en esta zona, con objeto de estudiar el posible impacto de la nueva Directiva europea en la industria cerámica.