Duravit has opened its new manufacturing site in Matane, Canada, which it says is one of the first plants in the world to use electric power to fire its sanitary ceramic kilns.
Following an investment of over $90m, the company has recently opened the new 35,000 sq ft factory that will be able to manufacture up to 450,000 ceramic products per year.
Duravit says the energy at the Matane site comes entirely from renewable sources, such as hydroelectric power, with around 99.6% of the power used in its electrical roller kilns being generated renewably.
The kilns reportedly offer capacity for over 600 ceramic parts per day, which are fired at a temperature of 1,260ºC. The process heat produced is also reused in the drying and casting areas.
The site is already manufacturing products with a headcount of 102 employees, but this number will rise to 240 when the plant is fully operational in 2027.
The company also says that the new sustainable site “reinforces its responsibility to the region”, as it will allow products for the North American market to be manufactured directly in the region.
The site’s opening was marked by a ceremony attended by around 80 guests from the worlds of politics, business and media. Duravit was represented by its head of production for Canada Christian Gilles, COO Thomas Stammel, CMO Lüder Fromm, and chairman of the supervisory board, Gregor Greinert.
The construction of the site was aided by a repayable contribution of $19m, along with a loan of $11m from Investissement Québec.
“The Matane region has shown us a huge amount of trust and support right
from the start,” explained Christian Gilles, Duravit Canada’s head of production. “For us, this factory is more than a manufacturing site: it’s a collaborative project with the local community. We want to create long-term jobs that offer prospects and actively contribute to economic development.”
Duravit first announced its plans to open the Matane plant in 2023.