Apulum is the old name of the city of Alba Iulia. Its extraordinary past is evident in the star-shaped fortress and the interwoven layers of centuries-old construction. Apulum, then, takes its name from this ancient city. Owned by the Romanian state until 1994, Apulum set a new course in 2007 when it came under new ownership. By 2010, a new SACMI roller kiln for biscuit firing was already up and running. Then came SAMA isostatic presses – no less than 12 new-generation ones, which joined the previous ones – and 6 Triplex dip glazing solutions.  The result: an output capacity that now exceeds 50 million pieces a year and over 2,000 different models, from ‘classics’ to highly complex items with unfired diameters of up to 55 cm.

Powerful productivity, then, but also plenty of automation thanks to SAMA automatic finishers and robotic finishing units, with other robotic devices controlling extraction of the newly formed piece, thus ensuring optimal management of large or rectangular bowls.
These trends are evident in the orders finalized since 2021. For example, the triple focus on expansion, automation and output diversification can be seen in the further strengthening of the firing department (6 Riedhammer kilns currently in operation). That means not just plates and bowls but also cups and mugs, made with SAMA dual-mold horizontal presses that can produce two items at a time. 

The ever-sharper focus on environmental issues (and soaring energy costs) has led the Apulum management team to explore new development opportunities in a novel segment that is, nevertheless, already arousing interest among leading European retailers.
Is it possible to build a factory that mainly processes raw materials that originate from production waste? In the case of tableware, such waste refers to finished product scraps, all high-grade materials that need to be disposed of but which could be re-ground and fed back into the process. A few years ago the European Union did a feasibility study on ‘how to recycle plates’: it was quickly seized on by Apulum, which joined forces with SACMI to turn the theory into practice

To fling open this new window of opportunity, Apulum recently ordered a new SACMI ATM spray dryer, which has been in operation at the Alba Iulia facility since January. Production of tableware from processing waste is already running at full capacity, and a contract has already been signed with a leading European retailer to launch the new product line by July.

This system - which can be used to produce hard porcelain/stoneware tableware with a percentage of recycled material that varies between 50 and 80% - has several advantages. First and foremost, it incorporates the ‘circular economy’ concept into process waste management. Moreover, in the case of stoneware, the firing temperature can be dropped from 1400 °C to 1200 °C to deliver significant energy savings.
If the project is successful, Apulum is set to take a leading role in establishing a true ‘tableware recycling’ supply chain. This ambition goes beyond feeding in-factory scrap back into the process: it will also involve purchasing scrap from outside and supervising, also on behalf of the customer, every single stage of product optimization to reduce energy, environmental and raw material costs.

With the delivery of SACMI Nebula spray booths, a project to convert some single-fire production lines is also under way. This will yield considerable energy savings thanks to the single firing process, which takes place inside latest-generation Riedhammer kilns.
SACMI has also helped Apulum convert some Riedhammer kilns to LPG fuel: with the soaring price of natural gas, this move will help keep factory running costs under control.

The Alba Iulia factory was originally built to meet the needs of a planned economy. Then, between 2007 and 2015, it underwent a complete overhaul with the creation of open-plan areas more conducive to teamwork. Even at the peak of the pandemic and, subsequently, in the midst of soaring energy prices – which temporarily forced a cutback in production – Apulum has kept its personnel and skills in its hometown, generating confidence in the future. At present the Apulum production facility occupies 160,000 square meters and has 1,100 employees.