Edilians invests nearly 7 million euros to decarbonize its Saint-Geours-d'Auribat plant

The terracotta tile manufacturer has modernized the kiln and heat recovery equipment at its factory in the Landes region. After several months of operation, Edilians announces an 11% reduction in gas consumption on the production line, corresponding to 1.000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided each year.

Edilians is continuing the energy modernization of its industrial sites with an investment of nearly €7 million in its Saint-Geours-d'Auribat plant in the Landes region. This project represents the second industrial application of the technology developed with Ceritherm, following an initial deployment at the Saint-Germer-de-Fly site in the Oise region.

The key figures of the project

Nearly 7 million euros invested in modernizing the production line

Three months of work to modify the oven and its equipment

11% less gas consumption after several months of operation, according to Edilians

1.000 tonnes of CO₂ that should be avoided each year

A 30% reduction in direct CO₂ emissions by 2030 , a target set at group level

Three months of work to modernize the oven

The operation is based on the optimized tunnel furnace (OTF) concept, developed by Ceritherm following fifteen years of research and development. Edilians acquired this French engineering company specializing in industrial furnaces and thermal equipment in 2023.

Already implemented in Saint-Germer-de-Fly, the technology was adapted to a furnace with a different configuration at the Saint-Geours-d'Auribat site. The objective was, in particular, to verify its ability to be deployed on several types of production lines.

The work required the line to be shut down for three months. It included replacing the industrial wagons with models featuring high-performance insulating lining, modernizing the furnace, and expanding the heat recovery systems.

The technical solutions employed are based on three patents. According to Edilians, the investment of nearly €7 million benefits from funding of almost €1 million from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. Support mobilized through the energy savings certificate scheme could also reach nearly €400.000.

Gas consumption reduced by 11%

After several months of operation, the group measured an 11% reduction in the total gas consumption of the production line. This saving represents approximately 1.000 tonnes of CO₂ avoided each year.

“These initial results clearly demonstrate that decarbonizing our firing processes is an industrial reality. Tests conducted on our U and H-shaped kilns at the Saint-Germer-de-Fly and Saint-Geours-d'Auribat sites are now conclusive and validated under real production conditions. They confirm the relevance of our technological choices and our ability to combine industrial performance, product quality, and a sustainable reduction of our carbon footprint,” stated Bertrand Lanvin, Director of Technical Services and Innovation at Edilians.

A technology intended to be deployed in other activities

Ceritherm continues to fine-tune its equipment to improve its efficiency and to study its use in other industrial configurations. The engineering company, based in Haute-Vienne, employs around twenty people.

“This investment will allow us to reduce our CO2 emissions on this production line by 1000 tonnes by 2026, thanks to a reduction that has already reached 11% of the line's total consumption. The entire Ceritherm team is fully committed to improving the settings and concepts to achieve CO2 reductions at Edilians and extending this work to its other business sectors,” said Giovanni Zamparo, CEO of Ceritherm.

A site producing more than 10.000 m² of tiles per day

Located on a 13-hectare site, the Saint-Geours-d'Auribat factory traces its origins back to the first tile works established by the Poudenx family. The site, which adopted the Edilians brand in 2018, now manufactures thirteen types of terracotta tiles available in sixteen colors.

Its production exceeds 10.000 m² of tiles per day, mainly destined for roofs in the south of France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The factory directly employs 88 people and, according to the group, contributes to more than 150 indirect jobs.

Edilians indicates that the site is certified ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 50001 for energy management.

Nearly 100 million euros dedicated to decarbonization

This operation is part of the decarbonization plan launched by Edilians in 2021. The group plans to invest nearly 100 million euros over ten years in order to reduce its direct CO₂ emissions by 30% by 2030 across all its industrial activities.

The drying and firing of clay currently account for nearly 90% of the company's direct CO₂ emissions. To reduce this impact, its program is based on four pillars:

the optimization of oven and dryer control as well as the continuous improvement of manufacturing processes;
the modernization of equipment, in particular through the recovery of waste heat and the utilization of heat from kilns for drying tiles;
the development of new technical solutions with Ceritherm and other partners in the group;
the search for energy sources that can gradually replace natural gas, including electricity, biomethane, biomass and hydrogen.

The plan is expected to gradually cover the eighteen production sites of Edilians Groupe, fourteen of which are located in France, two in Spain, one in Portugal and one in Italy.