Environmentally friendly design, the relentless pursuit of sustainability and insightful recycling are the start points for the story of the creation of the Kermansavi collection. It is a beautiful story, but it is above all true and helps to address some of the challenges of our future.
The side streams of the ceramics industry produce second-rate material, which is set aside and was once considered a waste product. Thanks to the innovators at Tulikivi, up to 80 per cent of this second-rate material can now be used to make ceramic fireplaces. The ceramic material is used in both the fireplace body and elements, as well as the surface. The Kermansavi collection is the perfect example of circular economy products that use surplus materials from industry combined with cutting-edge technology to meet all the emission requirements of the Ecodesign Directive that came into force at the beginning of 2022.
The original idea for the Kermansavi collection was to use surplus materials from Tulikivi’s own operations, but the popularity of the collection took everyone by surprise and as demand grew, the surplus ceramics had to be sourced from elsewhere, which meant recycling was started on a larger scale. Currently, at least 2000 tonnes of ceramics are brought to the Heinävesi plant from Finland and Europe every year. This is turned into thousands of ceramic fireplaces.
Before the crushed ceramics are transformed into ceramic fireplaces, they go through many different stages at the Heinävesi plant. Large individual deliveries are used to ensure the carbon footprint is as small possible already at the logistics stage. At Heinävesi, the crushed material is loaded into ground-temperature storage silos. From the silos, the crushed material is transported on conveyors to a concrete plant, where it is mixed with cement and water to be cast into various body shapes. Next, the cast elements go through rigorous quality control before entering a hardening chamber. Once the elements have hardened, they move to a palletising line for the next quality check and then to a warehouse. In the warehouse, the elements set for another three weeks at least before delivery to the customer.
Ceramics are extremely resistant to wear, heat and thermal variation. Thanks to these qualities, ceramics are used, for example, in brake discs for formula racing cars. In fireplaces, ceramics work reliably because the 1300-degree heat of the manufacturing process prepares the material to superbly withstand direct heat and less thermal expansion happens in the body than with other materials. It has still not been possible to define a useful life for ceramic fireplaces, as the first ones from the 1990s are still in use.
In addition to their longevity, ceramic fireplaces are also aesthetically designed, which means they are pleasant to look at and easy to admire. Each fireplace is hand-finished at the plant, which gives all ceramic fireplaces a beautiful and refined appearance. All ceramic fireplaces also have a cooking feature, which continues on from the eco-friendly thinking that has been at the heart of the Kermansavi collection since its inception. Using the heat of the ceramic fireplace for heating and cooking saves electricity in a natural way.