Fully automated production.
Clay pots made to measure.
The production halls of Hörter Tonwarenfabrik GmbH use state-of-the-art and most innovative technology in order to produce the high-quality
planting ceramics in automated mass production. Computer-controlled robots, high-performance dryers and fast-firing kilns ensure timely completion of the customer orders. The family-owned company does not produce and sell its products to the end consumer directly but supplies large batches to customers around the world. Every phase of clay pot production requires very special competences to ensure evenly high quality.
The focus of Hörter Tonwarenfabrik is on processing high-quality clay from the Westerwald. For several millennia, this natural treasure has been processed by craftspeople in the Kannenbäckerland, which is famous for it. This large clay deposit and its quality are unique in Europe. Processing of the clay masses takes place fully automatically in the production halls. While processing, the clay is turned into a mouldable mass in order to produce many different planting ceramics thereafter.
The clay mass is pressed into strands and then portioned in a demand-oriented manner. The blank is punched out of these "clay blobs".
The raw products are dried in the next production step. To ensure best quality and stability of the pottery goods, high-quality rocking dryers are used to precisely calculate and evenly implement the drying times. At this time, the blank is still soft and can be moulded. It is supplied to the dryer fully automatically via conveyor belts.
The state-of-the-art computer-controlled industrial robots place the dried blanks in the formatted kiln perforated plates and then send them into the fast-firing kiln.
The high-performance fast-firing kilns that fire the pottery products at more than 1000 degrees Celsius are at the core of the Hörter pottery production. The final material properties are created during high-temperature firing. The clay pots to be fired are placed on ceramic perforated plates. This permits stacking and transport via the ceramic rollers of the fast-firing kilns. To ensure maximum effectiveness, all high-performance kilns work at the concurrently.
Subsequent powder coating is a modern and environmentally compatible varnishing technology and permits a virtually unlimited variety of colour. The powder coating is sprayed very evenly onto the vessel by electrostatic charging and gives every clay pot a decorative and diffusion-sealed surface. The entire process "from clay to pot" is implemented in 24 hours on average.