Tony Cahill - Kinelea Services Pty Ltd

Tony previously worked in the Brick Manufacturing industry and led the team responsible for Research and Development in the use of Fluxes from the Aluminium industry. Today he is still involved in supplier representation to the Brick Industry and is Director of Kinelea Services Pty Ltd, which consults to the brick manufacturing and other industries. As a long-term ‘partner’ of Regain, he explains the journey to unlocking the ‘power of fluxing’.

“The use of flux to improve brick water absorption properties and reduce firing (maturing/soak) temperatures is well known and documented,” Tony says. “The ‘best clays’ used in the Brick industry worldwide carry higher levels of potassium, sodium and other fluxing mineral compounds and typically are the preferred raw materials to produce high quality product.”

Tony says that while flux-containing additives have been used all over the world to improve firing in the ceramic industry, it is the addition of ‘flux’ in the form of Vitriflux that enhances the firing capabilities of lesser quality raw materials.

The end result was seamlessly introducing Vitriflux to a full range of existing products (about 30) and developing kiln profiles to suit the ‘refined clay mixes’. It resulted in the same technical properties of the ‘Standard Brick mix’ with a 20 Degree C reduction in soaking temperature. An additional bonus was the resultant fuel savings which is also significant. 

Tony says over 100 million bricks were produced on this basis to 2010 and that the results achieved are readily applicable to the brick industry across Australia (and worldwide) with appropriate development plant by plant.

“The introduction of Regain products across the Brick industry has the potential to improve product quality and reduce energy costs,” he says. “A win for the industry and the environment!”