An example of the use of external secondary raw materials is the cooperation between GIMA and HOFMANN NATURAL STONE, which led to the development of a bricks variant with saw sludge in six colors. The GIMA laboratory team developed a special recipe for how this sawing sludge can be usefully added to the classic raw material mass. Extensive tests were carried out to examine how this new secondary raw material affects bricks production in terms of shape, color, durability and longevity. Markus Hage, head of the GIMA laboratory, emphasizes: “Both our own and external secondary raw materials increase our resource efficiency; they serve as the basis for recycled bricks. We always aim for products with original bricks quality.”

Clay is created by the weathering of clay, gravel, sand and silt and is easy to process as a plastic mass with the appropriate proportion of water. When shaping the perforated clay bricks, GIMA is based on the usual brick formats, so that the existing production lines for brick production are used for production. After shaping, clay bricks dry for four days at 80°C in the drying chambers; the subsequent firing process is completely eliminated. This means that the energy requirements for all production steps can be covered by electricity from GIMA’s own photovoltaic systems and by the system’s internal heat recovery.

GIMA perforated clay bricks meet the requirements of compressive strength class 5. When shaping, we based ourselves on conventional brick formats, which is why processing can be done just as efficiently and quickly. Clay bricks can be used for both the non-load-bearing interior wall and the load-bearing interior wall and as a load-bearing exterior wall construction.  The clay bricks LZ11 and LZ17 with widths of 115 and 175 millimeters are available for non-load-bearing interior walls. GIMA produces formats with widths of 240 or 300 millimeters for load-bearing interior walls and exterior walls.

The stock range has lateral laying aids for quick and cost-effective processing. All bricks on offer have small elevations on three sides, which means that the bricks can be laid directly next to each other and a uniform joint pattern is always guaranteed. This makes even laying easier and can be achieved without the use of larger tools and with great time savings. The stock range is supplemented by pavement slabs and grass bricks with slotted or square perforations. Pavement slabs are available with different surfaces and are suitable for restoration projects as well as for new buildings and the design of public transport routes. When it comes to infiltration ability, grass-hole brickss in different color nuances and different hole patterns are impressive.

In addition to the stock range, we will show you impressive bar formats with individual color nuances.  The elegant, long-format variant of paving bricks is a special form of commercial bricks and is enjoying increasing popularity. The format immediately gives any floor surface modernity and naturalness. Laid in a herringbone pattern in particular, the full charm of this special format is evident, which is always produced individually to order. Therefore, here too the planner is completely free to choose the bricks color and the exact format. At our stand we will show you three highlight projects with this type of bricks. In addition to Pariser Platz in Cologne, you can marvel at the pattern from Blücherplatz in Spenge live and discover the play of colors on an impressive company site in Salzburg.