Superheated Steam Drying Enables Sustainable Brick Production in Beek
CEE partnered with Vandersanden to deliver the world’s first hybrid superheated steam dryer for facing bricks. This groundbreaking installation combines waste heat reuse with smart electrification to cut energy use and costs. This approach enables 30% faster drying, eliminates natural gas use in the drying process and contributes to a 25% reduction in total CO₂ emissions at the production site.
CEE supports lower-carbon brick drying at Vandersanden’s Beek plant
- Turnkey execution and in-house manufacturing
- World’s first industrial-scale hybrid superheated steam dryer for facing bricks
- Superheated steam drying installation engineered and built by CEE
- Kiln exhaust heat recovery combined with electric heat pumps
- 55% energy savings
- 30% faster drying cycles
- 25% reduction in total CO₂ emissions at the production site
- 35 million bricks/year capacity
Modernizing brick production
Brick production is an energy-intensive process, with firing and drying requiring significant amounts of energy, while firing remains the most energy-intensive stage. Drying traditionally relies on large volumes of hot air generated by natural gas. Together, these processes account for a substantial share ofenergy consumption and CO₂ emissions.
To address these challenges and meet the growing demand for sustainable building materials, brick manufacturer Vandersanden decided to modernize its production facility in Beek, the Netherlands. The project was part of a €35 million investment aimed at increasing production capacity while significantly reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process.
The modernization included the installation of a new press, a stacking system, flue-gas cleaning technology and a completely new drying installation. The factory, which employs around 40 people and covers approximately 12,000 m², needed a future-proof drying solution capable of improving efficiency and sustainability simultaneously.
Breakthrough in brick drying process: superheated steam circulation instead of natural gas
CEE engineered and built the new superheated steam drying installation, replacing the conventional hot-air dryer traditionally used in brick manufacturing.
In conventional dryers, large volumes of air are heated by natural gas burners and circulated through the drying chambers to remove moisture from the green bricks. This method is energy-intensive, with part of the heat being lost through exhaust air.
The new system developed by CEE operates on superheated steam as the heat transfer medium. Instead of hot air, the dryer uses superheated steam that is generated through an integrated energy system combining:
- heat recovery from the kiln exhaust gases
- electric heat pump technology
- closed-loop steam circulation
In this configuration, evaporated moisture from the bricks remains within the steam circuit, allowing latent heat to be recovered and reused within the process. The closed steam loop significantly reduces thermal losses compared to traditional open-air drying systems.
The higher heat transfer coefficient of superheated steam also enables more uniform and faster moisture removal, improving drying performance and ensuring more consistent product quality.
Performance improvements
The integration of the superheated steam dryer resulted in substantial improvements in both process efficiency and environmental performance:
- 30% faster drying cycles
- 25% reduction in total CO₂ emissions at the production site
- Elimination of natural gas use in the drying process
With this innovation, the Beek plant has become the first brick factory in Europe to implement this technology on an industrial scale. It demonstrates that even a traditional sector such as the brick industry can innovate radically when technology, energy management and process optimisation come together.
By combining waste heat recovery, electrification through heat pumps and closed-loop steam drying, the system significantly reduces the specific energy consumption of the drying stage — one of the more energy-intensive steps in brick production.
Impact
With the modernization of its Beek facility, Vandersanden has taken another major step toward more sustainable brick manufacturing. The project demonstrates how advanced drying technology and smart energy integration can reduce emissions while increasing industrial productivity.
By delivering the superheated steam dryer for this facility, CEE contributes directly to the transition toward energy-efficient and low-carbon manufacturing processes in the brick industry.
CEE Method from A to Z
CEE led the project end-to-end: decarbonization roadmap, lab testing, detailed design, construction, and commissioning. The system includes the dryer, heat pump, thermal buffering, automation, and feed-in/out systems. Designed with flexibility, sustainability, and lowest total cost of ownership in mind.
More on our technology ?
