NO. 7 SUMMER 2020 Magazine for maritime industry and sea lovers
WHAT'S INSIDE...
4 Reconditioned separators 6 Clear as day 8 Sincerity 10 Save our forests 12 Product range 14 Stay with us 16 Stories of the sea 18 Nautical tattoos 20 Ceramics with passion
RECONDITIONED SEPARATORS What You Should Know Before Buying It
From this article you will learn how many processes are required to make a reconditioned separator look and, first of all, work like a new one. Buying a reconditioned separator is like buying a used car. Not every car polished to shine before selling will guarantee a stress free usage. On the other hand, not every car with the outside not being properly taken care of should be turned down right from the start. Sometimes you do not have to bear high costs to enjoy a ride. It is much easier to refurbish the outside of a car than to spend a fortune on continuous engine repairs. So, to buy a good used car, advice from someone with specialist knowledge is certainly needed. It is the same with used separators. The process of supplying tested and reliable reconditioned equipment to the customer starts with the purchase of equipment we will undertake to repair. A good look taken by a specialist is enough to know who the former owner was. A well- maintained machine can be restored to an as-new condition even after many years of operation.
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There are a lot of companies on the market that specialise in the disassembly of equipment from scrapped ships. They offer competitive prices but such machines do not always qualify for professional overhaul. The equipment that should be scrapped is often roughly repaired and offered for sale. So, once again, be careful not to use equipment of uncertain origin. At MAEM, we buy machines only from reliable sources, preferably from our customers. The use of MAEM parts, coupled with professional maintenance by the crew members, means that we will repair an item of equipment that is otherwise in good condition. A machine delivered to our repair centre is dismantled and all parts are carefully inspected. The body is sandblasted, epoxide primer and polyurethane top coat are applied. This combination ensures strong coating resistance in the most challenging environment. Buying a machine overhauled by MAEM you do not have to choose between a nice look and a long faultless operation: here is what you get in the package.
The dismantled machine parts undergo a series of processes such as sandblas ting, painting, galvanising, electropolishing, metalizing, machining. The machining is carried out until fits and tolerances specified by the manufacturer are achieved after the machine parts have been put together again. All consumables such as bearings, shafts, seals, etc. are always replaced with new ones made by MAEM, irrespective of their condition. When the whole set of repaired and new parts is ready and the body shines freshly renovated, we proceed to reassemble the machine. Once all repaired and new parts manufactured by us have been connected, the separator bowl together with all auxiliary systems reappears. The machine has been given a new lease of life and again looks like it has gone straight from the production line. All of you who are expecting a happy ending of the story here and now just wait for what else we have to say.
Beware of separators with a bowl that has not been rebalanced. This is the key element of the machine, rotating at a high speed, and its balancing is absolutely necessary. So, a balancing machine should be among the basic equipment of any company that repairs separators professionally (we wrote about it in #3 of our M Magazine, to be found at www.maem.com). Once the bowl has been balanced, we issue an official certificate to confirm that all the dynamic balancing
conditions have been fulf illed. The machine then goes to the test bench where start-up testing is conducted to verify the effects of our work. We check the acceleration and deceleration times, vibration level, correctness of the bowl operation. This stage ends with the issue of an appropriate certificate as well. What remains to be done now is to prepare a set of additional gravity discs, a free ser vice kit, a set of tools and documents.
The as good as new separator will soon find its place in the engine room. We encourage you to see MAEM offer of machine servicing and repairs. You can find some of the machines at w w w. resale.info, www.machineseeker.pl and www.ebay.com. Thanks to Piotr, Head of MAEM Repair and Testing Centre, for preparing this article.
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CLEAR AS DAY
Looking at the simplest item just received from MAEM, you are not likely to think about all various processes and events that must have occurred in a proper sequence so that you could get the highest quality product. For the manufacturer that does not treat standards and quality certificates as mere wall decorations, full responsibility for its product is the basis of all activities. The standard unreachable for small manufacturers and low cost producers could not be achieved if it were not for strict procedures, automation and, first of all, the IT system linking the whole organisation like a chain.
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Owing to the customised ERP solution and the implementation of the barcode system together with barcode scanners, we know all manufacturing stages of each, even the smallest item down to the second; starting from the raw material and ending with the product that is dispatched to the customer. The ef ficient IT system allows us to take an individual approach to each process and to control it properly. All processes make up an efficient mechanism that ensures precise repeatability. This seemingly simple mechanism is set in motion by an army of committed employees who make the process measurable in space and time instead of it being a mere theoretical record.
Thanks to the experienced IT staff who have developed the customised system and coordinate its correct operation, all processes are linked in a proper sequence and monitored at every stage. We are thus sure that each deficiency is easily identified and eliminated, irrespective of the stage it has occurred at. The route followed by each item is a result of close cooperation of numerous departments. The operating system makes it wide and straight. Thank you MAEM IT team! We owe it to you that our business partners praise us for the express and professional services as well as the reliability of products they receive from us.
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SINCERITY Is the dissemination of unverif ied information with the aim of gaining long-term benefits a path to success? Does the inability to compete in business give you the right to create bad PR and spread hate? What do organisations with insincere employee relations and a similar attitude to their customers aim at? In yet another article looking at values pursued by MAEM we will tell you why we place so much importance on sincerity, both in contacts with our business partners and in employee relations. Why do we make such a good team at MAEM? Because we know that the bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie and we appreciate each critical remark addressed to us. We believe that sincerity shown in relations with our colleagues, although quite often resulting in constructive criticism and even unfavourable feedback, is a sign of the highest respect for another person. A modern manufacturing company is a place where a lot of various processes and human interests clash on a daily basis. None of us is perfect, not everything can be regulated by strict procedures. Yet, what we, MAEM staff, have in common is openness to honest conversations and readiness to clear all concerns immediately. We are proud to be able to solve problems while sipping morning coffee or hiking in the mountains on weekends. It is worth remembering
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that a “problem� is an inherent factor in team building. There are no issues that cannot be resolved; what may be lacking is a willingness to do it. How did we earn customer trust? At MAEM, we have always put emphasis on sincerity, openness and full transparency. We respect our customers as well as the work of our competitors. For years, we have been building relations with customers on the basis of mutual trust. We are proud that our business partners hear only true stories about our company, they view real pictures of the places we are otherwise pleased to show during audits. The fact that we have chosen the right path is confirmed by various certificates received from certifying bodies, an ever-increasing number of business
FREE AND FAIR COMPETITION
partners as well as appreciation for our work expressed by the customers visiting our manufacturing facility. Can anyone who believes that the end justifies the means and goes into unfair competition really perceive their customer as a business partner or is such
customer just a sales target? Can we feel good in such a situation? After all, we are looking for trustworthy business partners. We are happy the number of people who understand that bad PR, hate and unfair competition lead to nowhere is steadily growing.
Since 2017 we have been a proud member of EMISA, an organisation of companies that have adopted the same philosophy of openness and fair competition as being the only means for achieving great things.
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SAVE OUR FORESTS You Can Also Be an Eco-Hero
Forests cover about 30 percent of our planet’s land surface. They help maintain the environmental balance, stabilise the water cycle and the composition of the atmosphere, influence the climate, protect soils from erosion, prevent floods, create proper conditions for the preservation of biological potential of a large number of flora and fauna species. No forests, no life Fores t s provide half of the ox ygen needed by all people and animals , producing nearly 26 billion tonnes of it a year. A 1-hectare forest assimilates yearly about 3,600 kilograms of carbon contained in 16 million cubic metres of the air. This means that in an hour a 1-hectare forest absorbs the amount of CO2 that is emitted by 200 persons in the same time. A 60-year-old pine tree releases oxygen needed by 3 persons and a 1-hectare forest satisfies the need for oxygen of 45 persons. Trees absorb and neutralise toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, copper, zinc). Spruce forests are the most efficient air filters. But even a spruce hedge growing along a busy road can absorb as much as 70 percent of pollutants. When trees transpire steam is released into the air. One a few dozen-year-old tree such as a beech, an oak, an ash tree, a linden releases to the atmosphere
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several hundred litres of water during the vegetation season on average. As a result, the moisture content of the bottom layers of the troposphere increases, which does not only improve the living conditions of organisms but also contributes to the removal of dispersed particles from the atmosphere. More than a million flora and fauna species of all kinds live in forests. They account for almost two-thirds of the species that have already been discovered. It is worth mentioning that at least 10 million species, though some believe the figure is more like 100 million, have not been catalogued yet. Tropical rainforests are the richest ecosystems in terms of biodiversity. One hectare of such
a forest may feature even up to a million of various plants and the same number of insects. What we can do Fores t s are also the source of raw materials, with wood being the most imp o r t ant o n e u s e d a s f u e l o r a s a raw material in the timber and paper industries. Due to the excessive exploitation of forests , the world’s forest area has been dramatically declining, by 13 million hectares every year. Each of us can contribute to the decreas e in the us e of wo o d and wo o d
products. Together, we can see to it that trees stay in the forest, where they belong, instead of ending up as paper in a shredding machine or a wastebasket. At MAEM, we do a lot to save forests. Thanks to the changes and improvements implemented year by year, we use less paper and thus save trees. As a result of a successive implementation of the electronic flow of documents at our departments, we used 1,043 reams of A4 paper in 2019, compared to 1,430 in 2018, and we plan to buy only 600 reams in 2020. Over the past 3 years, our use of A4 paper has dropped by more than 800 reams of 500 sheets each. It has been calculated that 12,000 sheets of paper are produced from one
25-year-old pine tree. Based on this calculation, we can say that due to the implementation of the electronic flow of documents, we have saved more than 33 trees in the last three years! Not always can printed documents be replaced with electronic ones, though. Can we be eco-friendly in such a case as well? Yes! At MAEM, we have solved the problem using the Toshiba E-Studio 3508LP device. Thanks to the erasable print function, your order picking lists are reused in the printer once the orders have been picked and are not just thrown into the wastebasket. Since we bought the printer, we have printed more than 10,000 pages using only one ream of paper!
In our care for the environment we do not focus on saving trees only. At MAEM, we have made a step forward and have planted trees in our surroundings . The spruces we bought in the holiday season in December have taken roots and we enjoy looking at them throughout the year. The trees were a part of the holiday season atmosphere then and thanks to Adam who planted them, they will stay with us forever instead of ending up in the dump. We hope this article and our activities will encourage you to become an eco-hero. Forests are our shared treasure and each of us can take care of them.
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PRODUCT RANGE
NEW SOLUTIONS Alternative spare parts for Kral pumps (K) Alternative spare parts for Desmi pumps (NSL, MODULAR S) Alternative spare parts for Alfa Laval pumps (ALP – sizes 15-85)
At MAEM, we strive to provide our customers with the highest quality marine solutions. We have built our whole business on this concept and since the beginning we have continued to seek ways to improve every product that we manufacture. In order to achieve this goal, we have developed our unique reverse engineering method which relies on duplicating in 1:1 ratio the more durable machine component that works identically to the original. Nowadays, our production plant, which employs around 120 people, provides about 10,000 different, totally interchangeable, alternative spare parts and complete marine solutions which are shipped worldwide. We are confident about the quality and functionality of them, but for our customers’ convenience, each of them is covered by warranty. Choosing MAEM solutions, you will definitely get The Smart Value.
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STANDARD SOLUTIONS Alternative spare parts for Alfa Laval & Westfalia separators Plug and play separators
Alternative spare parts for Nirex fresh water generators including plates and gaskets
Reconditioned separator bowls
Alternative spare parts for IMO pumps (ACD, ACE, ACP, ACG, LPD, LPE, ACF) and Allweiler pumps (BAS, SPF, SPZ, TRD, TRF, TRE, ZAS, ZASV)
Alternative spare parts for Jowa bilge water separators
Complete brazed plate heat exchangers
Electronic control systems (reconditioned and brand new)
Alternative spare parts for Aquafine water sterilizers
Replaceable gaskets for plate heat exchangers
Alternative spare parts for Moatti back flushing filters
Scrubber nozzles for pollution control
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STAY WITH US Do you like our articles? Would you like to read them more often? Do you want to know what interesting is going on at MAEM? You can have it all at the click of your mouse. Just find us on your favourable social media channel and we will keep you posted with the latest news on (not only) us.
beginning of 2020 our brand debuted on Instagram as well. By subscribing to our social media channels you will have access to weekly posts published regularly and featuring, for example, • new products in our offer,
For over a year now MAEM has had L i n k e d I n , Fa c e b o o k a n d G o o g l e My Busines s prof iles and at the
• achievements of MAEM Runners Team and other physical activities practised by our employees, • invitations to trade fairs and other event s at which you can meet us , reports from such events, • our accomplishments, certificates, awards won.
• traditional and unusual maritime-related holidays,
We also invite you to subscribe to our digital M Magazine
To find us on social media, please scan the proper QR Code
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YouTube
MAEM SERVICE ON BOARD Do you have a problem with assessing the technical condition and determining the cause of a problem with your separator? Do you need technical support? Entrust the machines on your ship to professionals. Do not hesitate to use MAEM service technicians.
REMOTE INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS Experienced professionals are often able to diagnose the problem on the basis of photographs or films showing the machine’s operation. If a remote diagnosis is not possible, our engineers are ready to appear on board and define the problem with your crew. Af ter the inspection, we select the appropriate tools together so as to solve the problem.
REPAIRS ON BOARD
CREW TRAINING
MAEM PARTS
Our engineers undertake ad hoc repairs of separators in the field of mechanical and electronic systems. This concerns emergency situations related to emergency stopping of the machine as well as incorrect operation of the device.
MAEM service technicians are glad to share their knowledge and many years of experience in separator service. Operating the latest machines requires special procedures, which your crew may not be aware of. You can be sure that after the visit of our specialists your mechanics will know everything about the correct usage of the machines they have under their care. Eliminating operating errors is an easy way to avoid complicated repairs.
Our ser vice technicians use only MAEM spare parts, the use of which is one of the conditions for proper operation of your machines. MAEM warns against installing parts from untested suppliers. Please note: MAEM parts are only compatible with MAEM parts as well as those of original manufacturers.
ABOUT US
We are an independent manufacturer of high quality marine alternative spare parts and complete devices for fuel, oil and water treatment. It is our goal to help our customers get the right product they need anywhere on earth: quickly, easily and affordably.
MAEM Sp. z o.o., 22A Bociana Street, 31-231 Krakow, Poland, www.maem.com, info@maem.com, +48 12 415 08 16
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STORIES OF THE SEA Painted by Andrzej Flach
We are honoured to introduce Mr Andrzej Flach, a talented artist specialising in marine painting, a member of the Foundation of Disabled People’s Art , living in Krakow for 69 years . While working together on the 2021 calendar project, we took the opportunity to ask him a few questions and he agreed to tell us a bit about himself and his passion. Let’s start from the beginning. You were born in Gdańsk and moved to Krakow with your parents when you were 5 years old. Yes, that’s true. I was born in GdańskWrzeszcz, a year af ter the turmoil
of World War II subsided, in the 17th century palace situated in Wajdeloty Street. The palace had been once owned by Schulz, the richest merchant in Gdańsk and a co-founder of the Danziger Aktien Bierbrauerei company comprising, among others, a brewery, a windmill and a manufacturing plant where anchors and chains were made. Af ter the war, my father was a freight forwarding manager at Gdańsk Brewer y. In addition to working at DAB, he also ran his own forwarding company. Unfortunately, there was no place for private business in the post-war political system. The unfavourable political climate made our family move as far as Krakow in 1951.
You were five when you left Gdańsk. Have you any memories of the city? What I remember from my childhood are frequent trips to Sopot. I spent a lot of time with my nanny there, playing on the beach and the pier. I think it was then that the sea, breeze and sand became inherent elements of my natural environment. Your memories and seaside roots did not let you leave the sea and water… I loved water and I couldn’t imagine living without it. I was a lifeguard, a member of the sailing team. I spent all holidays either at the Masurian Lakes or at the seaside or on cruises. Cruises were the best part of my youthful life. Indeed, you had an eventful sailing career. It began at the Polish Yacht Club in Krakow and my first important cruise was aboard Zawisza Czarny with commander Bolesław Romanowski. We sailed to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Leningrad. In 1962, I was among 12 persons chosen from all sailing schools in Poland to take part in the navy training cruise aboard Iskra schooner. It was during that cruise that I experienced the only “real” storm at the Botnicka Bay (I’ve wanted to paint such storm ever since, but I haven’t succeeded yet). While on the sailing instructor course, I sailed on board of jolly boats along the whole Polish coast: from the Hel Peninsula to the Szczecin Lagoon. I wanted to live from sailing but obviously it wasn’t my fate, although I passed the entrance exam to the maritime academy. I had an uncle who lived in the UK, not an added value at that time… With passing years and the changing family situation, my sailing adventure came to an end but memories have stayed with me. You can say that my sailing adventure is
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still on-going, in my memories and paintings. So, let’s talk about painting now. How did it all begin? You don’t have education in this field. When I passed my fif ties I failed in health. I was on a disability pension f irst and then retired early. I had always been active and suddenly discovered I had nothing to do. My painting adventure started thanks to my disabled neighbour who attended painting workshops as part of the rehabilitation. I used to give her a ride and usually waited for her in the car. One day her painting teacher came up to me, gave me a pencil and told me not to sit idle. That’s how it began. Afterwards, as a member of the Foundation of Disabled People’s Art, I crossed paths with Prof. Jan Stopczyński. When he learnt about my rich sailing history, he inspired me to take up marine painting And you thought that was just what you should be doing. All my dreams are connected with sailing. I said to myself I would paint this “one real storm” at the Botnicka
Bay. It was so amazing that despite a number of attempts, I’m still not satisfied with the result. Painting sea themes is not merely an expression of my dreams about sailing which have not come true; it’s a way of life. When I paint I relive everything again, I can see it, feel it, each painting tells a story of its own. Thanks to it, I don’t worry too much about my disability getting worse. Despite all the years spent at the easel, I still enjoy it and I feel I’m becoming a better painter with every new painting. I myself wonder how it’s possible that the poorer my sight is, the better my paintings are.
public area of our manufacturing facility. I do hope we may ask you to open the exhibition in person?
Your paintings will be the main theme of MAEM 2021 calendar. Our business partners all around the world will get it before the holiday season in December, it will be delivered on board ships together with our products. How do you feel about it?
Certainly. See you then!
I ’m h o n o ure d th a t my p ainting s , memories will return to the seas and oceans in the form of a calendar. I’m really happy and very proud of it.
I’ll do it with great pleasure. I’ll be very happy. Everyone who paints dreams about their paintings being viewed, making someone smile and happy or maybe even being praised. I’ve been given such a chance by you. Thank you very much. So, we wish you every success in painting the “real” storm and are already looking forward to the opening of your gallery at our manufacturing facility..
The calendar is a surprise you will get together with holiday gifts. We hope our joint project will receive a warm welcome from you. If any of you would like to buy a painting from Mr Andrzej Flach, do not hesitate to contact us, we would be happy to help you get in touch with this exceptional artist.
The paintings you’re going to paint for us will be also shown in a gallery in the
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NAUTICAL TATTOOS
1.
Researches show that tattooing is one of the oldest body adornment prac tices . It is hard to determine exactly when this art form originated. Archaeological studies reveal it could have been about 40,000 years ago. From the very beginning tattoos were done to distinguish the person who had them from others. They could mark such person’s high status and rank, as in the case of someone who had killed an enemy, had taken their head and was thus eligible for a tattoo. On the other hand, tattoos served as marks of slaves or convicts as well.
the 18th century and are associated with sailing. The word tattoo originates from Polynesian tatau, meaning painting. It was first used by the famous British sailor and explorer, Captain James Cook, who is said to be the father of the modern tattoo art. In the book A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, reporting on his voyage around the world, Captain Cook described, among other things, painted bodies of the people living on the South Sea islands. Drawings from the voyage depicting tattooed Polynesians can be seen in the British Museum in London.
The history of modern tattooing and the name itself go back to the times of great geographical discoveries in
Although the sailor stereotype has changed considerably since the 18th century and tattoos have become a part of our
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lives for good, maritime motifs are still one of the main trends in the body painting art. Nautical tattoos have evolved over the years. They have become marks of status, achievements, talismans helping tattoo bearers face hardships of sea wanderings as well as expressions of longing for what a stable life on land offered. Let’s see what some of the most interesting nautical tattoos mean. 1. Fully Rigged Ship: Any sailor who sailed around Cape Horn (known also as a graveyard for ships) and sur vived was cer tainly ver y expe rienced and luck y. No wonder, he got a lot of job offers. Additionally, to mark his heroic deed, he could have this very motif tattooed on his body;
2.
3.
4
5
2. Swallow: It was tattooed to represent 5,000 nautical miles travelled (about 9,260 kilometres). When a sailor travelled 10,000 nautical miles, that is nearly half of the equator length (40,075 kilometres), he could have the second swallow tattooed;
4. Shellback Turtle: It was reserved for those who crossed the equator;
3. Pig and Rooster: They were usually tattooed on the feet. In times when animals were kept in wooden crates on board, they were the only ones to survive from a shipwreck. And thus originated sailors’ belief in their magic power. Such tattoos were believed to protect their bearers from drowning when a ship capsized;
6. Nautical Star: It was to help a sailor return home safely
5. Anchor: It proved a sailor’s successful crossing and returning from the Atlantic Ocean. It also represented the Merchant Marine;
6
7
Hold fast
7. HOLD FAST: These words served as a reminder to the tattoo bearer to hold onto the lines fast in bad weather, even if he risked his life.
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STRATUS: CERAMICS WITH PASSION In the summer issue of M Magazine we would like to introduce Mr Krzysztof Bocian, a designer and ceramist, the Stratus brand owner and creator of unique functional ceramics. Krzysztof is one of those who have given up their careers (the marine career in his case) to follow their dreams. Just read his story and view the exceptional ceramics he makes.
A f te r a y e a r s p e nt at t h e G d y n i a Maritime University, I’d already got a rough idea of what my career would be like and decided it wasn’t for me. Ev e ntu a ll y, I g r a d u ate d f ro m t h e Printing Technology Department at the Warsaw University of Technology and worked in the printing industry for a couple of years. I had a great job designing packaging and other cardboard products; a bit of technology and a bit of creativity. Unfortunately, a constant tightening of the screws on you so that tasks are performed and deadlines are met causes wear and tear in the end. Such was the case with me. I saved enough money to open my own ceramic studio, though. I made ceramics to commission, gathered knowledge and experience. I created small collections of pottery. After six years, I did something I could call my first big success. It was in 2018 when the Stratus brand came into being. However, let’s go 8 years back. The story of my ceramics begins in a very ordinary way. You always have to start somehow. Preferably from scratch, nothing. Nothing – that was what I knew about ceramics when I attended the ceramics workshops for the first time in my life. I was looking for a new hobby. I really took to it and decided I might as well
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do it at home. The only drawback to my idea was that I had to take the created pieces for firing in a ceramic kiln somewhere. And I did it, packing them carefully and watching out for potholes in the road so that they would get to the kiln in one piece. “I’ll make ceramics.” Having taken the decision, I signed a lease agreement to rent a studio and so it went off somehow. Somehow is a key word because at the beginning it wasn’t actually somehow but rather anyhow. Let me pause here to say that I had no background in ceramic engineering and no knowledge of how to make ceramics. Technology was one thing. The other, probably more important one, was my lack of background in art, design. For years, I hadn’t
For the whole story and the current offer of the Stratus products, we invite you, on behalf of Krzysztof Bocian, to visit the website: stratusceramics.com
Stratus: Krzysztof’s memories
paid much attention to what the things around me looked like; they were often just bland. I was brought up like this: frugality and functionality were put first. Design is a delicate matter, a matter of taste, and there’s no accounting for taste (I know now there is accounting for taste all around the world and much good results from this). What I had to do was to learn technology and design. It takes students around 5 years to do it and in the case of art schools the education ends with a diploma work usually in the form of a design which has come into being. I like thinking about the way I followed just like that and I consider the Stratus collection pieces as the successful culmination of a few years of trial and error, exploration, learning the techniques and materials. Ceramics is a very powerful means of expression. I managed to find in it what is most in tune with myself and my sense of aesthetics. My determination and consistency helped me, as did my wife’s support. I wouldn’t be where I am today and there wouldn’t be the Stratus brand if it weren’t for her. The features of this collection, its rawness and texture, were to some extent a matter of chance, as is often the case. However, being consistent with my idea of design, they immediately embedded themselves in my head. It was 2014 and I was creating my entry for the 11th International Ceramics Biennale of the KERAMOS Association with the theme “Game”. I was looking for a way to achieve interesting, raw, somewhat dark texture and colour of the ceramic bottles that made up my sculpture. Thanks to various experiments, I managed to find the right material and I did exactly
what I wanted to. I fired the complete work using a very interesting raku technique. After the exhibition, I returned to my everyday work: made ceramics to commission, ran ceramic workshops and created my own ceramic collections I wasn’t satisfied with. Time went by and I worked feeling that I still wasn’t fulfilling the dream I’d had at the start of my career as a ceramist. The dream was obviously to create my own original style, my very own ceramic collection; the design of my sculpture tempted with its rawness and its darkness. Sometime around 2016, a very slow yet steady design process began. The technology of producing functional ceramics differs very much from the raku firing, which is more of an artistic technique. Before I started designing the first Stratus collection piece, that is a 400 ml mug, I had performed a series of fairly complicated trials; from the colouring of the clay, through the development of the technique for creating the model and the plaster mould, to the finishing and firing. The whole process took as long as 2 years, but seeing the progress I knew I would finally reach the goal. And I did it! In September 2018, I debuted with the first Stratus brand mug, which received a very warm welcome. The austere raw design and the original matt texture appealed to many viewers right away.
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MAEM has no associations and/or claims to be associated with the Allweiler, Aquafine, Alfa Laval, Colfax IMO, Desmi, Jowa, Kral, Moatti, Nirex, Westfalia or the Group of their Companies worldwide. Any implied associations are purely coincidental and are not inferred. MAEM is a supplier of fully interchangeable non-genuine spare parts (alternatives) for equipment produced by manufacturers using in accordance with law the following brands: Allweiler, Aquafine, Alfa Laval, Colfax IMO, Desmi, Jowa, Kral, Moatti, Nirex, Westfalia and their products, i.e. separators, pumps, filters, fresh water generators, heat exchangers, sterilizers, etc. Alternative spare parts produced by MAEM are manufactured according own technological documentation developed with the use of reverse engineering.
Copyright by MAEM. All rights reserved. Summer 2020
