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Case study · Cardinal Ceramics · Lancaster, PA

Matching shade lots so pallets stop coming back

How Cardinal Ceramics all but eliminated mismatched-pallet returns with automated shade and caliber sorting.

Industry
Ceramic wall tile
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Line
Two production lines
Live since
2025

The challenge. Cardinal’s returns were driven by a frustrating, hard-to-catch problem: boxes within the same pallet that didn’t quite match in shade. Manual grading couldn’t keep pace with the line, and mismatches slipped through to installers.

What we did. tyle.tech added automated shade-and-caliber sorting after firing, grouping every tile into true color lots and calibers. Each pallet now ships as one consistent batch — verified, not eyeballed.

The results

−92%
Shade complaints
Mismatched-pallet returns.
100%
Tiles graded
Every piece sorted to a lot.
2
Lines deployed
Both production lines live.
0
Rebuilds needed
Added to the existing line.

“A matched pallet used to be a hope. Now it’s a guarantee we can stand behind.”

Dena Voss · Quality Director, Cardinal Ceramics

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