Refractories News

Related Ceramics Industry News

• January 2024: Nouryon announced the completion of a production capacity expansion of nearly 50% for its Levasil colloidal silica products at its manufacturing facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. The expansion aims to address the rising demand for colloidal silica, particularly in North America, and strategically expand the company’s global colloidal silica manufacturing footprint to serve regional and global customers.
• February 2024: Evonik Industries AG undertook a significant investment in the expansion of its precipitated silica plant at the Charleston site in South Carolina to meet the escalating demand, particularly from the tire industry in North America, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for Evonik partners in the region by facilitating local silica sourcing.
• November 2023: Covia Holdings LLC announced that mining operations at its Gore facility in Virginia will be idled in Q1 of 2024. This facility's recent product portfolio focused on the glass and construction end markets, such as Glassil high-purity glass sand and Granusil high-performance industrial silica.

• May 2023: Nanostone inked an MoU with ACWA Power, a global powerhouse in power generation, water desalination, and green hydrogen plants. The agreement, signed at Saudi Arabia's premier innovation hub, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), aims to assess Nanostone's ultrafiltration (UF) ceramic membranes and their process technology for seawater desalination.
• October 2022: METAWATER Co. Ltd announced the construction of the world's largest ceramic membrane filtration water treatment plant in the United Kingdom. The Hampton Loade Water Treatment Plant, located near Bridgnorth in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, can produce 210,000 cubic meters of water per day (equivalent to 55 million gallons daily) and supply up to 700,000 people. The plant is presently undergoing renovation, and upon completion, it will become the world's largest ceramic membrane water treatment plant.
• September 2022: Nanostone announced that its ceramic ultrafiltration membrane technology was approved for drinking water treatment in the United Kingdom under Regulation 31.

• July 2022: Sibelco acquired EchasaSA, a mining company that mines silica sand from the Laminoriaquarry near Vitoria in the Basque Country in northern Spain, 160 kilometers from Sibelco's nearest silica sand quarry in Ariya.
• April 2022: Source Energy Services has an agreement with Canadian Silica Industries Inc. and Contractor's Leasing Corp. Through this agreement, the company concluded the operation of its Peace River frac sand facility and increased its frac sand production with additional 400,000 metric tons, which will boost the company's business.

The recent developments pertaining to the major players in the market are being covered in the complete study.

• January 2023: RHI Magnesita GmbH announced the completion of its acquisition of Dalmia Bharat Refractories Limited's (DBRL) Indian refractory business is expected to add almost 300,000 tons of capacity annually to the existing production footprint in India, enhancing the company's business in the studied market.
• December 2022: Shinagawa Refractories Co. Ltd (Shinagawa) acquired the Brazilian refractory business and alumina-based wear-resistant ceramics business from Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. (Saint-Gobain) in the United States. This acquisition was expected to help the company to enhance its product portfolio in the coming years.
• April 2022: Saint-Gobain acquired Monofrax, based in New York, and a manufacturer of fused cast refractories. This strategic move was expected to strengthen the company's position in the American market.

• In February 2022, Element Six UK Ltd collaborated with II-VI Inc. Through this collaboration, II-VI licenses Element Six's intellectual property and necessary equipment would produce high-quality single-crystal diamonds to expand its core competency in diamond technology.
• In July 2021, Element Six UK LTD and the University of Warwick entered a partnership to develop the next generation of synthetic diamond-enabled technologies. Under this partnership, Element Six applied its renowned expertise and capabilities in advanced material solutions.

• March 2023: Universal Matter UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Universal Matter Inc., announced the acquisition of Applied Graphene Materials UK Limited and Applied Graphene Materials LLC, the principal operating subsidiaries of Applied Graphene Materials PLC. Through the acquisition, the company has strengthened its market presence.
• February 2023: Global Graphene Group announced that Honeycomb Battery Company, an advanced battery technology subsidiary of Global Graphene Group Inc., signed a business combination agreement with Nubia Brand International Corp. to develop battery materials. Honeycomb Battery Company is expected to use graphene produced by the Global Graphene Group.
• August 2022: Universal Matter entered a three-year collaborative innovation agreement with the ChemQuest Technology Institute. Through the agreement, the company has strengthened its growth and validation of Universal Matter’s graphene technology based on sustainable feedstocks.

• Jan 2024: Shell plc's subsidiary, Shell Lubricants, completes the acquisition of the United Kingdom-based MIDEL and MIVOLT from Manchester-based M&I Materials Ltd. It is to manufacture, distribute, and market the MIDEL and MIVOLT product lines as part of Shell’s global lubricants portfolio.
• Oct 2023: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Chevron Brands International LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, entered into a long-term agreement encompassing the licensing, production, distribution, and marketing of Chevron’s lubricant products under the Caltex brand. It includes Chevron’s proprietary Havoline and Delo branded lubricant products in India.
• Sep 2023: ENSO Oils & Lubricants partnered with Gazpromneft-Lubricants, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft PJSC, to expand the distribution of lubricant assets in South Asia. ENSO will import and distribute Gazpromneft-Lubricants' range of oils and lubricants to meet the needs of various industries in India.

• July 2024: AMSOIL acquired Aerospace Lubricants, an Ohio-based firm renowned for its specialized grease design and manufacturing. This acquisition is set to bolster operational capabilities and capacities. With Aerospace's operational prowess and grease specialization, both Aerospace and AMSOIL customers stand to gain substantial added value.
• May 2024: FUCHS Group officially opened its High-Performance Grease Plant (HPGP) in Yingkou, China. The HPGP underscores FUCHS Group's strong dedication to both the Chinese and broader Asia-Pacific markets. It aims to cater to the surging demand for grease products in the region, even in the face of global economic challenges. The plant boasts the capability to produce a comprehensive range of soap-based grease products, catering to diverse sectors such as new energy vehicles, wind power, semiconductors, aerospace, and robotics.
• June 2023: FUCHS Lubricants Co. launched RENOLIT CSX AWE 0, a calcium sulfonate complex grease tailored for truck trailer axle hubs. Formulated with sustainable, lithium-free technology, this grease provides OEMs and fleets with a stable, long-term solution at a consistent price point. In addition, RENOLIT CSX AWE 0 ensures seamless integration, being compatible with legacy axle-bearing greases for straightforward replacement.
• March 2022: Axel Christiernsson International AB launched AXELLENCE 752 EPEF, an environmentally acceptable lubricant that received EU Ecolabel approval for accidental and partial loss applications. This is the first lithium complex grease to attain such certification.

• April 2024: Axalta Building Products, a division of the globally renowned Axalta Coating Systems, unveiled its innovative Zenamel range of wood coating solutions tailored for cabinet manufacturers. With this launch, Axalta Building Products seeks to empower its wood finishing industry clients to create top-tier, sustainable, eco-friendly products that align with tightening regulatory standards and evolving consumer preferences.
• April 2023: Benjamin Moore & Co. unveiled Element Guard, a new exterior paint tailored for diverse substrates, wood included. With the launch of Element Guard, Benjamin Moore & Co. seeks to empower painting professionals, ensuring its exterior projects endure the elements and satisfy client expectations.
• January 2023: Asian Paints planned to invest in a new manufacturing facility dedicated to water-borne paints, boasting an annual capacity of 4 lakh kl. This facility will also produce water-borne wood coatings, with operations slated to begin in 2026. Through this expansion, Asian Paints seeks to bolster its production capacity, aligning with the projected surge in demand for water-borne wood coatings in India.
• December 2022: Sherwin-Williams Company announced the successful completion of its acquisition of the ICA Group. By acquiring the ICA Group, Sherwin-Williams aimed to create a more diversified and competitive wood coatings company with a stronger presence in the European market and a broader range of products and technologies to offer its customers.