As a specialist in refractory technology with over 130 years of company history, RATH offers a comprehensive portfolio of refractory materials for application temperatures of up to 1800 °C. The internationally operating Austrian company, headquartered in Vienna, manufactures a wide range of innovative refractory products at eight production sites in Europe, the United States and India, supported by around 600 employees.
Interview with Axel Krause, International Senior Sales Manager at RATH Group.
Axel Krause has been working in the refractory industry since successfully completing his degree in ceramics, glass, and building materials technology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. For over 10 years, he has contributed his technical knowledge and experience in various sales-related roles and is currently responsible for the sale of ALTRA FLEX® fiber and hot-gas filtration products at RATH AG.
What are the main areas of the company?
Axel Krause: RATH´s diversified portfolio serves the steel, glass, ceramics, and aluminum industries, as well as companies in the petrochemical and energy-related sectors. Applications range from linings for large petrochemical crackers to specialized furnaces for laboratory or dental use.
The company also has extensive expertise in linings for tiled stoves and fireplaces and offers a wide range of products for stove fitters.
In addition, RATH is an expert in hot gas filtration and has been developing innovative hot gas filter elements for many years. Producers in the glass, cement, biofuels industries – as well as other sectors – rely on efficient filter systems that dedust exhaust gases and reduce pollutants. When needed, these filter elements can be equipped with catalysts that lower emissions of nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Filter elements can be as long as 6 meters.
What´s the news about new products and services?
A.K: Innovation plays a key role at RATH. The company’s own R&D department is constantly working on new, innovative products and solutions. Pioneering work has been done in the development of an innovative continuous oxide ceramic fiber: ALTRA FLEX®, which was developed in-house, makes RATH the first European manufacturer and supplier to offer a solution for producers and processors of temperature-resistant fabrics and composite materials based on ceramics (CMCs). ALTRA FLEX® is available in three grades and stands out in the industry. It maintains both strength and flexibility up to 1200 °C. Other advantages include high thermal shock resistance, elevated creep resistance, excellent dimensional stability and low thermal conductivity. These product properties make ALTRA FLEX® a future-oriented material for many industries and fields of application, such as aerospace or kiln furniture exposed to extreme conditions.
Another recent example of RATH’s research and development activities is the newly developed, non-classified polycrystalline high-temperature, insulation wool ALTRA® 1500C, which is ideally suited for lightweight refractory and linings in a wide range of industries – from ceramics and petrochemicals to steel and metals.
ALTRA® 1500C has been optimized for applications of up to 1400 °C and fills a long-standing gap between conventional ceramic or biosoluble fibers on the one hand, and high-temperature polycrystalline fibers based on mullite or alumina on the other. With the introduction of ALTRA® 1500C, customers gain a cost-effective, reliable alternative that ensures maximum service life and highly efficient thermal insulation up to 1400 °C. It is available as bulk fiber, blanket and fiber modules.
What are the ranges of products/services?
A.K: RATH offers a broad portfolio of refractory materials for a wide range of industries. This includes dense bricks, monolithics, pre-cast blocks, insulating fire bricks, high-temperature insulation wool, vacuum-formed shapes and continuous fiber.
In addition to supplying standard materials, RATH provides support through customized refractory solutions, so customers receive a technical solution tailored to their individual needs.
RATH experts bring extensive engineering and installation know-how, resulting in optimal engineering and perfectly executed installation.
The company determines the best solution by considering process requirements, energy use, and environmental conditions to provide a material package that best fits the customer’s needs. RATH is also available for assembly, supervision, maintenance and repair of linings.
What is the state of the market you are currently active in?
A.K: High energy prices, global geopolitical tensions, uncertainty, and a weak economic environment are presenting major challenges for the entire refractory industry. Despite these factors, we remain optimistic, as we see significant potential for growth. RATH will continue to focus on high product and service quality, as well as innovation, and is further expanding its international presence. The value of this strong focus on quality and innovation is reflected in the positive developments in the glass sector, where RATH sales have risen sharply in recent years. Thanks to the targeted expansion of its portfolio, RATH is now a full-range supplier of refractory solutions for the glass industry.
RATH has also taken a forward-looking approach with its investment in RATH Avanee Ltd. in Hyderabad (India). This joint venture enables local production, proximity to future markets, and great growth potential. The target markets for the products manufactured in Hyderabad include not only India, but also Western Europe, the USA, and the Middle East.
What can you tell about market trends?
A.K: Reducing pollutants and emissions and optimizing energy use – many industrial sectors face the major challenge of acting more sustainably and drastically reducing their carbon footprint while improving process efficiency. Supporting our customers in this effort as effectively as possible is at the top of RATH’s agenda.
In addition to improving its own production processes to enhance both the economic and environmental aspects of manufacturing, RATH is advancing product innovations such as energy-saving refractory solutions for a wide range of industries, as well as developments like RATH hot gas filter elements for filtering particle-laden industrial flue gases.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
A.K: As mentioned above, RATH places great importance on continuous R&D efforts. Another recent example is FOURATH®4 – a new, advanced feeder expendables series based on an optimized formulation exclusively developed and produced by RATH for the glass sector. FOURATH®4, which includes spouts, spout covers, tubes, orifice rings and plungers, extends service life, improves glass quality, and reduces costs. Customer feedback confirms its strong contribution to efficiency and quality in glass production.
Innovative products for refractory linings, hot gas filter elements for filtering particle-laden industrial flue gases, and the recently developed oxide ceramic continuous fiber ALTRA FLEX® are just a few examples of our relentless pursuit of innovation.
Fotos: RATH