History
The world's largest family-owned refractory company is 75.
Refratechnik celebrates its 75th anniversary. The company was founded 1950 in Vogelbeck, near Northeim (Germany).
refra75.com

Proudly, Refratechnik celebrates its 75th anniversary with sincere thanks to all business partners and employees.
2025

Engineer Karl Albert founds the Steinwerke Feuerfest Karl Albert company in Vogelbeck near Northeim (Lower Saxony / Germany) and produces the first refractory bricks made of slag from the iron & steel industry.
1950

Production is moved to the present location in Göttingen, Germany.
1952

The company is renamed as Refratechnik.
1964

Founding of Intermat in Trino (Piedmont, Italy), now known as Refratechnik Italia. This where rice husk ash is produced, which was previously used as raw material for our own bricks. Today, rice husk ash is sold as an auxiliary material to the steelmaking industry.
1966

Purchase of the Gochsheim plant (Kraichtal) / Germany, in order to meet the cement industry's increasing demand for refractory bricks.
1973

The Refratechnik Group's third plant is purchased in Gornal near Barcelona, and Refratechnik Ibérica S.A. is founded in Spain. Today, the Gornal plant produces bricks based on aluminium oxide as well as refractory bricks.
1977

Purchase of a large magnesite deposit in Western Canada, and founding of Baymag Inc. in Calgary. Start of magnesium oxide (MgO)production.
1979

Inauguration of a new research and development center in Göttingen, Germany.
1987

In order to deal with the Group's strong growth, and the need for a clear organizational structure, Refratechnik Holding is founded in Munich, Germany, and the group companies are integrated in today's Holding structure. This ensures that the Group remains controllable, also in times of dynamic global growth.
1995

Opening of the first representative's office in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, and a sales office in Budapest, Hungary.
1995

Refratechnik Steel GmbH in Düsseldorf, and Refratechnik Casting GmbH in Ismaning (both Germany, and the latter now a subsidiary of Refratechnik Steel) to serve customers in the iron & steel and the non-ferrous metals industries specifically.
1997

Founding of the sales company Refratechnik Mexico, S.A. de C.V. in Mexico D.F., Mexico.
Founding of the sales company Refratechnik North America Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
1999

Refratechnik Steel GmbH's new plant is commissioned in Bendorf, Germany, which produces high-grade refractory concretes.
2001

Commissioning of the Yingkou Refratechnik Refractories plant in Dashiqiao, China, in which fused basic bricks are produced for the cement industry.
2003

Refratechnik Trading is founded in Dalian, China to serve customers in China.
2004

Inauguration of a new research and development center in Bendorf, Germany.
2006

Refratechnik Asia Ltd. is founded in Hong Kong, and administration and sales for South East Asia are transferred from Dalian to Hong Kong.
2007

The Zibo Refratechnik Refractories plant in Zibo, China goes on line, and produces fused basic bricks for the cement industry.
2007

The new Refratechnik Steel plant in Dülmen, Germany is commissioned, which produces high-quality prefabricated components.
2011

Takeover of Burton GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Melle, Germany, and renaming the company as Refratechnik Ceramics GmbH and Refratechnik Hungaria Kft. In this way, the ceramics industry, refuse incineration, and the primary aluminium industry are opened up as additional business sectors for the Refractory division.
2013

Refratechnik Steel GmbH's Liaison Office is opened in Visakhapatnam, India.

Refratechnik Steel GmbH's Representation Office is opened in Dubai, UAE.
2014

The subsidiary of Refratechnik in Colombia, RTMX Servicios SAS, was founded in 2016 with the objective of offering installation services and technical advice on refractories for the cement and lime industry.
2016

Refratechnik (India) Private Limited in Vizakhapatnam – previously our Liaison Office in India – was founded in 2017 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Refratechnik Steel GmbH.
2017

Refratechnik Haicheng is part of the Refratechnik Group which is specialized in production of high-grade caustic calcined magnesia (CCM) and dead burned magnesia (DBM).
2019

Takeover of QMAG Ltd. in the state of Queensland, Australia. QMAG (Queensland Magnesia) is a fully integrated world leading producer of high-quality magnesia products, servicing global markets with a combined production of high-grade electrofused (FM), dead burned (DBM), and caustic calcined (CCM) magnesium oxide products.
2020

Start of the production joint venture with Horn & Co. Minerals & Products Management GmbH in Siegen, Germany. Previously part of the Horn Group, the factory for producing magnesia carbon bricks in Hünsborn, Germany, will be operated and expanded as "Refratechnik Horn Produktions GmbH" in future. With the recycling specialist Horn, Refratechnik Steel – majority share holder in the joint venture – has found an ideal partner for the production of MACARBON® bricks for the steelmaking industry.
2021

An ultra-modern factory increases the Refratechnik Group's production capacities in Visakhapatnam/India: Starting 2023, an annual output of 40.000 tons of refractory products will be available to supply customers.
2023

With the signing of the contract, the strategic partner Refrasol becomes a member of the global Refratechnik Group under the new name Refratechnik Chile.