The refractories industry - Worldwide and China

The total consumption of refractories has been decreasing because of the adoption of advanced technologies in user industries and the simultaneous improvement in refractory service performance. The recent years have witnessed a situation of less competition and disappearance of small or middle sized enterprises while consolidation has increased. During recent years, the price war has become intensified, and it has become one of the reason that many refractories enterprises have failed. Developing countries have more opportunities for heavy-materials manufacturing because the cost per ton of refractories in developed countries is more than in developing countries.