RHI AG strengthens its Glass Business in Europe and Asia

RHI AG has taken two major steps to significantly strengthen its position as a global technology leader and supplier of key refractory materials to the glass industries worldwide: The product portfolio has been broadened and now includes the complete range of fused cast refractories A joint venture for alumina-silica-zirconia fused cast refractories has been established in China. RHI produces the complete range of fused cast refractories RHI through its Glass Division and its wholly owned subsidiaries Refel S.p.A, Italy, and RHI GLAS GmbH, Germany, manufactures and markets fused cast refractories for the glass industry based on alumina-silica-zircon (AZS), including molybdenum reinforced products for high wear areas. Due to a growing demand for higher quality material with an increased potential for reducing glass defects, RHI has taken the decision to considerably broaden its product portfolio and to manufacture both high zirconia fused cast (HZFC) and fused cast α/β alumina products for the glass industry at Refel S.p.A. This investment will allow RHI to supply the complete range of fused cast refractories in particular to the container and special glass industry from its facility in Italy, which is widely considered to be the worldwide quality leader in this field. RHI establishes a joint venture for AZS refractories in China RHI and Zibo GT Industrial Ceramics Co., Ltd. (ZGTC) have recently established a joint venture for the manufacture of fused cast AZS refractories in Zibo City, Shandong Province of China. ZGTC is China’s leading supplier of refractories for the glass industry, both directly with bonded material, and through its two joint ventures with Asahi Glass Ceramics Co. of Japan for fused cast products. The new company Shandong RHI New Materials Co., Ltd. (SRC) has a registered capital of 60 million RMB (7 million USD) and is targeted to begin production of fused cast AZS at the beginning of 2006. SRC will benefit from the technology and know-how of RHI’s affiliate Refel S.p.A., Italy. RHI and ZGTC will market the products under their respective brands. Following the Marketing and Sales Agreement concluded with Asahi Glass Ceramics Co. in 2003, this investment constitutes a further milestone in the co-operation between RHI and renowned companies in the dynamic Asia Pacific region. Refractories form the core business of RHI AG, a globally operating industry group based in Vienna, Austria. Under the RHI Refractories brand, the group deals with the production, services, and distribution of indispensable refractory products used in all high temperature industrial processes.