Rath USA Celebrates 20 Years
April 16, 2010 marked the 20th anniversary for refractory company Rath Inc. Founded in 1990 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Rath AG of Vienna, Austria, Rath Inc. sprang from humble beginnings with a two-person office in Wilmington, Delaware. The company began by selling the parent’s ALTRA® product line of standard rigid ceramic fiber products and mastics, as well as Denka’s Alcen® bulk and blanket ceramic fiber insulation. Then general manager Ralph Grizzel stood at the helm to steer the fledgling company through a maze of difficult market conditions.
In 1994, Rath Inc., formerly known as Rath Performance Fibers, began to look for applications outside of the traditional refractory markets, operating at higher temperatures or with chemically aggressive atmospheres that required insulation with unique performance characteristics and geometries. The first applications that fit the profile were in telecommunications and thermal analytical equipment. Thermal analytical equipment makers required intricately machined, ceramic fiber parts, and telecommunications equipment suppliers needed insulation with specific performance characteristics for their processes. It was at this juncture that Rath Inc. started to develop its singular identity by demonstrating its willingness to commit to meeting specific customers’ needs by investing in equipment to produce large, insulating cylinders, unavailable from other suppliers at that time.
The first Rath manufacturing facility in the US began operations in 1997 in Claymont, Delaware, with machining and assembling ceramic fiber materials. Computer aided design was added to better support the U.S. customer base, and Rath began to engineer insulation packages. The addition of a CNC router increased and automated machining capabilities. Parts production began in 2001, and by 2005, Rath Inc. produced all of its own machined parts. In 2001, Rath Inc. also began offering installation services providing the ability to complete turnkey furnace and kiln linings either at the customer site or the Rath facility. With the addition of die stamping, vacuum forming, and module making, Rath Inc. controls the entire lining process from beginning to end to insure product quality. The sales cycle is further dramatically shortened with Rath’s engineering and CAD/CAM capabilities to rapidly prototype and move customer products quickly from concept through production. On September 1, 2005, Rath Performance Fibers became Rath Incorporated to reflect the company’s identity as a technical high temperature manufacturer of unique custom insulation.
In November of 2002, Rath Advanced Materials was formed to promote the European made line of refractory products which ultimately resulted in Rath AG breaking ground in 2005 on a greenfield brick plant in Milledgeville, Georgia to produce high fired, high quality alumina brick for critical applications. In 2007, Rath Inc. announced the relocation of their headquarters to Newark, Delaware. With the relocation, Rath Inc. expanded their operations to 30,000 square feet. The move was part of the company’s vertical integration strategy to incorporate its fabrication, manufacturing, vacuum forming, 3 & 5 axis CNC machining, and sales office into one regional facility. In 2008, Rath USA was formed as the USA parent to coordinate sales and marketing efforts between Rath Inc. and Rath Refractories. Further demonstrating a commitment to consistent delivery of quality products and services, Rath USA announced their completion of ISO 9001:2008 Certification in 2009.
Today, the Rath line includes dense refractories, custom insulated parts and assemblies, furnace linings and re-linings, engineered insulation systems, and fiber based insulation, including a complete line of insulating firebricks, dense high alumina and specialty bricks, castables, coatings, adhesives and mastics.
Rath USA uses the highest quality synthetic raw materials, ensuring the lowest possible level of impurities in their finished products. These raw materials, combined with special processing, result in products that display excellent resistance to highly corrosive and reducing atmospheres, yielding ideal choices for any refractory need. Applications include crystal growing, specialty glass, microwave heating and drying, titanium dioxide manufacture, powder metallurgy, semiconductor equipment, firing setters, forging reheat furnace linings, insulated rollers for thin slab casting, kiln cars, and roll seals for glass tempering furnaces.
After 20 years in the refractory business, Rath USA now employs a dedicated staff in excess of 40 employees. Ralph Grizzel, now vice-president and general manager of sales and marketing, smiles as he reminisces about Rath’s evolution over the past 20 years. The once two man show is now a world class refractory company, specializing in providing value added solutions and innovative ideas, products, and services for the heat containment, thermal processing, and thermal measurement needs of their customers.
No longer just a reseller of standard insulation products, Rath USA has transformed itself over the years into a manufacturer of unique, custom insulation that it ships all over the world. Looking forward to the next 20 years, Rath USA looks to continue providing unique products of innovative design with excellent value. Whether you are interested in purchasing high alumina, ceramic fiber products or bricks in standard forms, or if you have a unique situation that requires assistance in determining and producing the insulation that is right for you, consider Rath USA for your thermal containment, processing, and measurement needs.
Rath Incorporated Announces ISO 9001:2008 Certification
Newark, Delaware, November 16, 2009 – Demonstrating a commitment to consistent delivery of quality products and services, Rath Incorporated has announced that it has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification.
ISO 9000 is a series of five major standards for quality management and quality assurance established in 1987 by the International Organization of Standardization, representing a consensus on quality systems from more than 100 countries. ISO 9001 is considered the master model and the most rigorous certification to obtain, as it has more than twenty criteria to be met in areas such as management responsibility, contract review, process control, design, development, production, installation, service, and training.
At the heart of ISO 9001 is a close analysis of current documentation and quality systems. “In the industrial sector, documented processes that demonstrate continual improvement of business practices are critical to ensuring consistent delivery,” said Frank Rowe, Technical Manager for Rath USA. “ISO certification is about commitment – to delivering the best, high-quality products and service to our customers. It means delivering what we say we deliver, and having the processes in place to prove it. The industry recognizes that commitment by making ISO certification an entrance requirement for doing business.” Adds Vice-President Ralph Grizzel, “It is with great pride that we announce our successful achievement of ISO 9001:2008 certification. We truly hope that our commitment to quality is apparent in everything that we do.”
While ISO 9000 standards are becoming necessary for conducting business internationally, only 12% of U.S. companies have completed the registration process, as reported in Quality Management Journal.
Rath Incorporated’s successful achievement of ISO 9001:2008 registration now completes certification for Rath USA, which includes Rath Refractories in Milledgeville, Georgia. In addition to the Newark, Delaware and Milledgeville, Georgia plants in the U.S., Rath is ISO 9001 certified in Austria, Germany, and Hungary. Rath USA is the North American subsidiary of the Rath Group, a world leader in refractory materials and the practical application of ceramic fiber technology. More than 100 years ago in Vienna, Austria, Rath AG began as a manufacturer of specialty bricks for home heating systems. Since then, Rath has evolved into a leading provider of refractory solutions around the world.
Rath USA Becomes Member of The Refractories Institute
Newark, Delaware, September 27, 2009 – Delaware based Rath Incorporated is pleased to announce their recent inclusion in the refractory industry’s prestigious trade association, The Refractories Institute.
The Refractories Institute, or TRI as it is generally known, was established in 1951 to promote the interests of the refractories industry. Refractories are heat resistant materials that provide the linings for high-temperature furnaces, reactors, and other processing units.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, TRI has a long tradition of providing support and services to manufacturers of refractory materials and products and suppliers of raw materials, equipment, and services to the refractory industry.
In 1995, membership eligibility was extended to refractory producers in Latin America. In 1996, the TRI Board of Directors voted to open membership opportunity to contractors and installers of refractory products, recognizing the important role they play in ensuring the ultimate success of the product.
Institute membership provides an opportunity for companies to address common concerns and challenges, while sharing both the burden and the benefits of promoting the interests of the refractories industry.
Institute membership in the first quarter stands at 48 companies, 24 of which are manufacturers of refractory products.
Rath USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rath AG in Vienna, Austria. Rath USA has two operating companies, Rath Incorporated and Rath Refractories. Rath Incorporated is located in Newark, Delaware and produces fiber-based refractory products. Rath Refractories is located in Milledgeville, Georgia and produces dense and insulating brick products.
The Rath Incorporated brand families include ALTRA® fiber bulk, blanket and modules, ALTRA® KVR and ALTRA® KVS vacuum formed boards, cylinders and special shapes. ALTRA® fiber products have use temperature up to 1650°C, ALTRA® KVR vacuum formed products have use temperature up to 1550°C, and ALTRA® KVS vacuum formed products have use temperatures up to 1800°C. Rath Incorporated offers CNC capabilities and installation services.
Rath Refractories brand families include Korrath corundum-based brick, Silrath andalusite-based brick, Durrath fireclay-based brick, and Porrath bubble alumina insulating brick. Compatible mortars are also produced. In addition to Rath brand names, Rath Refractories also manufactures under contract with Minteq International, the Minteq Zedmark dense brick for the glass industry.
View Rath Incorporated’s information page on TRI
Company Profile . . . Rath Refractories Inc., Milledgeville, Georgia
Rath AG is an international refractory company with worldwide headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The company produces a full range of alumina-silica refractories in nine plants, located in Europe and the US. Products include alumina-silica fiber and alumina fiber in bulk, blanket and vacuum formed shapes. The plants also make a full range of dense brick up to 3400°F, insulating firebrick up to 3400ºF and monolithics.
The company is 120 years old and is family controlled and managed. The fifth generation of Rath family members is currently in charge of company operations and sales. The company philosophy is to be a provider of customized refractory solutions, more so than a mass producer of refractory tonnage.
The company has steadily grown throughout the 1990s by strategic acquisition of existing refractory plants in Europe. The first Rath manufacturing facility in the US started operations in 1997 in Wilmington, Delaware, machining and assembling ceramic fiber materials. When company sales in the US grew to a point where an acquisition was considered, we felt that existing refractory plants were too old to purchase. So instead, Rath built a greenfield brick plant in the US. Simply put, when most of the US refractory producers were trying to outsource brick production, Rath saw an opportunity to move in the opposite direction and invest in the US.
We did not see a need for another monolithics plant, because the US has many such facilities. However, US refractory production capacity rapidly thins out in the capability to produce high fired, high quality alumina brick for critical applications. Therefore the plant was designed to supply these markets.
SITE SELECTION AND PLANNING
The refractory brick market is slowly shrinking. With this in mind, it was decided to build a flexible production facility with modern equipment. Periodic kilns provide more flexibility than tunnel kilns, so this was the obvious choice. A large number of raw material silos were selected in order to store a wide variety of raw materials. Site selection was chosen based on 1) close proximity to raw material supplies 2) easy access to large container ports for incoming foreign raw materials and export of finished product, 3) favorable labor situation, 4) favorable climate, 5) reasonable distance from important customers, and 6) capability for future expansion.
For all these reasons, Milledgeville, Georgia was the site selected. Milledgeville is the former capitol of Georgia and is located on top of a large kaolin belt that extends across the state.
RAW MATERIAL SUPPLY AND LOGISTICS
CE Minerals (IMERYS) has several plants close to Milledgeville and can supply Mulcoa calcines, clay, tabular alumina, fused alumina, fused alumina zirconia, fused zirconia mullite and more. The large international container ports of Savannah and Charleston are close to Milledgeville. This allows for cost effective import of raw materials from Europe, South Africa, China and South America. These ports also make it possible to easily export finished products. Rath Milledgeville is currently shipping finished refractory brick tothe UK, Russia, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, and China.
Computer controlled, automated batching and mixing building.
FAVORABLE LABOR SITUATION
The best part of the plan to build in Milledegeville was completely unforeseen. A textile manufacturer (Concord Fabrics) closed its doors right across the street from our new plant location. Aftersome initial discussions with the assistant plant manager from Concord, Ed Kirkland, we hired him. Ed brought with him a handpicked team of Concord veterans with financial, computer, mechanical, electrical, production planning and labor skills. We did not hire employees for our new plant, we hired an existing team. Rath refractory experts then trained them to make refractories instead of cloth. The Concord group did not know refractories, but they new plenty about heavy labor in a hot environment.
We then added a veteran quality control manager, Teresa Ellis, from one of the kaolin companies and the team was assembled.
FAVORABLE CLIMATE
Middle Georgia climate is favorable in that heat is not required in the plant. Operations can be located outdoors under roof or indoors all year round. The roads are excellent and generally ice free.
DISTANCE FROM CUSTOMERS
Rath’s main customer base in the US is the chemical and energy markets. Much of this is located in the southern US from Georgia through Texas.
State of the art hydraulic presses.
CAPABILITY FOR EXPANSION
The plant site has an additional 13 acres of land for future expansion. A second press has been recently added, and discussions are underway for additional mixing and firing capacity.
The mixer building is located along the back wall of the plant, so the plant can easily be doubled in size by adding floor space on the back side of the mixer building. The flexible firing capabilities and plant layout allow for future expansion into different types of brick including alumina-chromia, basic etc.
QUALITY CONTROL
All Rath plants are ISO Certified including Rath Milledgeville. The plant has a fully equipped laboratory capable of all quality control testing required.
All incoming raw materials are accompanied by a supplier certificate of analysis. In addition, in house testing is done on raw material chemistry, screen analysis, grain bulk density, grain reheat expansion and clay moisture analysis. When incoming raw materialis judged acceptable, it is loaded into individual raw material silos by lot number and date.
In process testing includes mix screen analysis, mix moisture, greenbrick density/dimensions, and drying/firing shrinkage. Recorded data includes pressing pressure and firing parameters. Kiln firing parameters are recorded by unique firing number.
Finished product testing includes fired dimensions, fired bulk density, apparent porosity, cold crushing strength and sometimes reheat linear change.
The firing number is recorded on each pallet label. From this firing number, all final properties, in process properties, pressing and firing parameters can be accessed.
PRODUCT LINE AND MARKETS
The plant currently manufactures alumina brick starting with super duty fireclay (Durrath product line), up through 90-99% alumina (Korrath product line). Also produced are andalusite based brick (Silrath product line) and bubble alumina insulating brick (Porrath product line). Compatible mortars for each group of products are also manufactured in Milledgeville.
A recent addition to our product portfolio is a highly successful partnership with Minteq® International. Rath Milledgeville now produces Minteq® brick for glass customers, through a contract with Minteq®. This includes Zedpave™ (AZS), Zedmul® (AZS), Zed™ Zircon (Zircon) and Zed™ Mullite (mullite).
A compatible line of hand rammed special shapes in each quality isalso available. The plant produces exceptional quality special shapes with the same chemistry and firing temperature as the standard brick shapes.
High temperature modern kilns with precise firing control.
START-UP
Plant construction started in the last weeks of December 2005. By May 2006, the plant was producing finished brick and shapes. Since that time, the plant has operated with a healthy backlog of orders.
PLANT EQUIPMENT
The Rath Milledgeville plant is a greenfield site. This allowed us to purchase new equipment and computer controls identical to that being used in Rath Europe plants. This minimized start-up problems. Generally speaking, it is desirable to fire brick and shapes at least as high as their application temperature. This makes the brick dimensionally stable in service. So very high temperature firing is required for top quality high alumina qualities like bubble alumina brick and 99% alumina that are used at high temperatures. We believe that we have the best firing equipment in North America.
THE FUTURE
We have a unique and simple business plan. Find areas of the market that require premium quality refractories and develop the correct product for these customers. This simple philosophy works very well.
Rath Milledgeville has access to Rath’s R+D center in Meissen, Germany, but has also been allowed to develop products in the US specifically for the North American market. Most of the product formulation work and technology transfer has been done at the Milledgeville plant level. This degree of autonomy is quite unique and gives us maximum flexibility to respond to local customers.
We are quite optimistic about the future. The US cannot continue to outsource the production of strategic materials such as refractories. Shipping costs from China and other countries are going to continue going up along with the cost of fuel. It is not only costly, but difficult to ship refractories from overseas locations on a timely basis.
For all these reasons, we think the construction of a flexible modern refractory brick plant in the US will bring dividends for years to come.
Rath Incorporated Announces Relocation and Expansion
Newark, Delaware, November 1, 2007 – Delaware based Rath Incorporated is pleased to announce that they have recently relocated their headquarters to 300 Ruthar Drive, Newark, DE 19711. With the relocation, Rath will expand their operations to 30,000 square feet. The move is part of the company’s vertical integration strategy to incorporate its fabrication, manufacturing, machining, and sales office into one regional facility. The Rath line includes dense refractories, custom insulated parts and assemblies, furnace linings and re-linings, engineered insulation systems, and fiber based insulation, including a complete line of insulating firebricks, dense high alumina and specialty bricks, castables, coatings, adhesives and mastics.
Rath Incorporated is experiencing a growing worldwide demand for its specialty high temperature insulating systems. Being a premier provider of insulating refractories, Rath Incorporated has seen a significant increase in the demand for their high temperature materials in furnaces and kilns for non-traditional applications, such as electronic and technical ceramics, fiber optics, soft ferrites, and semi-conductor processing.
Rath Incorporated uses the highest quality synthetic raw materials, ensuring the lowest possible level of impurities in their finished products. These raw materials, combined with special processing, result in products that display excellent resistance to highly corrosive and reducing atmospheres, yielding ideal choices for any refractory need. Applications include crystal growing, specialty glass, microwave heating and drying, powder metallurgy, and semiconductor equipment.
“We assist our customers in solving their challenging thermal process containment issues with engineering excellence and customized solutions. We deliver solutions that you would expect from a world leader in refractory technology,” says Ralph Grizzel, Vice President and General Manager for Rath Incorporated.
Matt Linn, Applications Engineering Manager, adds that “unparalleled customer service is an integral piece of the puzzle. We are committed to serving our clients with a product that adds value and is designed and manufactured to their specifications, delivered to where it is needed, and in a time frame that meets their requirements.”
Rath Incorporated is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rath AG, headquartered in Vienna, Austria. From its beginnings over 100 years ago as a manufacturer of bricks for home stoves, Rath has evolved into a leading provider of insulating refractories. In 1990, Rath Incorporated was established in Delaware to serve the refractory needs of their U.S. based customers.
Rath Chooses Georgia for First North American Operation
Austria-based company to invest over $9 million in new Milledgeville facility
ATLANTA, September 28, 2005 – The Rath Group, a family-owned brick and mortar manufacturing company with operations around the world, has chosen Milledgeville, in Baldwin County, for the site of its first North American facility. RATH Refractories, Inc. will invest over $9 million in the new plant, which will employ 20 people in the next two years.
“We are honored that this well-respected company, which dates back five generations, has selected a community in our state to advance its operations and legacy,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Craig Lesser. “The superb quality of life, excellent workforce and dynamic business climate Georgia is able to provide companies like Rath are all factors that work to our advantage.”
The development authority for Milledgeville and Baldwin County officially welcomed Rath during a dinner Sept. 28 that also celebrated the community’s existing industry. GDEcD Deputy Commissioner of Global Commerce Chris Clark was the featured speaker.
The company plans to locate its new facility in a 41,000-square-foot industrial park building. The new plant, which will produce bricks for the ceramic industry and other applications, will begin operations February 1, 2006.
“Our company has evolved from a porcelain factory in 1891 to a sophisticated manufacturer of bricks, refractory castables and moldables, aluminum silica and aluminum oxide fibers, and insulating bricks, using the most advanced technological methods,” said Dr. Ernst Rath, chief executive officer. “We believe Rath will flourish in Georgia and thank the state and local officials who have assisted us here.”
“Our community is proud that Rath chose Milledgeville for its first North American location after realizing great success in Europe for over 150 years. The company diversifies the present industrial base, which is vitally important,” said Angie Gheesling, executive director of the Development Authority of Milledgeville and Baldwin County. “The great partnership between our city and county governments, and the support of GDEcD and the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation all contributed to the success of this project. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Dr. Rath as he expands sales efforts in the U.S.”
The Rath Group, based in Vienna, Austria, develops and produces refractory bricks and mortars, refractory castables and mastics, ceramic fiber products and aluminum silicate fibers. Through extensive research and development, the company has remained on the leading edge of technology in its industry. RATH has a presence in 11 locations in Europe, six in Asia, four in the Middle East and one in Australia.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, promoting the state as a location for film and video projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
