Industrial Minerals


Back to a slowdown in the European refractories industry?

07 November 2011

by Alex Feytis

Nervousness of global financial markets brings caution for beginning of 2012

     
     
 

 RHI: Growth shaky in euro zone

 
     
Although 2011 has so far been positive for most players in the industry a wind of prudence is now hitting the world of refractories in Europe, participants told IM at the 54th International Colloquium on Refractories in Aachen, Germany.

“Business is good at present but the outlook is uncertain. Even if we do not see any indication of a crisis, we are watching the situation,” Andreas Eickhoff, Lanxess AG’s head of Strategic Marketing Chrome commented to IM.

Germany-based leading speciality aluminas producer, Almatis GmbH remains “cautiously optimistic” in spite of a “lot of uncertainty” in the market.

“We are more positive than we thought. We could see a slight decline in the industry in 2012 - but nothing compare to the last financial crisis...