Refractory products and solutions provider RHI Magnesita is to invest €23 million over the next two years in the digitalisation and modernisation of its Urmitz, Germany plant.
This investment, the company’s largest in Germany, will be used to expand and upgrade the traditional plant as a hub for non-basic refractory products in the steel, glass, cement, lime, energy and chemical industries.
The modernisation will increase the plant’s production volume while boosting energy efficiency by ten percent.
In addition, investments are made in its recycling methods, which will allow RHI Magnesita to increase the share of secondary raw materials.
Constantin Beelitz, Regional President Europe, CIS & Turkey at RHI Magnesita, said: As sustainability is an equally important issue for our customers as it is for us, I am delighted to report that our modernisation work will also enable us to increase the energy efficiency of our plant as well as save resources through recycling.”
As part of the investment in Urmitz, RHI Magnesita’s pressing capacities will be increased, a new tunnel kiln with an automatic circulation system and several climate drying chambers will be installed.
RHI Magnesita hope the plant will become a central European hub for non-basic refractory products such as bricks, mixes, and prefabricated components.
The workforce at the site will also be increased by around 70 employees, most of whom will move to Urmitz from the neighbouring site in Kruft.
“We are creating a high-performance centre for non-basic refractories. Our customers will benefit from state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and more digitalisation, which will allow for greater transparency,” added Markus Pung, Plant Group Manager of RHI Magnesita.
