Refractory manufacturer opens new joint venture plant in India

“This facility enables us to serve the growth market of Asia – and our customers worldwide – faster, more efficiently and with greater resource efficiency.”

RATH Group, together with its Indian joint venture partner RATH Avanee, officially open a new production site in Visakhapatnam, southeast India, in mid-September, after only 18 months of construction.

The new facility highlights the consistent implementation of RATH Group’s global expansion plans. With eight production sites now operating across three continents – Europe, the United States and Asia – the company has further strengthened its independence from local market influences.

"With India’s state-of-the art refractory plant, we are strengthening our delivery capabilities with greater production capacity and shorter lead times – a clear advantage for our customers”, said Andreas Pfneiszl, speaker of the Executive Board, RATH Group, at the opening ceremony. "This facility enables us to serve the growth market of Asia – and our customers worldwide – faster, more efficiently and with greater resource efficiency, while upholding RATH’s established high quality standards."

Production in Visakhapatnam began gradually in March 2025, with around 5000 tons of fireclay produced in a bogie hearth furnace and successfully placed on the Indian market. A further tunnel kiln was commissioned at the end of July 2025. With the commissioning of the additional furnace, total annual capacity will reach approximately 20,000 tons of refractory products.

"This new production site reinforces our role as a reliable partner for customers in India, Asia and worldwide," said Andreas Pfneiszl.

At the opening ceremony – which was also attended by the first customers to be supplied directly from the new Indian production site – Andreas Pfneiszl (RATH) and Dr. Raju (RATH Avanee) underscored the success of the partnership: “Over the past 18 months, we have pooled our expertise – from machinery selection and production planning to employee training. The result is a rapid production start at a state-of-the-art facility that sets new standards in the industry. We’re excited about the road ahead and the opportunities this facility creates in Visakhapatnam."