The family can now look back on five generations and more than 115 years of company history. Since takeover of the plant in Krummussbaum in the year 1891, refractory bricks and mortar have been produced and developed by Rath. Over time, refractory castables and mouldables were also included in the product selection as well as vacuum-shaped products of aluminium silica fibre as of 1983.
In the year 1986, we began in Mönchengladbach the production of aluminium silica fibre and in 1989 – to round out the selection of refractory products up to 1800°C application temperature – we began producing aluminium oxide fibres. An expansion of the company with the Budapest and Meißen locations followed upon opening of the eastern countries. Starting in the year 1999, we were able to expand our product range to include insulating bricks with the takeover of Magindag Isotech GmbH in Bennewitz.
Together with our customers, we solve the most difficult technical problems, supported by the knowledge of some of the most important universities and research centres in Austria, Germany and the USA.
We employ the extensive know-how gained in this process for further development of our products and the technical solutions we offer in furnace construction, thermal recycling in diverse areas of industrial and, increasingly, in non-refractory applications. We adapt our production systems accordingly and ensure our quality system through ISO 9001 (2000).
Historical Overview
1891 Purchase of the porcelain factory Johann Poduschka in Krummnußbaum and founding of the fireclay products and clay
furnace factory by August Rath senior.
1910 Completion of the conversion work through the new construction of 2 ring chamber kiln and one chamber kiln.
1921 Partial conversion of the production to stoneware.
1935 First delivery of casting pit materials (Gebr. Böhler AG).
1952 Start of the automation of production of fireclay bricks.
1965 Start of the production of refractory castables.
1974 Purchase of the fireclay factory Erndt in Kleinpöchlarn for expansion of the production of fireclay tiles for stoves.
1983 Founding of a sales company in Düsseldorf; start of production of vacuum-shaped parts based on aluminium silica wool in
Krummnußbaum.
1986 Construction of a plant for production of aluminium silica wool in Mönchengladbach.
1989 Floating on the Vienna stock exchange and founding of Rath Inc. in Newark DE, USA.
1990 Construction of a plant for aluminium oxide wool together with a Japanese partner in Mönchengladbach.
1991 Takeover of the fireclay factory of Magnezitipara Müvek in Budapest and takeover of the former research institute for refractory
materials of the form GDR in Meißen, Saxony.
1999 Takeover of the insulating brick factory of Magindag in Bennewitz, Saxony.
2000 Takeover of the insulating brick factory (Westerwald Industriekeramik GmbH) of Oberland Glas AG in Wirges.
2006 Start up of Rath Refractories Inc. in Milledgeville/GA, USA.
2006 Founding of Rath SAS in France.
2007 Founding of Rath Ukrajina TOW.
2008 Start up of the vacuum formed shapes plant in Newark/DE, USA.