Anhui Sino-Refractory Technology Co., Ltd. – also known as AFR – is a young company producing high performance fused cast refractories for the glass industry. It was founded early 2016, and is located in Bengbu, in the Anhui province of China, close to major glass customers and strategic suppliers.
Fused cast refractories are essential building blocks for glass furnaces, able to resist to extreme conditions such as high temperatures, corrosive atmospheres and glass flow. Critical to the performance and lifetime of furnaces, they are key to support the glass industry in achieving carbon-neutrality.
SEFPRO has been present in China since 1991 with a fused cast refractory plant in Beijing to serve solar, flat, container, specialty and display glass markets. In 2005, a sintered refractory plant was started up in Linyi – mainly dedicated to reinforcement fibre and specialty glass markets. Since 2005, both plants have relied on the R&D expertise of Saint-Gobain Research Shanghai (SGRS).
With this partnership, SEFPRO will be better positioned to support the growth of the Chinese glass industry and to provide high-performance solutions to Chinese customers.
Laurent Cohen-Scali, SEFPRO Vice President, said, “We are very pleased of this new strategy partnership (JV) which strengthens our ability to deliver high-end refractories to China’s growing glass market. High-performance refractories are key to decarbonize the glass industry, in line with our mission to achieve carbon neutrality. The joint venture with AFR will support this decisive transition.”