RATH Group
Austrian-listed specialist in refractory materials and high-temperature systems for glass, metal, ceramics, energy and other industries, operating since 1891.
Last updated September 29, 2026
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Overview
RATH Group (also known as Rath AG) is an Austrian industrial group specialising in refractory materials, systems and services for high-temperature processes. Headquartered in Vienna, the company traces its origins to 1891, when August Rath sen. acquired a porcelain and chamotte works in Krummnußbaum, Lower Austria, and passed it to his son August Rath jun., who founded the Chamottewaren- und Thonöfenfabrik Aug. Rath jun. GmbH. Over more than a century the business evolved from ceramic stove tiles and industrial chamotte into a broad refractory technology portfolio. Today RATH describes itself as a specialist in modern refractory engineering with what it calls the world's most comprehensive range of refractory materials. Its products include dense bricks, lightweight firebricks, high-temperature wool, vacuum-formed parts, refractory monolithics and concrete shapes, as well as oxide-ceramic continuous fibres. These are engineered for high-temperature applications up to 1800 °C and are used in glass melting, steel and aluminium casting, special furnaces, hot-gas filtration, ceramics, energy, chemicals, cement and domestic fireplaces. The group also provides engineering services covering planning, installation, site supervision, maintenance and repair of high-temperature plants. The company operates eight production sites in Europe and the United States and employs around 600 people worldwide, with sales representation in more than 30 countries. Production locations include Krummnußbaum in Austria; Meißen, Mönchengladbach and Bennewitz in Germany; Budapest in Hungary; and Milledgeville, Newark and Owensville in the United States. RATH has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1989. RATH has expanded internationally through acquisitions and new plants, including the purchase of the Magnetzitipari Müvek chamotte factory in Budapest in 1991, the acquisition of Bucher Emhart Glass's refractory production in Owensville, Missouri, in 2019, and the development of hot-gas filtration through Rath Filtration GmbH (now Rath Business Services GmbH), founded in 2016. The group positions itself around reliability, availability and efficiency of industrial high-temperature processes, with the claim that temperatures up to 1800 °C are plannable while process failures are not.
History
The origins of RATH Group lie in 1891, when August Rath sen. bought a porcelain and chamotte works in Krummnußbaum in Lower Austria and handed it to his son, August Rath jun. Rath jun. founded the Chamottewaren- und Thonöfenfabrik Aug. Rath jun. GmbH. After extensive rebuilding, from 1910 the company supplied stove tiles to the Austrian core lands of Hungary, Bohemia and Moravia. From 1911 it produced chamotte for tiled stoves, and in 1926 production in Krummnußbaum was partly converted to stoneware. After the Second World War, the company temporarily produced devotional objects such as Madonna figures and holy water fonts in cooperation with a sculptor, sold at Austrian pilgrimage sites. Production in Krummnußbaum normalised in 1950, and from 1953 more and more processes were mechanised. The company specialised in industrial chamotte. In the mid-1960s it began producing refractory concretes in Krummnußbaum and also offered engineering services. A new tunnel kiln was built at the works in 1967. In 1974 Rath bought the Erndt chamotte works in Klein-Pöchlarn, Lower Austria, to expand production of stove-fitter chamotte. From 1983, vacuum-formed parts based on aluminium silicate wool were produced in Krummnußbaum. In 1997 cooperation on refractory concretes began with the Hungarian works Magnetzitipari Müvek. In 1986/87 Rath built a plant for ceramic fibres in Mönchengladbach. Since 1989 Rath has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. In the same year Rath Inc. was founded in Delaware, USA. Together with a Japanese partner (DENKA), Rath built a plant for aluminium oxide wool in Mönchengladbach in 1990 next to the existing factory; shortly after commissioning it was completely destroyed by fire but was rebuilt, and the company was subsequently taken over 100% by Rath. The 1990s brought further internationalisation: a sales subsidiary was founded in Delaware, USA, in 1990; in 1991 Rath acquired the Magnetzitipari Müvek chamotte factory in Budapest, with which it had previously cooperated; it also took over the former research institute for refractory materials in Meißen. In 1995 Rath žárotechnika spol. s.r.o. was founded in the Czech Republic. Further acquisitions followed: in 1999 Rath took over the lightweight firebrick works of Austrian Magindag in Bennewitz (Saxony) and in 2000 leased the lightweight firebrick works of Oberland Glas AG in Wirges. In 2001 a new hall for the production of vacuum-formed parts was built in Krummnußbaum. In 2002 another Rath subsidiary was founded with the aim of selling bricks for high-temperature applications, still made in Krummnußbaum, in the USA. In 2005/2006 a Rath refractory works was established in Milledgeville (USA), with whose products for a specific application (production of special bricks for the chemical industry) world market leadership was soon achieved. In 2006 Rath SAS was founded in France as a pure sales subsidiary, followed in 2007 by the founding of Rath Ukrajina TOW in Ukraine. In 2008 another Rath works was built in Newark (Delaware, USA) producing vacuum-formed parts. In the US Milledgeville (Georgia, USA) works, a new tunnel kiln was commissioned in 2011, greatly increasing capacity. In 2012 further Rath sales subsidiaries were founded in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. For some years Rath has also specialised in hot-gas filtration. In 2016 Rath Filtration GmbH, today Rath Business Services GmbH, was founded. In 2019 the company further expanded its offering for the glass industry with the acquisition of the refractory production of Bucher Emhart Glass in Owensville (Missouri, USA). With this acquisition of the US plant, Rath entered the wear-parts business of refractory products for the container glass industry. The Austrian production site is in Krummnußbaum (Lower Austria). Other sites are in Germany (Meißen, Mönchengladbach, Bennewitz), Hungary (Budapest) and the USA (Milledgeville, Newark, Owensville). Rath has also specialised in hot-gas filtration and in the development and production of ceramic hot-gas filter elements, which can filter particle-laden industrial exhaust gases at high temperatures. At the research and production site in Meißen are the production facilities for hot-gas filter candles and catalytic filter elements used in various industrial sectors; a technical centre at the Meißen site enables complex investigations and tests at high temperatures.
- 2011
A new tunnel kiln is commissioned at the US Milledgeville (Georgia) works, greatly increasing capacity.
- 2008
Another Rath works producing vacuum-formed parts is built in Newark, Delaware, USA.
- 2007
Rath Ukrajina TOW is founded in Ukraine.
- 2006
Rath SAS is founded in France as a pure sales subsidiary.
- 2005
A Rath refractory works is established in Milledgeville, USA (2005/2006).
- 2002
Another Rath subsidiary is founded to sell high-temperature application bricks in the USA.
- 2001
A new hall for the production of vacuum-formed parts is built in Krummnußbaum.
- 2000
Rath leases the lightweight firebrick works of Oberland Glas AG in Wirges.
- 1999
Rath takes over the lightweight firebrick works of Austrian Magindag in Bennewitz, Saxony.
- 1997
Cooperation on refractory concretes begins with the Hungarian works Magnetzitipari Müvek.
Products and positioning
Specialist in modern refractory engineering with a comprehensive range of refractory materials, positioning itself on reliability, availability and efficiency of industrial high-temperature processes.
Dense bricks
Lightweight firebricks
High-temperature wool
Vacuum-formed parts
Refractory monolithics
Concrete shapes
Oxide-ceramic continuous fibres
Hot-gas filter candles
Catalytic filter elements
Sources6 sources
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