RHI Magnesita
A global supplier of refractory products, systems, and services for high-temperature industrial processes.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
RHI Magnesita is an international supplier of refractory products, systems, and services used to protect industrial equipment and control high-temperature processes. Its customers include producers of steel, cement, lime, glass, non-ferrous metals, and other heat-intensive materials. Refractories are heat-resistant materials installed inside furnaces, kilns, reactors, ladles, converters, and other process equipment; they help contain heat, resist chemical attack, manage wear, and extend the operating life of industrial assets. The company's historical roots reach back to the discovery of an Austrian magnesite deposit in 1908. That resource supported the development of the Austro-American Magnesite Company, later known as Radex Austria. The business expanded through ownership changes, acquisitions, and consolidation in the refractory industry. In 1974 it was acquired by National Refractories Co.; a management buyout in 1987 led to the emergence of Radex-Heraklith Industriebeteiligungs AG, commonly associated with RHI. RHI subsequently acquired Veitscher Magnesitwerke in 1991, took a majority position in Didier-Werke in 1995, and acquired Global Industrial Technologies in 2000. The modern group was created in October 2017, when RHI AG merged with Magnesita, a major Brazilian refractory producer. The transaction combined RHI's European and international operations with Magnesita's Latin American and global production base. Following the merger, the combined company delisted from the Vienna Stock Exchange and obtained a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, where it became part of the FTSE 250 Index. Its shares have also remained tradable through the Vienna Stock Exchange's global market segment. RHI Magnesita operates an integrated model that includes raw-material mining and processing, research and development, manufacturing, engineering, installation, maintenance, and recycling or materials-management services. Its product portfolio covers shaped refractories such as bricks and precast pieces, monolithic or unshaped refractories such as castables and mortars, and specialty ceramics and magnesia-based products. The company also provides complete refractory systems and technical services intended to improve furnace availability, process efficiency, safety, and campaign life rather than simply selling individual materials. The group has continued to build its regional platforms through acquisitions and corporate restructuring. In India, it completed the acquisition of Stopinc AG in 2012 and acquired a majority stake in Orient Refractories. In 2021, RHI Clasil and RHI India were merged into Orient Refractories, which was renamed RHI Magnesita India. The Indian subsidiary remains separately listed on the National Stock Exchange of India and the Bombay Stock Exchange. In 2024, RHI Magnesita acquired the US-based Resco Group, expanding its US manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities. RHI Magnesita describes itself as a global refractory specialist with around 35 main production sites and 10 main raw material locations, producing approximately 3 million tonnes of refractory products per year according to cited company descriptions. Its competitive position is based on access to mineral resources, manufacturing scale, process expertise, technical service, and the ability to deliver integrated solutions to large industrial customers. The business is closely tied to global steel and industrial production cycles, while its exposure to cement, non-ferrous metals, glass, and other industries provides additional end-market coverage.
History
RHI Magnesita's history combines the development of Austrian magnesite mining and refractory production with a long series of international acquisitions. In 1908, mining engineer Josef Hörhager discovered a magnesite deposit at Millstätter Alpe in Austria. German-American entrepreneur Emil Winter acquired the mining rights and established the Austro-American Magnesite Company. The business later became known as Radex Austria and formed one of the principal historical foundations of RHI. The company developed within an industry that supplied heat-resistant linings and components for furnaces, kilns, steelmaking vessels, and other high-temperature equipment. In 1974, the business was acquired by National Refractories Co. A management buyout in 1987 produced Radex-Heraklith Industriebeteiligungs AG, generally referred to as RHI AG. The new group then pursued consolidation in a fragmented refractory market. In 1991, RHI acquired Veitscher Magnesitwerke Actien-Gesellschaft, a rival business with roots in a company founded by Carl Spaeter in Germany in 1889. In 1995, RHI acquired a majority stake in Didier-Werke AG, further expanding its European position. RHI broadened its international footprint in 2000 by acquiring Global Industrial Technologies, which included the AP Green subsidiary. The North American businesses became associated with substantial asbestos-related litigation involving historical industrial operations. Global Industrial Technologies entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2002, and RHI sold its North American subsidiaries, including GIT, later that year. Harbison-Walker Refractories, A.P. Green, and North American Refractories were subsequently combined and spun off as ANH Refractories Company, later renamed HarbisonWalker International. In 2004, a civil penalty was imposed in connection with failure to perform asbestos remediation at a Marelan, Quebec plant that had been ordered sold to Resco Products in 1999. These events belong to the history of predecessor and acquired North American businesses and should be distinguished from the corporate identity created in 2017. RHI also expanded through targeted regional transactions. It completed the takeover of Swiss company Stopinc AG in 2012 and obtained a majority stake in India's Orient Refractories. These moves supported the group's technical and geographic development in specialized refractory applications and the Indian steel market. The decisive transformation occurred in October 2017, when RHI AG merged with Magnesita, a Brazilian competitor. The combination created RHI Magnesita as a global refractory group with complementary mineral resources, manufacturing assets, customer relationships, and regional strengths. As part of the transaction, the company left the Vienna Stock Exchange and secured a listing on the London Stock Exchange. RHI Magnesita subsequently became a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index, while its shares remained available through the Vienna exchange's global market segment. The group reorganized its Indian operations in 2021. RHI Clasil and RHI India were merged into Orient Refractories, and the listed Indian company was renamed RHI Magnesita India. This structure gave the group a consolidated Indian platform while retaining a locally listed entity. In 2024, RHI Magnesita acquired the US-based Resco Group, a move intended to expand North American capacity and strengthen the company's regional supply chain. Today, RHI Magnesita combines raw-material sourcing and processing with refractory manufacturing, product development, engineering, installation, maintenance, and recycling-related services. Its customers operate furnaces, kilns, converters, ladles, reactors, and other equipment exposed to extreme heat, abrasion, and chemical corrosion. The company's business therefore depends on both the physical performance of its materials and its ability to help customers lengthen production campaigns, reduce downtime, and operate industrial assets safely and efficiently. Its historical evolution from an Austrian magnesite enterprise into a listed multinational reflects the consolidation and globalization of the refractory industry.
- 2024
Resco Group acquired
[1]RHI Magnesita acquired US-based Resco Group to expand its American supply-chain and production capacity.
- 2021
Indian subsidiaries consolidated
[1]RHI Clasil and RHI India were merged into Orient Refractories, which was renamed RHI Magnesita India.
- 2017
RHI merged with Magnesita
[1]RHI AG merged with Brazilian competitor Magnesita, creating RHI Magnesita and transferring the principal listing to London.
- 2012
Stopinc AG takeover completed
[1]RHI completed its takeover of Swiss company Stopinc AG and also expanded its Indian presence through Orient Refractories.
- 2002
North American subsidiaries sold
[1]Following Global Industrial Technologies' Chapter 11 filing, RHI sold its North American subsidiaries, including GIT, later in the year.
- 2000
Global Industrial Technologies acquired
[1]RHI acquired Global Industrial Technologies, including its AP Green subsidiary.
- 1995
Majority stake in Didier-Werke acquired
[1]RHI acquired a majority interest in its former competitor Didier-Werke AG.
- 1991
Veitscher Magnesitwerke acquired
[1]RHI acquired Veitscher Magnesitwerke Actien-Gesellschaft, a competing refractory business.
- 1987
RHI AG emerged after a management buyout
[1]Radex-Heraklith Industriebeteiligungs AG emerged from National Refractories Co. following a management buyout.
- 1974
Acquisition by National Refractories
[1]The historical Austrian refractory business was acquired by National Refractories Co.
Products and positioning
A vertically integrated, technology-led global refractory partner offering materials, engineered systems, and lifecycle services for high-temperature industries.
Refractory products
Shaped refractories
Shaped refractories include fired and chemically bonded bricks, blocks, precast pieces, and other formed components. They are engineered for specific combinations of temperature, load, abrasion, corrosion, and thermal cycling. Customers install them in furnaces, kilns, steelmaking vessels, and other industrial units where consistent geometry and predictable service life are important.
Refractory products
Monolithic refractories
Monolithic or unshaped refractories are supplied as castables, mortars, ramming mixes, gunning materials, and related formulations. They are mixed and installed on site or through specialized application methods, allowing linings to be repaired, formed around complex shapes, or adapted to particular equipment designs. Their use can support maintenance flexibility and reduced installation time.
Mineral-based refractories
Magnesia-based refractories
Magnesia-based products use magnesium oxide and related mineral compositions to withstand severe heat and chemically aggressive environments. They are particularly relevant to steelmaking and other processes where basic slags, molten materials, and repeated thermal exposure place demanding requirements on furnace linings and vessel components.
Engineering and services
Industrial refractory systems and services
Beyond individual materials, RHI Magnesita supplies engineered refractory systems and lifecycle services. These may include lining design, installation, inspection, repair, maintenance planning, and process-oriented technical support. The offering is intended to improve equipment availability and campaign length while helping customers manage refractory consumption, safety, and total operating costs.
Controversies
2004
Asbestos-remediation enforcement involving a predecessor operation
A predecessor-related North American operation was required to pay a $650,000 civil penalty after failing to carry out asbestos remediation at a Marelan, Quebec plant. The matter was connected to historical Global Industrial Technologies and AP Green-related operations and predates the formation of RHI Magnesita in 2017.
Brand decisions
2024
Acquisition of Resco GroupM&ABackground
RHI Magnesita pursued additional North American capacity and supply-chain strength in the refractory market.
Action taken
The company acquired US-based Resco Group.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the group's US production and supply-chain platform.
2021
Consolidation of Indian operationsStrategyBackground
RHI Magnesita had multiple Indian subsidiaries, including RHI Clasil, RHI India, and Orient Refractories.
Action taken
RHI Clasil and RHI India were merged into Orient Refractories, which was renamed RHI Magnesita India.
Aftermath
The restructuring consolidated the group's Indian platform under a single publicly listed operating company.
2017
Combination with MagnesitaM&ABackground
RHI AG and Brazilian refractory producer Magnesita sought to combine complementary global operations and establish a larger international refractory group.
Action taken
The companies merged in October 2017, creating RHI Magnesita. The group moved its principal stock-market listing from Vienna to London.
Aftermath
The transaction created the present multinational group, which became listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Recent events
Huber completes acquisition of Magnifin stake[2]
Reported:
Huber Engineered Materials completed its acquisition of RHI Magnesita’s 50% ownership stake in Magnifin Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co. KG, effective Dec. 31.
RHI Magnesita announces Rajah Jayendran as COO[3]
Reported:
RHI Magnesita announced that Rajah Jayendran would succeed Gerd Schubert as chief operations officer effective October 1, 2021. Schubert will leave the Executive Management Team but continue working for the company on initial projects until retirement.
- Unconfirmed
RHI Magnesita launches Ankral Low Carbon bricks[4]
RHI Magnesita launched Ankral Low Carbon, a refractory brick with 14% reduced carbon dioxide. The bricks use used refractory bricks as a dead-burned magnesia source instead of raw magnesite.
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