February 8 (SeeNews) - Turkish glass producer Sisecam said that it acquired Italy-based refractory materials manufacturer Refel in a strategic move that will ensure that the buyer's furnace investments and cold repairs are unaffected by disruptions in the global supply chain.
"The acquisition of Refel will play a major role in eliminating supply risks that Sisecam may face in its future glass manufacturing investments," Ahmet Kirman, chairman of Sisecam's board of directors, said in a statement published on the company's website last week. "In addition, Sisecam’s strong refrigeration testing and development (RD&T) and design capabilities, which also extend to furnace designs, will enable us to introduce many innovative products and technologies to the glass industry in the refractory field."
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The price of the deal was not disclosed in the statement.
Refractory materials are used in the construction of glass melting furnaces and are crucial for the commissioning of furnace investments in accordance with planned schedules, Sisecam explained.
Sisecam is a global player in all core areas of glass production, including flat glass, glassware, glass packaging, and glass fiber, as well as business lines covering soda and chromium compounds. In addition, Sisecam plays a leading role in the automotive, mining, energy and recycling sectors. The company serves customers in 150 countries around the globe and operates in 14 countries.
Refel operates an advanced laboratory with a scanning electron microscope for post-production refractory material checks, refractory tests, and high-resolution analysis, as well as the analysis of glass defects. The company has an annual production capacity of over 6,000 tonnes. Excluding Chinese producers, Refel holds nearly 20% of the global alumina-zirconia-silica refractory capacity which is used in the furnaces of glass manufacturing facilities.
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