Refractory industry in Poland – past and present

Jerzy Czechowski *

The ironand steel metallurgy has always had the greatest impact on the development of refractory production, so in my search for the origins of refractory manufacturing in Poland I will relate them to the origins of metallurgy.

Between 2nd century BC and 5th century AD the region of ŚwiętokrzyskieMountains could boast a metallurgical centre – the biggest one in this part of Europe (Fig1). It included a few territories the total area of which was 800 km2.

Fig.1.Metallurgical centre in Świętokrzyskie
mountains in 2nd century BC to 5th century AD
and range of products made of manufactured
there iron. / Fig.2. Primitive smelting furnace.

In these territories there were numerous primitive smelting furnaces, arranged in a chaotic or orderly manner. A smelting furnace (Fig.2) consisted a hole, 25-60 cm in diameter and 35 to ca 47-cm in depth. Loess in which the holes were dug formed a natural lining. Loess containing 60-70% of quartz dust might be considered the prototype of silica material. Some holes were found to have had an additional, hence intentionally applied 1-2-cm thick clay layer. The hole was charged with bag iron ore and charcoal. Over the hole was placed a kind of chimney with openings for nozzles made of clay mixed with chaff, so the used material waskind of composites. It is estimated that in the primitive smelting furnaces located in the Świętokrzyski region the total of 40 000 tons of iron was produced.

* Dr J.Czechowski is Deputy Director for Research at Refractory Materials Branch (former Institute of Refractory Materials) of Institute of Glass,Ceramic, Refractories and Building Materials , and Secretary of Association of Refractory Materials Manufacturers in Poland

Fig.3 Cross section of medieval low smelting furnace: 1-nozzle, 2-shape, 3-coal, 4-mortar, 5-slag hole.

Smelting furnaces in the middle ages were permanent structures of brick or rock, lined with clay after each heat. Fig.3 shows the cross section of a low smelting furnace, which prevailedin the territories of Poland.Annual production of iron in XII – XVII century reached 2.5 – 6 thousand tons.Manufacturing of iron was located mainly in Old Polish Industrial Region (north to Kielce) and in Silesia – Częstochowa Region (between Częstochowa, Gliwice and Olkusz). In 16th century there were ca 400 forging shopswith primitive smelting furnaces across Poland within its present boundaries.

At the beginning of 17th century, during the reign of Zygmunt III Waza, a bishop of Cracow – Piotr Tylicki brought Italian metallurgists to Poland –the Gaccio family from Bergamo. In Bobrza Jan Gaccio built the first iron blast furnace in the territories of Poland. It enabled the production of raw iron which was used to cast cannons and cannonballs and in the production of steel in refiners. Rock (sandstone) was used in the construction of iron blast furnaces (fig. ..). How important was the quality of this rock may be proved by the fact that in 1780 a Lithuanian Deputy Chancellor of the Treasury Joachim Chreptowicz brought it from as far as the region of Radom (central part of present Poland) to build an iron blast furnace in the Wisznia property, which now belongs to Lithuania. In 1782 in the territory of the then Republic of Polandthere were 34 furnaces fired with charcoal, which produced annually ca 51 000 t of pig iron. Poland was one of the biggest (733 520 km2) and most populated (ca 12 million in 1772) countries in Europe; however, it did not have a big industrial potential.

At the end of 18th century Republic of Poland had been partitioned by Prussia, Russia and Austria and in 1795 ceased to exist. The metallurgical plants with iron blast furnaces were located in the territories administered by particular partitioners; most of them under the Russian rule. In this territory the iron metallurgy developed chiefly in the area of Kielce in the Old-Polish Industrial Region (Staropolskie Zagłębie Przemysłowe). In Samsonowo near Kielce the ruins of an iron blast furnace from 19th century have survived, providing now an interesting attraction for tourists.

Fig.4. Ruins of blast furnace from 19th century in Samsonów

Table 1.Production of pig iron in metallurgical plants in area administrated by Russia

Year / Iron production, t
1818 / 10 731
1840 / 15 242
1860 / 22 740
1880 / 43 866
1900 / 298 444
1913 / 418 362

Metallurgical plants were also built in the south-western part of the country, in the vicinity of Upper Silesia, which at that time belonged to Prussia.

In years 1818-1880 in part ruled by Russia the production of pig iron increased four times from nearly 11 000 t to almost 44 000 t, but as early as in 1900 it reached 298 000 t and in 1913 – ca 418 000 t(tab.1). In second part of 19th century the steel plants were modernised, for example in Bankowa steelwork new coke fired blast furnace, Simens-Martin furnace and new rolling mill were introduced. The coke fired blast furnaces were also installed in plants in Ostrowiec and Starachowice, and new plant was built in Sosnowiec. In 1876 existed 28 small ironworks, whereas in 1905 there were 11 and in 1913 only 7 seelplants.

Galicia under the Austrian rule had fewmetallurgical plants with iron blast furnaces and their total production of pig iron was small: over 700 t in 1817 and 13 000 t in 1874. In the territory of former Republic of Poland administered by Prussia there were no metallurgical plants at all.

The terms refractory brick and refractory mix were used for the first time in Polish technical literature by Paweł B. Podczaszyński in “Testimony on metallurgical engineering and iron mining in Old-Polish Industrial Region” from 1842. The book contains an interesting description of a furnace lining:

“ A 10-inch layer of regular sand was rammed, then a 3-inch refractory bricks were placed and only after it had been installed a 14-inch thick saucer made of refractory mix. The mix consisted of the following 5 parts:

-fired clay from Ługów fine stamped and sieved – 2 parts,

-regular gravel – 1 part

-stamped and sieved refractory bricks – 1 part

-unfired clay from Ługów – 1 part.”

19th century can be considered as beginning of refractory materials industry. However chamotte refractories were provided to metallurgical plants chiefly by factories which basically manufactured building brick, treating the production of refractories as an additional activity. This situation did not change when Poland regained its independence in 1918 after the I World War.

In the interwar period the demand for refractories was dependent on the production of steel(Fig.5), which after a period of growth to ca 1.4 m. t in 1926 dropped during the economic crisis to ca 0.5 m. in 1932 to reach ca 1.6 m. in 1938. Initially considerable amounts of refractories were imported, nearly reaching the level of the domestic production. After 1929 the share of domestic materials greatly increased and the import was limited, accounting for merely ca 5% in 1938.

Fig.5. Steel production, domestic and imported refractories in Poland in years1923-1938

The number of plants producing refractories rose from 24 in 1923 to 41 in 1938. The plants were located in the western part of Poland, in the Silesian-Cracovian region, the region of Częstochowa and Kielce. In 1931 the first silica products were manufactured in “Stella” factory in Chrzanów, and in 1938 – first magnesia products in Skawina.

The II World War changed the country. The post-war period within new boundaries and new political reality was marked by an intense development of heavy industry, which in the opinion of the then government determined the power of the state. Steel production rose rapidly as it was necessary for reconstructing the country destroyed by the war and then growing needs of industry. The production of refractories also increased(Fig.6).The production of steel reached its maximum in years 1978-80 – 19 m. t and the production of refractory materials exceeded 1.6 m. t in 1987. New plants were built, among others: in 1953 – Refractory Materials Plant at the Lenin Steel Plant (Huta im. Lenina) in Cracow, in 1975 – MP“Ropczyce” (Magnesite Plant “Ropczyce”). The already existing plants were extended.

Fig.6. Steel and refractory materials production in Poland in period 1945-1990

Since 1987 a decrease in steel production was accompanied by an over 80% drop in the production of refractories, reaching the level of ca 300 000 t(Fig.7).

Fig.7.Changes of steel and refractory materials production in the last two decades

A decrease in the domestic production over the last two decades was determined by the following factors:

1)a drop in the production of steel in years 1987-91

2)improvement of quality as a result of growing internal and external competition

3)metallurgical industry restructuring: complete elimination of open-hearth process until 2001; a growth in CSC (continuous steel casting) production from ca 6% in 1993 to 83% in 2006.

The unit use of refractories in steel industry dropped from 60kg/t in 1990 to 12kg/t of steel in 2006 (in some metallurgical plants even 8 kg/t of steel). At the same time the share of iron and steel production decreased in the overall consumption of refractories by industry from 70% to ca 50%.

The number of big refractory production plants dropped from 16 in 1987 to 9 in 2006, the main changes taking place after 1998. The few raw materials plants engaged in the mining and production of semi-finished products were less affected by the changes.

Transformations in the plants were connected with their privatisation, which adopted different forms, including a merge or incorporation into international groups, such as Vesuvius (Vesuvius Skawina Ltd.), Mapei (Górka Cement Ltd.) or Mittal-Acelor (PMO-Komex Ltd.).

Magnesite Plant “Ropczyce”(Zakłady Magnezytowe Ropczyce S.A.), the only refractory company on the Polish Stock Exchange, formed a capital group, which among others was made up of refractory plants in Ukraine and in China (started this year) as well as Chrzanów Plant of Refractory Materials (Chrzanowskie Zakłady Materiałów Ogniotrwałych S.A.), specialising in the production of silica materials (49% of shares, the rest belongs to Ukrainian owner). At the present 9 enterprises forms the group.

PCO (Polish Refracory Ceramics – Polska Ceramika Ogniotrwała S.A.) Żarów was formed from ZMO „Żaroszamot” after liquidating DZM Świdnica – a related company and extending the production range from closed plants: with insulating materials from Wrocław ZMO and some products manufactured by Gliwickie ZMO. The latter together with part of its equipment was taken over from the previous owner – Borgestad company, that is in possession of 15% of PCO shares.

The other producers of refractories on the Polish market are: Tabex O.Z.M.O. Ltd. in Ostrowiec, Bolesławiec Plant of Refractory Materials (Bolesławieckie Zakłady Materiałów Ogniotrwałych)and “Górbet”Ltd.

All mentioned above plants are members of Polish Association of Refractory Materials Producers, which is a member of European Association PRE since 2005. The members of the Polish Association are also Polmineral Ltd.- firm that deliver some of raw materials, Institute of Refractory Materials (since September 2007 branch of Institute of Glass, Ceramics,Refractories and Building Materials) and University of Technology AGH in Cracow.

Fig.8. Producers of refractory materials in Poland

Over the last 6 years the production of refractories and their consumption in Poland reached a similar level, ranging between 260 and 300 000 t. These fluctuations were obviously connected with the volume of steel production in particular years.

The volume of export in this period increased two times from ca 50 000 t to over 100 000 t in 2006. A growth in import was slower, rising from ca 45 000 to 85000 t(Fig.9).

Fig.9. Refractories market in Poland in years 2000 - 2006

The efficiency has been systematically increasing. In the plants which are members of the Association of Refractory Materials’ Producers, accounting for ca 99% of the refractory market in Poland, the efficiency for the past ten years has increased three times, from 44t/employee to ca 138t/employee(Fig.10).

Fig.10. Productivity in refractory materials industry in Poland

In 2006 the production of refractories in Poland reached nearly 300 000 t, ca 28% of which was unshaped materials(Fig 11). Basic materials produced by ZM Ropczyce and PMO Komex had the biggest share – over 120 000 t, including ca 85 000 t of shaped products. Over 80 000 t of fireclay materials were produced, including over 65 000 t of shaped products. The production of high-alumina materials increased to ca 60 000 t (over 40 000 t of shaped materials). The production of special products reached ca 9000 t without silica materials - nearly 18 000 t.

Fig.11.Production of refractory materials in Poland in 2006

The factors affecting the Polish refractory materials market since 1990 can be summarized as follows:

1.decrease of steel production on the turn of 80th ,

2.restructuring of steel production – period 1993-2004,

3. stabilisation of product quality in early 90th years,

4. introduction of new better products – all the time,

5. privatisation and globalisation of refractory materials users – late 90th till now,

6. privatisation, globalisation and consolidation of refractory materials manufacturers – after 1995,

7. strong external and internal competitions,

8. skill in adaptation to new conditions by Polish manufacturers.

Literature

  1. Metallurgy on the territory of Poland (in Polish)– ed. bySITPH, Katowice 1992
  2. Outline of Polish refractory materials industry (in Polish) – ed. by Oddział Materiałów Ogniotrwałych SITPH and Klub Producentów MO, Gliwice 1997
  3. J.Czechowski, Domestic refractory materials industry – changes, present state and prospects on the background of world market (in Polish), Ceramika/Ceramics, Pol.Ceram.Bull., vol.66, 2004
  4. J.Czechowski, unpublished IMO reports

(The lecture presented on The PRE Congress ,6-8 June 2007 inCracow)