In mid-September, after only 18 months of construction, RATH Group, together with its Indian joint venture partner RATH Avanee, officially opened the new production site in southeast India.
The new facility highlights the consistent implementation of RATH Group’s global expansion plans. With eight production sites now operating across three continents – Europe, the United States, and Asia – the company has further strengthened its independence from local market influences.
“With India’s state-of-the art refractory plant, we are strengthening our delivery capabilities with greater production capacity and shorter lead times — a clear advantage for our customers,” said Andreas Pfneiszl, speaker of the executive board, RATH Group, at the opening ceremony. “This facility enables us to serve the growth market of Asia — and our customers worldwide — faster, more efficiently and with greater resource efficiency, while upholding RATH’s established high quality standards.”
The new plant is part of the joint venture RATH Avanee Private Limited. Production in Visakhapatnam began gradually in March 2025, with about 5,000 tons of fireclay produced in a bogie hearth furnace and successfully placed on the Indian market. A further tunnel kiln was commissioned at the end of July 2025. With the commissioning of the additional furnace, total annual capacity will reach approximately 20,000 tons of refractory products.
“This new production site reinforces our role as a reliable partner for customers in India, Asia, and worldwide,” said Pfneiszl.
At the opening ceremony, which was also attended by the first customers to be supplied directly from the new Indian production site, Pfneiszl (RATH) and Dr. Raju (RATH Avanee) underscored the success of the partnership by stressing that pooled expertise led to a rapid production start at a state-of-the-art facility.
Among those present at the inauguration ribbon-cutting ceremony with Pfneiszl and Raju, were the joint venture’s first customers — Siddarth Reddy, Sagar Cements Ltd, and Neeraj Sarda, executive director, Sarda Metals & Alloys Limited.
Afterward, guests toured the new production facility before concluding the event with an informal gathering that provided an opportunity to connect with customers and partners.
“Our investment is not only about expanding capacity — it’s about being closer to our customers,” said Pfneiszl. “The new Visakhapatnam plant reflects our commitment to deliver reliable, high-qualityand sustainable solutions with the flexibility global markets demand.”
More info: www.rath-group.com
