What UNITED REFRACTORIES does

United Refractories Co. (URC), founded in 1975 by Raymond J. Niesen and headquartered in McMurray, Pennsylvania, is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of monolithic refractories and ceramic fiber products serving high-temperature industrial applications. The company operates two product lines: URC Products, covering monolithic refractories such as castables, gunning mixes, pumpables, shotcretes, vibratables, plastics, ramming mixes, coatings, mortars, and grouts; and REFSOURCE Products, covering precast shapes, ceramic fiber modules, UltraBloc custom engineered panels, and engineered solutions. End markets include steel, aluminum, cement/lime, foundry, petrochemical, power generation, and biomass.

URC's technical differentiation rests on proprietary formulations including cement-free gel-bonded gunite technology (presented at UNITECR 2015), rapid-fire pumpable and shotcrete chemistry, the UNI-BRADE calcium phosphate bond abrasion-resistant product line, UNI-RAM VR coreless dry-vibratable technology, UltraBloc panels with proprietary wall anchoring, and the Solutions AWEARness prescriptive platform for aluminum melting applications. Manufacturing is conducted at two US facilities (Brookville, Indiana and Birmingham, Alabama), supplemented by an international licensee (Presico) in Taiwan and China. Four industrial design patents or pending patents (Torpedo Ladle Covers, FLEXI-ANCHOR, Versatile Ceramic Fiber Module Anchor, Metallic Ceramic Anchor System) protect key product features.

URC generates revenue through B2B industrial sales via direct regional sales managers and technical sales representatives organized by vertical and geography, supported by international distributors and licensees. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with custom formulations, on-site technical assistance, AutoCAD engineering services, installation supervision, and the Thermal Profiling Software bundled under the 4U Service model. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and serves enterprise customers including Gerdau, Alton Steel, Outokumpu, CMC Steel, NYS, and Ash Grove Cement, with the latter representing a 4.2 million pound monoliths installation on a single modernization project.

Name

UNITED REFRACTORIES

Legal name

United Refractories Co.

Website

https://urc4u.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Refractories Co. is a private, family-owned manufacturer of monolithic refractories and ceramic fiber products serving steel, aluminum, cement, foundry, petrochemical, and power generation industries. Operations include two US manufacturing facilities and international licensing in Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mcmurray

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Monolithic Refractory Products: Sale of refractory materials including castables, gunning mixes, shotcretes, pumpables, plastics, and precast shapes for industrial furnace lining applications.
2. Precast Refractory Shapes: Custom precast shapes for steel industry including EAF deltas, ladle components, tundish linings, and custom engineered pieces.
3. Ceramic Fiber Products: Ceramic fiber blankets, boards, modules, custom engineered panels, and textiles for high-temperature insulation.
4. Technical Services and Support: On-site technical assistance, process audits, installation supervision, and engineering support as part of 4U Service model.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

United Refractories Co. (URC) manufactures and supplies monolithic refractory products (castables, gunning mixes, shotcretes, pumpables, plastics, ramming mixes, coatings, mortars, grouts, vibratables) and precast refractory shapes (EAF/DC deltas, tundish linings, ladle bottoms, well blocks, burner blocks, ladle lip rings and covers) along with ceramic fiber products (UltraBloc panels, modules) for high-temperature industrial applications up to 3200°F. Customers are steel mills, cement/lime plants, foundries, aluminum operations, petrochemical plants, power generators, and biomass energy producers across North America and selected international markets served through the Presico licensee in Taiwan and China.

Product overview

United Refractories Co. (URC) is a manufacturer of monolithic refractories serving Metalcasting, Minerals Processing, Power Generation and Petrochemical Industries. The company operates two product lines: URC Products (monolithic refractories including castables, gunning mixes, pumpables, shotcretes, plastics and ramming mixes, coatings, mortars, and grouts) and REFSOURCE Products (high-temperature refractory and ceramic fiber solutions including precast shapes, ceramic fiber modules, UltraBloc custom engineered panels, and engineered services). Products are designed for specific industrial applications including aluminum, biomass, cement/lime, foundry, petrochemical, power generation, and steel industries. The company offers custom product development, technical services including process audits and thermal profiling, and AutoCAD engineering services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UNI-CAST FS-6 Low-cement, fused-silica castable refractory with high strength and excellent thermal shock resistance, designed for circulating fluidized bed applications. Maximum service temperature 2300°F (1260°C). Target buyers: petrochemical FCC and CFB operators, power-generation fluidized bed operators.
• UNI-PUMP LC-65HS Very high strength, high-alumina, low-cement pumpable refractory designed for vibra-casting and pumping applications. Maximum service temperature 3150°F (1730°C). Target buyers: industrial furnace operators requiring abrasion- and temperature-resistant pumpable linings.
• UNI-PUMP RF-45 Rapid-fire, high-alumina, low-cement pumpable refractory with abrasion resistance. Maximum service temperature 2950°F (1620°C). Target buyers: industrial furnace operators seeking fast installation turnaround and abrasion-resistant linings.
• UNI-GUN FS-6AR High-strength, low-cement, fused-silica gunning refractory with abrasion and thermal-shock resistance for gunning-applied linings. Target buyers: gunnable-lining users in cement, power, and petrochemical operations.
• UNI-SHOT RF-65 Rapid-fire, mullite-based, abrasion-resistant low-cement shotcrete refractory for high-temperature containment. Target buyers: cement, steel, and aluminum customers requiring fast-install shotcrete linings.
• UNI-BRADE AR-85 High-alumina abrasion-resistant product utilizing a unique calcium phosphate bond; can be rammed, hand-packed, or gunned. Target buyers: industrial users facing severe abrasion wear (cyclones, transfer points, high-wear zones) in cement, aluminum, foundry, and steel.
• UNI-RAM BLU J High-strength, abrasion-resistant, phosphate-bonded mullite plastic (ramming-mix) refractory. Maximum service temperature 3200°F (1760°C). Target buyers: steel and foundry operators requiring high-temperature plastic refractory installation.
• UNI-CAST 2600 High-strength castable refractory with good thermal shock resistance, designed for coal-fired utility boiler applications. Target buyers: utility power generators.
• UNI-CAST 2800 High-strength, abrasion- and thermal-shock-resistant castable refractory for power-generation applications. Target buyers: utility power generators and CFB operators.
• UNI-CAST LW-80G Lightweight insulating castable designed for casting or gunning applications. Maximum service temperature 2500°F (1370°C). Target buyers: industrial operators needing backup insulation behind working linings.
• UltraBloc Custom Engineered Panels Custom-engineered ceramic fiber panels combining thermal-insulation benefits with prefabricated modular design; uses a proprietary wall-anchoring system and is rated up to 3000°F. Applications include ladle preheaters, tundish covers, and reheat furnaces. Target buyers: steel mills and other industrial users seeking modular, fast-install ceramic fiber solutions.
• EAF & DC Deltas Precast refractory products for electric-arc furnace (EAF) and direct-current (DC) delta sections, designed to withstand chemical, thermal, and mechanical abuse in steelmaking, with Al2O3 content ranging from 85% to 90%. Target buyers: integrated steel mills and mini-mills operating EAF/DC furnaces (e.g., Gerdau, Alton Steel, Outokumpu, CMC).
• Tundish Linings, Furniture & Covers Precast parts including dams, weirs, and turnkey dried-out tundish safety linings for continuous casting operations. Target buyers: continuous-casting steelmakers.
• Molten Metal Precast Runners and Troughs Precast refractory runners and troughs with materials designed for outstanding temperature and abrasion resistance in integrated steel mills and mini-mills. Target buyers: integrated mills and mini-mills.
• Iron and Steel Precast Ladle Bottoms Large precast shapes designed for excellent thermal and mechanical performance in steelmaking ladle applications. Target buyers: iron and steel ladle operators.
• Burner Blocks, Well Blocks & Plug Blocks Custom critical blocks (burner blocks, well blocks, plug blocks) requiring tight tolerances and top-flight materials for demanding high-temperature applications. Target buyers: industrial furnace builders and steel/foundry operators.
• Ladle Lip Rings and Covers Precast refractory shapes for containing heat in ladles and soaking pits, including custom designs and retrofits for major steel producers. Target buyers: integrated mills, mini-mills, and steel producers.
• AutoCAD Engineering and Installation Services Engineering and AutoCAD design services plus turnkey refractory installation services for refractory projects. Target buyers: end users and contractors needing engineered refractory installation support.
• Metallic Refractory Anchors and Needles Full line of metallic refractory anchors and needles in carbon steel, 304SS, 310SS, 316SS, 330SS, and Inconel options, with custom and standard configurations. Target buyers: refractory installers and end users anchoring monolithics and ceramic fiber linings.
• Thermocouples and IR Sensors Temperature measurement products including base-metal and noble-metal thermocouple assemblies, ceramic protection tubes, and magnesium-oxide thermocouples for industrial furnace applications. Target buyers: industrial furnace operators needing refractory-lining and process-temperature monitoring.
• Board and Block Insulation Calcium silicate boards, vermiculite boards, and slabs for backup insulation in refractory equipment. Maximum service temperatures up to 1100°C. Target buyers: industrial users needing backup insulation behind working refractory linings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.2 million pounds of refractories installed flawlessly at Ash Grove Cement with zero product quality or consistency issues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PresicocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 14 April 2016URC's international manufacturing partner in Taiwan and China. Trained manufacturing teams from Presico at URC's Brookville, Indiana facility. Graduates (Yi-Ruei Ju, Syuan-Jhih Lyu, Chi-Hsiang Liang) trained in manufacturing, quality control, environmental and safety considerations to develop local manufacturing plants in Asia.
• Southern RefractoriesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRefractory installation contractor engaged by FLS for the Ash Grove Cement modernization project. Successfully installed 4.2 million pounds of URC products without any problems or project delays.
• FLScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor industrial equipment OEM/project company that selected URC as bulk provider of monoliths for Ash Grove Cement plant modernization project. Project OEM selection based on URC's unique products, ISO 9001 quality history, and exceptional customer service.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HarbisonWalker International (now Intocast): Largest US-based monolithic and precast refractory manufacturer serving steel, cement, aluminum, and glass end markets. Direct competitor to URC across product categories including castables, gunning mixes, shotcretes, and precast shapes; multiple URC hires (Tom Robich, Mike Rzepczynski) came from HarbisonWalker.
• Resco Products: Privately held US refractory manufacturer producing monolithic refractories, precast shapes, and ceramic fiber products for steel, aluminum, cement, and power generation. Closest direct peer in scale, customer base, and product mix to URC.
• Plibrico Company: US-based refractory contractor and manufacturer specializing in monolithic refractory installation services and engineered solutions for steel, cement, and petrochemical. Direct peer in monolithic product lines and installation-service business model; Justin Teiken (URC Director of Product Development) previously worked at Plibrico.
• Allied Mineral Products: Privately held US manufacturer of monolithic refractories and precast shapes serving steel, iron, aluminum, cement, and glass end markets. Comparable in scale, vertical specialization, and product breadth to URC.
• Magotteaux: Belgium-headquartered manufacturer of wear-resistant castings and grinding media serving cement, mining, and aggregate industries. Overlaps with URC in cement/lime refractory applications (Robert Piestrzynski joined URC from Magotteaux's Cement Division as Account Manager).

Broad incumbents

• Vesuvius plc: LSE-listed global leader in refractory and technical ceramics for steel, foundry, and glass industries. Competes with URC in steel precast shapes (tundish, ladle) and monolithics; multiple URC personnel previously held roles at Vesuvius/Hepworth (Justin Teiken, Shaun Hale).
• Imerys: Euronext-listed specialty minerals group producing calcium aluminates (formerly Kerneos) and refractory raw materials. Competes with URC as a refractory raw material supplier; URC's VP of Sales Enablement Josh Pelletier previously served as Sales Director – Refractory Producers at Imerys.
• Saint-Gobain: Global industrial materials group with refractory product lines for high-temperature industrial applications. Broad incumbent across ceramics, glass, and construction materials; competes with URC in ceramic fiber, precast shapes, and high-temperature insulation.
• Morgan Advanced Materials: LSE-listed manufacturer of advanced ceramics and refractory components for high-temperature industrial applications. Competes with URC in ceramic fiber modules, custom engineered panels (UltraBloc equivalent), and high-temperature insulation products.

Emerging players

• Keratek (Kerneos legacy): Specialty calcium aluminate cement supplier for refractory formulations, now part of Imerys. Comparable through its role as a key raw material supplier in monolithic refractory bonding systems that URC uses and competes against in finished castable products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-refractories-company

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNITED REFRACTORIES