What Simonsen does

Simonsen a/s is a privately held, family-owned Danish supplier founded in 1984 by Jørgen Simonsen and headquartered in Nykøbing Mors, Denmark. The company supplies insulation, refractory, and carbon materials to the primary aluminium industry and the waste-to-energy sector, positioning itself as the only worldwide provider of a complete range of electrolytic linings for electrolytic and anode bake furnaces — a portfolio spanning insulating perlite bricks (msb® series), calcium silicate boards (insulite 1900), vermiculite boards (vermilite 2000, prolite super), refractory barrier bricks (alubar®), silicon carbide sidewall products (Sicatec® 75/95, Sicacom, sicapowder, sicacast, sicaram, sicabond), carbon sidewall blocks (ssb series), and graphitic cathode blocks (ssc, SIM-GD), plus equipment such as the Octopus Lifter® vacuum suction aggregate and STARING SM 125 mixer. The company is approved by all major aluminium smelter technologies globally and holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications.

The business operates as a value-adding distributor and brand owner, aggregating products from a global network of large-scale production partners — including MOSCONI SRL, CALSITHERM, TECHNO-PHYSIK, LIRR/SINOSTEEL, Shanxi Jinyang Carbon, QXC/CPI Ningxia, ATA S.R.L., and Staring A/S — and selling them under registered trademarks (msb®, Sicatec®, alubar®, GearShift®, Octopus Lifter®) to aluminium producers worldwide via direct enterprise technical sales and a regional Indian operation led by a General Manager. Revenue derives from hardware sales of refractory materials under multi-year contracts (no public pricing; quotes via [email protected]) and from subscription-based digital services through the GearShift platform, a workflow and data-management tool launched as the company's proprietary digital offering.

The company serves two verticals — primary aluminium (its core segment, addressing electrolytic cell relining with single-source convenience) and waste-to-energy (LS Series incinerator linings) — and is currently led by Morten Simonsen (Owner and CEO), with a leadership team including a CFO, Technical Sales Director, International Sales Manager, Sales & Operations Manager, and Technical Manager. In 2025, the company obtained two new certifications, launched a new website, and absorbed the retirement of Technical Director Klaus Simonsen (son of the founder) and Export Manager Susanne Horsager, while continuing to invest in the GearShift platform and Indian market expansion.

Name

Simonsen

Legal name

simonsen a/s

Website

https://simonsen.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Simonsen a/s is a privately held Danish supplier founded in 1984 that provides insulation, refractory, and carbon materials to the global primary aluminium industry and waste-to-energy sector, acting as the sole worldwide single-source supplier of complete electrolytic cell reline materials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Refractory Materials

NAICS

Industrial Process Furnace and Oven Manufacturing (333994)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Furnaces, Kilns & Thermal Processing Equipment (IMAHAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Heat Treatment & Thermal Processing Furnaces (Hardening, Annealing, Induction) (IMAHADAI)

Keywords

• Refractory materials supply
• Electrolytic cell linings
• Aluminium industry materials
• Insulating refractory bricks
• Carbon cathode blocks

Headquarters

HQ city

Nykøbing Mors

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Refractory Materials Sales: Sale of complete range of electrolytic linings including insulating bricks, refractory barrier bricks, silicon carbide sidewall materials, carbon sidewall blocks, and carbon cathode bottom blocks for primary aluminium industry
2. Waste-to-Energy Linings: Sale of WtE incinerator linings (LS series) for waste-to-energy plants
3. GearShift Platform Services: Digital platform services for workflow optimization and data management, likely subscription-based for enterprise customers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

simonsen a/s supplies a complete range of electrolytic linings for electrolytic and anode bake furnaces in the primary aluminium industry, including insulating perlite bricks, refractory barrier bricks, silicon carbide sidewall materials, carbon sidewall blocks, and graphitic/graphitized carbon cathode bottom blocks. The company also supplies LS Series refractory linings for waste-to-energy incinerators and offers the Gearshift digital collaboration and workflow optimization platform for customers and business partners.

Product overview

Simonsen is a Danish refractory materials supplier serving the primary aluminium industry and waste-to-energy sector, operating for over 40 years. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of electrolytic cell lining materials including the msb® series of perlite insulating bricks, insulite 1900 and vermiculite-based insulating boards (vermilite™2000, prolite super™), alubar® refractory barrier bricks, and the Sicatec® silicon carbide product family (Sicatec® 75, Sicatec® 95, Sicacom, sicapowder®, sicacast®, sicaram®, sicabond®) for sidewall applications. The product range extends to carbon components including ssb sidewall blocks and ssc/SIM-GD cathode bottom blocks, complemented by equipment such as the Octopus lifter® and simonsen® STARING SM 125 Mixer. For waste-to-energy applications, the LS Series incinerator linings are offered. The company also provides the Gearshift Platform as a digital collaboration and workflow management tool. Simonsen acts as a complete supplier for electrolytic linings, partnering with major global producers including MOSCONI SRL, CALSITHERM, TECHNO-PHYSIK, Shanxi Jinyang Carbon, LIRR/SINOSTEEL, QXC, and Staring A/S.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GearShift Platform: A digital platform designed on the foundation of the simonsen App, providing real-time access to simonsen data, workflow optimization, and collaborative tools for business partners.

Products and services

• Gearshift Platform A digital collaboration and workflow optimization platform providing real-time access to simonsen data, business workflow management, and role-based access control for business partners and customers.
• msb® Series (msb®-450, msb®-475, msb®-575, msb®-AW 500, msb®-AB 60) Light insulating perlite bricks for electrolytic cell insulation in primary aluminium production, produced by MOSCONI SRL.
• insulite 1900 High temperature insulating calcium silicate boards for industrial furnace lining applications, produced by CALSITHERM SILIKATBAUSTOFFE GmbH.
• vermilite™2000 Low density vermiculite board marketed as 'The Green Board' for high temperature insulation applications, produced by TECHNO-PHYSIK ENG. GMBH and MINERALKA d.o.o.
• prolite super™ High density vermiculite board marketed as 'The Green Board' for industrial insulation applications, produced by TECHNO-PHYSIK ENG. GMBH.
• alubar®1100 Refractory barrier bricks for electrolytic cell lining in aluminium production, part of a product family including alubar® Powder and alubar® Granulate.
• Sicatec® 75 Nitride bonded silicon carbide blocks/bricks for sidewall lining in electrolytic cells, providing high thermal conductivity and wear resistance.
• Sicatec® 95 Self-bonded silicon carbide blocks/bricks for high-performance sidewall lining applications in electrolytic cells.
• Sicacom Composite product combining Sicatec 75/95 with carbon block for integrated sidewall solutions, supplied by Shanxi Jinyang Carbon Co., Ltd.
• sicapowder® Silicon carbide powder as a dry granular base material for sidewall applications in electrolytic cells.
• sicacast® Silicon carbide castable for forming and repairing sidewall linings in electrolytic cells, produced by LIRR/SINOSTEEL LUOYANG INSTITUTE OF REFRACTORIES RESEARCH.
• sicaram® Silicon carbide ramming mortar for installing and sealing silicon carbide brick linings in electrolytic cells.
• sicabond & sicabond D-Opt® Silicon carbide mortar products as dry granular base materials for bonding and installing silicon carbide components.
• ssb Sidewall Blocks (ssb-10, ssb-15, ssb-30, ssb-G) Carbon sidewall blocks for electrolytic cell lining, including ssb-G as a fully graphitized variant, produced by Shanxi Jinyang Carbon Co., Ltd.
• ssc Cathode Blocks (ssc-3, ssc-5, ssc-10) Graphitic cathode blocks for electrolytic cell bottom lining in primary aluminium production, providing electrical conductivity and chemical resistance.
• Cold Ramming Paste SPR-12 Cold ramming paste for filling gaps and sealing cathode block joints during electrolytic cell construction.
• SIM-GD Cathode Blocks Graphitized carbon cathode blocks for high-performance electrolytic cell applications, produced by QXC/CPI NINGXIA ENERGY ALUMINIUM QINGXIN CARBON CO. LTD.
• Octopus lifter® Vacuum suction aggregate equipment for handling and installing refractory materials in industrial furnace applications, produced by ATA S.R.L. PRODUZIONE.
• simonsen® STARING SM 125 Mixer Industrial mixer for preparing and blending refractory materials during electrolytic cell construction, produced by Staring A/S.
• LS Series (LSO) WtE Incinerator Linings Refractory linings for waste-to-energy incinerators, designed for high-temperature applications in energy recovery facilities, produced by LIRR/SINOSTEEL LUOYANG INSTITUTE OF REFRACTORIES RESEARCH.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MOSCONI SRLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of msb® series light insulating perlite bricks (msb-450, msb-475, msb-575) for electrolytic cell insulation. Long-standing production partnership for core insulation products.
• CALSITHERM SILIKATBAUSTOFFE GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of insulite 1900 high temperature insulating calcium silicate boards for electrolytic cell applications.
• TECHNO-PHYSIK ENG. GMBHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of vermilite™2000 and prolite super™ vermiculite boards ('Green Boards') for electrolytic cell insulation.
• SINOSTEEL LUOYANG INSTITUTE OF REFRACTORIES RESEARCH Co., Ltd. (LIRR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of LS series WtE incinerator linings and sicacast® silicon carbide castable. Key research and production partner for waste-to-energy and advanced refractory products.
• Shanxi Jinyang Carbon Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of Sicacom (Sicatec 75/95 glued with carbon block) and ssb series carbon sidewall blocks. Key carbon materials supplier.
• CPI NINGXIA ENERGY ALUMINIUM QINGXIN CARBON CO. LTD.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of SIM-GD graphitized cathode carbon bottom blocks alongside QXC.
• ATA S.R.L. PRODUZIONEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of Octopus Lifter® vacuum suction aggregate for refractory materials handling.
• Staring A/SminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of simonsen® STARING SM 125 Mixer for refractory material mixing applications.
• MINERALKA d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of vermilite™2000 vermiculite boards alongside TECHNO-PHYSIK.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Resco Products: Refractory manufacturer focused on monolithic and preformed shapes serving primary metals, including aluminium smelting applications. Comparable because it competes in the same shaped refractory categories (insulating firebrick, SiC, alumina-based bricks) that Simonsen distributes.
• Pyrotek: Specialized supplier of carbon-based cathodes, SiC sidewalls, and other consumables for primary aluminium cells and anode bake furnaces. Most directly comparable niche peer to Simonsen: same products, same primary aluminium customers, similar position as a non-integrated specialist supplier.
• HarbisonWalker International (HWI): Large North American-based refractory manufacturer serving primary metals, including aluminium. Comparable because it sells shaped and monolithic refractories used in electrolytic cells and high-temperature industrial furnaces, targeting overlapping smelter customers.
• Sinosteel Luoyang Institute of Refractories Research (LIRR): Chinese refractory R&D institute and manufacturer that is both a Simonsen production partner and a competitor in WtE and SiC castable markets. Comparable because it manufactures the LS Series WtE linings and sicacast products that Simonsen distributes, and sells comparable refractory solutions independently.
• Shanxi Jinyang Carbon Co., Ltd. Major Chinese producer of carbon cathode and sidewall blocks for aluminium smelters. Comparable because it supplies the ssb sidewall blocks and Sicacom products that Simonsen distributes, and competes directly in carbon cathode and sidewall categories globally.

Broad incumbents

• RHI Magnesita: World's largest refractory supplier serving steel, cement, and non-ferrous metals including primary aluminium. Comparable because it produces and sells refractory linings, silicon carbide, and carbon products to aluminium smelters globally — the same end customers Simonsen serves, but with a much broader portfolio and owned manufacturing footprint.
• Vesuvius plc: Global refractory and consumables supplier with a dedicated Flow Control and Steel Foundry division and meaningful non-ferrous metals exposure. Comparable because it supplies monolithic and shaped refractories (including SiC-based) to aluminium and other metallurgical customers, competing for the same wallet share.
• Saint-Gobain (High-Performance Refractories): Diversified industrial materials group with refractory product lines serving primary metals and high-temperature industries. Comparable because it manufactures and sells SiC and insulating refractory products used in aluminium cells and waste incinerators, competing for the same technical specifications.
• Calderys (Imerys Group): Global monolithic refractories supplier within Imerys, with aluminium and waste-incineration exposure. Comparable because it serves primary aluminium and WtE customers with shaped and monolithic linings, including SiC-based sidewall solutions in direct competition with Simonsen offerings.

Emerging players

• Almatis: Specialty alumina supplier for refractory and ceramic applications, including calcined aluminas used in monolithic refractories for aluminium and WtE. Comparable because its tabular and reactive aluminas are key raw materials for several of the refractory categories Simonsen supplies (monolithic castables, ramming mixes).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simonsen-as

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Simonsen