2015-05-26 Refractory Window

At the end of May, domestic brown corundum was still operating at a low level, and the market trading order was chaotic, making it difficult to boost demand. The mainstream quotation for Al2O3 ≥ 95% dumped furnace section sand in Henan region is mostly between 4250-4450 yuan/ton, while the mainstream quotation for fixed furnace section sand is mostly between 4000-4250 yuan/ton. Due to market pressure, some enterprises of brown corundum have lowered their external quotations by 100 yuan/ton.

Brown corundum is divided into calcined brown corundum C ≤ 0.05%, low-carbon brown corundum C ≤ 0.10%, and ordinary brown corundum C ≤ 0.15% based on residual carbon content. Among them, low-carbon brown corundum undergoes pre-treatment before the furnace and special processes to reduce the residual carbon content in brown corundum, making the product non powdering, non cracking, and high toughness during use. It is the preferred raw material for the abrasive and refractory materials industry. At present, low-carbon brown corundum is mainly used in ceramic grinding tools, high-end grinding tools, organic grinding tools, sand belts, coated grinding tools, etc. Domestic brown corundum manufacturers are mainly concentrated in regions such as Henan, Shanxi, and Guizhou. The competition among manufacturers is fierce, the market is weak, and downstream pressure is severe, resulting in chaotic market trading order. In order to seek long-term development, expand market share, and alleviate competitive pressure, most enterprises have shifted their production focus to low-carbon brown corundum. According to our investigation, the procurement of low-carbon brown corundum in China has been relatively active recently, and the market demand is still acceptable. However, due to the complex production process of low-carbon brown corundum, insufficient domestic testing technology, and high production costs, only a few enterprises can produce it. Among the 50 brown corundum enterprises surveyed on this website in Henan Province, only 10 have the ability to produce low-carbon brown corundum.

At present, the research on the domestic high carbon brown corundum market is still shallow, and there are few production enterprises. According to the investigation, manufacturers have reached a consensus that there are several reasons that lead to the "shallow foundation" of high carbon brown corundum in China:

Firstly, the market demand for high carbon brown corundum is extremely low, and expanding terminal demand is imperative.

Secondly, refractory products such as bricks and gutter materials produced from high carbon brown corundum have a shorter service life compared to low-carbon brown corundum and ordinary brown corundum;

Thirdly, high carbon brown corundum has a high carbon content and a large coefficient of expansion, resulting in a higher frequency of accidents during the production process;

Fourthly, the competition pressure for homogenization among brown corundum enterprises has sharply increased, and they are facing pressure from downstream buyers, resulting in meager profits. In addition, the market prospects for high carbon brown corundum are unknown. To ensure the normal operation of enterprises, they should invest cautiously.

Exclusive writing by Naicai Window. If reproduced, please indicate the source. Violators will be held accountable! (Editor in charge: Li Zhenxue)