The industrial ceramics branch of French group Saint-Gobain announced last month that the United States“ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted approval to Saint-Gobain to license Carborundum ref…
The industrial ceramics branch of French group Saint-Gobain announced last month that the United States“ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted approval to Saint-Gobain to license Carborundum refractory brick technology to US firm, New Castle Refractories. Carborundum manufactures performance refractory products in the US. The approval was part of the FTC Consent Order and Hold Separate Agreement imposed by the FTC when Saint-Gobain acquired The Carborundum Company in February 1996. Saint-Gobain“s agreement with New Castle involves licensing technology to produce four Carborundum products Carbofrax (R) A, Refrax (R) 20, Refrax (R) SBF and Sialfrax (R). Secondly, for the next two years, Saint-Gobain will also supply New Castle with products for resale into those applications. Finally, the agreement includes a contract in which Saint-Gobain provides New Castle an option to buy forming equipment and a kiln over the next five years. The products involved in the agreement represent approximately 30-35% of the sales of Carborundum“s Performance Refractories business. Saint-Gobain acquired The Carborundum Company from UK firm British Petroleum Company last year. All Carborundum activities were included except the US ceramics fibres business. Carborundum activities bought by Saint-Gobain are worth approximately US$ 200 million and employ approximately 1,500 people at facilities in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain and the United States, as well as a joint venture in Japan.