Rath has started production of Altra Flex®

The Austrian group becomes the first European manufacturer of oxide ceramic continuous fiber, an innovative product in the field of advanced ceramics.

Rath, the international refractory manufacturer, has started production of the Altra Flex® oxide ceramic continuous fiber, an innovative product that the Austrian group has been developing for several years.

The production plant for the manufacture of the Altra Flex® in K99 and M75 qualities was recently commissioned at the group’s site in Mönchengladbach (Germany) and will initially produce up to 10 tons of fiber per year.  This makes Rath the first European supplier to offer a solution for manufacturers of composite materials.

The properties of Altra Flex® include its capability to maintain both strength and flexibility up to 1200 °C, high thermal shock resistance, excellent dimensional stability and low thermal conductivity, and open up many possibilities in many industries and fields of application, including 3D printing and composites.

“Drawing on 35 years of experience in the development and production of high-temperature ceramic fiber, Rath is always looking for innovative ways to develop new, pioneering product solutions for the industry. The addition of Altra Flex® has enabled us to once again expand our broad portfolio of pioneering solutions”, says Christopher Kluthe, Senior R&D Manager, RATH.

Altra Flex® was created as part of the Horizon Europe project InVECOF (Innovative Value Chains for European Ceramic Oxide Fibers).