Calderys Group celebrates 160 years of innovation and industrial excellence
For more than one and a half centuries, the development of the Calderys Group has been shaped by people, technology and in-depth expertise. The focus has always been on innovative, bespoke solutions to protect industrial plants operating under extreme conditions.
Over the decades, the Group has expanded its presence – originally based in the USA and Europe – worldwide through organic growth and targeted acquisitions. Generations of employees have built a culture of excellence that continues to support key industries and enable industrial progress around the globe.
Today, the Calderys Group combines its unique industrial heritage with a clear, forward-looking commitment to serving the sectors that form the backbone of the global economy.
“Our 160th anniversary is far more than just a number,” says Michel Cornelissen, President & CEO of Calderys. “It tells the story of people who have built, shaped and developed an industry that is indispensable to modern life. Every stage of our history reflects our commitment to excellence and our ability to create added value for sectors such as steel, cement, energy, petrochemicals, metal casting and many other high-temperature industries. This legacy inspires us to continue delivering safe, efficient and increasingly sustainable solutions to our customers worldwide.”
To mark this milestone, the Group is releasing a four-part video series tracing Calderys’ journey from 1865 to 2025. It highlights key corporate milestones as well as global developments, and shows how high-temperature refractory solutions have accompanied industrial progress and continue to play a key role for the future.
Key milestones in the company’s history
- 1865: Founding of the Star Fire Brick Company in Pennsylvania, USA
- 1875: Takeover by Hay Walker Sr. and Samuel P. Harbison; Founding of the Harbison & Walker Company
- 1902: Start of operations in Europe, initially in Sweden
- 1908: Invention of alumina cement by Lafarge in France
- 1914: Start of business operations in India; development of the first monolithic refractory material in the USA; Founding of Plibrico
- 1926: Founding of Stollberg in Germany, the origin of today’s steel casting flux business unit
- 1934: Founding of S&B in Greece, the origin of activities in the moulding sand additives sector
More recent milestones
- 2002: Foundation of ANH Refractories in the USA through the merger of A.P. Green, NARCO and Harbison-Walker
- 2005: Merger of Plibrico and Lafarge Refractories under the umbrella of the Imerys Group to form Calderys – launch of the Calderys brand
- 2015: Renaming of ANH Refractories to HarbisonWalker International (HWI)
- 2023: Merger of Calderys and HarbisonWalker International under private ownership to form today’s Calderys Group
About Calderys
Calderys is a world-leading provider of high-temperature solutions for industrial applications. The Group provides thermal protection for industrial plants with a broad portfolio of refractory products and advanced solutions for steel casting, metallurgical fluxes and moulding processes. With a presence in more than 30 countries and a strong position in North and South America through the HWI brand, Calderys has a global network of experts delivering bespoke end-to-end solutions. With 160 years’ experience, around 4,500 employees (excluding external service providers) and 50 production sites across five continents, the Group supports its customers worldwide in meeting the challenges of the energy transition.