BNZ Materials Inc; operates another Insulating Firebrick manufacturing facility at Plemet in Brittany, France. The combined capacity and product availability of BNZ’s brick factories result in the Group being recognised as one of the Worlds leading quality manufactures of refractory insulating firebrick.
The Plemet facility has produced refractories for over 70 years. Now specialising in producing only Insulating Firebrick, at one time the Worlds first ceramic fibre blankets were manufactured here.
BNZ Materials Inc. acquired the Plemet plant towards the end of 1999 to compliment the bricks produced at their Zelienople,PA plant in the USA. The principal clay used to produce Plemet’s bricks is extracted from BNZ’s own quarry. This combined kaolinitic and illitic clay is also supplied for ceramic applications, for example for potting and as a plasticity improver for whiteware bodies.
Brick microstructures produced in the fired brick are exceptionally suited to applications where high mechanical strength, resistance to chemical attack combined with good insulating properties are required.
Examples include for the primary aluminium industry, anode baking furnace and reduction cell insulation. Plemet’s brick offer good resistance to molten aluminium metal and combined halogen and alkali attack for highly porous refractory microstructures. See the reference list for recent contracts in this field.
These useful attributes are also put to good use in the glass industry. Here sub-hearth insulation of melting tanks, for port neck and side wall insulation. Large blocks up to a maximum format of 600 x 400 x 100 mm can be supplied in Group 23, Group 25 & Group 26 brick specifications.
Recent independent comparative studies have shown that our Calor A insulating brick came out the best in lining trials for craft salt glaze use.
The Plemet range of bricks is also proven for many of the general purpose kiln and furnace insulation applications. However where high hot strength is required the bricks produced at the Zelienople plant can be considered. The USA clays generally have lower alkali contents than European clays and have superior microstructures for long term under-load creep properties.
It is important to use a mortar compatible with refractory insulating bricks. BNZ’s distinctive, proven Blackbond mortar has been formulated to meet both the requirements of the linings performance in service and the practicalities for good bricklaying practice.
BNZ s.a. have a network of distributors around the World. We can bring to bear considerable technical and engineering support for refractory users at the design, procurement, construction, commissioning and operational phases for refractory linings.
With our wide range of products we can always supply a solution.
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