The Association of China Refractories Industry (ACRI) is an intermediary non-governmental organization with legal person qualification, under the guidance of the related state authority, consisting of trans-departmental refractory relating enterprises and institutions from iron and steel making, construction materials, light industry, nonferrous, chemical and some other industries.

Since its establishment on October 7, 1990, ACRI has performed, under the guidance of related central government authorities, its multiple duties by ways of offering services for enterprises, government and society, publicizing the related government principles and policies, reporting to the government the demands and suggestions of the refractory industry, assisting the government in working our development plans, principles and policies for the refractory industry, organizing members to make guild regulations and conventions, organizing activities implementing price self-discipline to avoid vicious price competition and protect the interests of enterprises and dovetailing the relationship between quality refractories production and marketing, standardizing refractory market system. ACRI has also sponsored technical seminars, training seminars, conferences and exhibitions as well as activities for exchanging experiences in enterprise reformations, new refractory technologies and products, economic and technical communications and collaborations home and abroad. In recent years, ACRI has set up its website to offer quicker information service to refractory enterprises. Through its annual working conference, ACRI conveys timely the principles and policies of economic work made by central government for the ongoing year to enterprises. Based on the present circumstances, ACRI works out working concept and essentials for the industry for the ongoing year.

In response to the significantly increased import and export volume in refractories year by year and the often occurrence of international trade friction, ACRI has set up an anti-dumping guiding group for the industry and established a primary anti-dumping pre-warning system, having timely organized the industry to actively response to the anti-dumping on-file case against China by foreign companies and guided the involved enterprises to defend themselves so as to protect their legitimate rights and benefits. Servicing, coordinating, self-disciplining, supervising, assisting the government in implementation of effective administration on the industry and protection of the legitimate rights and benefits of the industry and its enterprises have become ACRI’s bounden duty. ACRI has been acting as a bridge and link between the government and enterprises. For the outstanding performance, ACRI was once awarded with the title “National Model Industrial Association” granted by China Association of Industry and Commerce.

ACRI presently consists of more than 225 membership bodies, widely distributed in most China’s provinces and autonomous regions, including the main refractory enterprises and institutions in the sectors of iron and steel making, construction materials, light industry, nonferrous, chemical, etc. Some provinces like Henan, Liaoning, Hunan, Shandong, Shanxi and Jiangsu have set up their provincial association of refractories industry. They accept the guidance of ACRI.

ACRI’s highest authority organ is its membership congress. The executive organ of the congress is its executive council. The standing executive council exercises the normal functions and powers when the executive council is in recess. The directors, standing directors, secretary-general, president and vice president are all elected for a term of 4 years. The present executive council came into being by the election at the first meeting of the Fifth Council on September 18, 2007. The 5th executive council and standing executive council consist of 81 directors and 53 standing directors respectively.

Under ACRI there are a secretariat, an office and 7 departments including Planning and Coordinating Dept., Financial Coordinating Dept., Enterprise administration Dept., International Collaboration Dept., Information Dept., Quality and Standardization Dept., and Raw Materials Dept., which are attached to some membership bodies. The departments work is coordinated by the secretary-general.