Interview with Mr Andrew Fobberg, the founder of FOBBERG MEDIA

2025-11-04

Refwin:

Last time, you introduced the audience to the idea of FOBBERG Reviews — product reviews in the refractory field. What has changed since then? Which directions are you developing today?

Andrew Fobberg:

Yes, we continue to actively develop our YouTube channel FOBBERG Reviews. In addition to the unboxing and product review section, we have recently introduced new formats. One of them is the “Life Hacks” section, where we share practical tips and techniques for working with refractory materials. Another is the DIY format, where we demonstrate how certain types of refractory materials can be made by hand under simple conditions, without relying on complex specialized equipment.

As for the overall changes, they have been part of our planned expansion. Today, our YouTube channel is just one component of the broader FOBBERG MEDIA project. This also includes our growing presence on LinkedIn, as well as the launch of our interactive website Fobberg.com, which brings together news, analytics, and communication services for industry professionals.

Refwin:

If you were to briefly describe FOBBERG MEDIA as it stands today, what are the core services and features you are already offering to the industry?

Andrew Fobberg:

At this stage, FOBBERG MEDIA is growing organically across several channels. On YouTube, we continue to expand our reach and focus on delivering high-quality content that resonates with industry professionals. We have also launched our official LinkedIn page, where we announce project updates and share selected industry news.

Most importantly, we have introduced our interactive website Fobberg.com. It already serves as a central platform for publishing news about the refractory sector as well as related industries. At the same time, we are in the process of integrating a number of dedicated sections and services that will further enhance the site’s value for our audience. We have ambitious plans for Fobberg.com, and it will become the core digital hub of our media ecosystem.

Refwin:

Many companies and professionals are constantly searching for reliable sources of information. In your view, what value does FOBBERG MEDIA bring to different groups in the industry — from producers and procurement teams to engineers, researchers, and investors?

Andrew Fobberg:

Our main objective is to build a service that offers a wide range of solutions for everyone interested in the refractory industry. Today, we already provide open access to industry news, price quotations across several markets, and analytical reports. This combination allows producers to track market dynamics and new technologies, procurement teams to stay informed about pricing and supply signals, engineers to access practical insights, and researchers or investors to see the bigger picture of industry trends. In short, FOBBERG MEDIA is designed to serve as a reliable entry point where every stakeholder can find the information that matters most to their work.

At the same time, we are still only at the beginning of our journey. Many of our ideas are just approaching the stage of implementation, and the functionality and capabilities of our service will continue to grow and improve actively in the near future.

Refwin:

FOBBERG MEDIA positions itself as a global platform. What steps are you taking to reach different regions and languages, and how important is this international dimension for your project?

Andrew Fobberg:

We are building FOBBERG MEDIA as a service with a truly global reach. Of course, some of our offerings will be more focused on specific regional markets, but our overall goal is to create a platform that is relevant and valuable to anyone interested in refractory materials, regardless of location.

Our projects operate in English, which we have chosen as the foundation language for the platform. With the rapid development of modern translation tools and digital services, users today can easily access content in the language that is most convenient for them. For this reason, we decided not to split our resources into maintaining full-scale multilingual editions, but instead to focus on producing consistent, high-quality content in English. This way, local readers can still engage with our work seamlessly while we ensure accuracy, timeliness, and global comparability.

This international perspective is essential to us, because the refractory industry itself is global — supply chains, technologies, and innovations are interconnected across continents.

Andrew Fobberg:

As I mentioned earlier, we are already present on YouTube, LinkedIn, and through our website Fobberg.com. All of these directions are actively developing, but today I would like to highlight the website in particular. At the moment, it mainly features industry news, some market quotations, and analytical reports.

However, our task goes much further. We want to transform the site into a single, integrated platform for everyone who is interested in or connected to the world of refractory materials. A place where users can not only find the latest news and market prices, but also access engineering services, identify potential suppliers, and even conclude commercial deals directly.

In the near future, we will be working to bring all of these opportunities to life, step by step turning Fobberg.com into the central hub of FOBBERG MEDIA’s ecosystem.

Refwin:

FOBBERG MEDIA is still a young project, but you already mentioned ambitious plans. What new services and products are you preparing to launch in 2025–2026?

Andrew Fobberg:

Our main focus will remain on two key directions: the production of high-quality video content and the continued development of our platform Fobberg.com.

The mission of the platform is to bring producers and suppliers of refractory materials closer to the end users in a way that makes communication easier, reduces the risks of working with new partners, and creates greater market transparency. For consumers, this means better awareness of current trends and a broader choice of potential suppliers. For suppliers, it means more opportunities to expand their networks and reach new customers. And for decision-makers, it provides access to clear, independent market information that supports more confident and informed decisions.

Importantly, FOBBERG MEDIA is not designed to act as a trading intermediary. Instead, we are building a platform that increases transparency and acts as a bridge — helping both sides establish direct connections and long-term partnerships.

Refwin:

FOBBERG MEDIA is entering a field where traditional industry publications already exist. In your opinion, what makes your platform different from conventional trade magazines and news outlets?

Andrew Fobberg:

Traditional trade journals and media serve a different purpose, and in many ways there is little direct comparison. For example, our YouTube direction has no real equivalent in conventional industry publications. It offers a completely new format — visual, practical, and highly accessible for a broad audience.

When it comes to Fobberg.com, our main focus is on technological solutions that connect consumers with suppliers of refractories. Yes, there will be news and informational support, but not in the same in-depth format that specialized industry journals usually provide. Instead, our emphasis will be on creating digital tools that help establish reliable direct relationships across the industry — with full transparency around trading risks, logistics, costs, and current prices.

In essence, we want to give the market entirely new opportunities: providing consumers with access to a much wider pool of potential suppliers than ever before, while enabling suppliers to reach a far larger and more diverse customer base.

Refwin:

You personally host the FOBBERG Reviews YouTube channel. How does this experience of creating hands-on content influence the development of FOBBERG MEDIA as a whole?

Andrew Fobberg:

I see myself, among other things, as an educator within the refractory industry, and the YouTube channel helps me take steps in that direction. FOBBERG Reviews is not limited to unboxings and product demonstrations — it also includes educational content that explains what refractories are, why they are needed, and why this sector is so important for the global industrial landscape.

Through YouTube, we can introduce a wide audience to different refractory products in a visual and practical way, while also receiving valuable feedback from potential users. This feedback shows us what the market is interested in, what challenges professionals face, and what kinds of solutions are most relevant.

This two-way exchange is important not only for shaping the content on YouTube itself, but also for guiding the development of Fobberg.com. In this way, the channel supports our broader mission with FOBBERG MEDIA — to inform, to connect, and to help the industry evolve with greater transparency and accessibility.

Refwin:

In many industries, transparency and trust are becoming more important than ever. How can FOBBERG MEDIA help improve trust, reduce risks, and create clearer communication in the refractory market?

Andrew Fobberg:

Transparency and communication are among our core priorities. FOBBERG MEDIA is designed as a service that increases openness and reduces barriers between all market participants. One of our key goals is to create an environment where information can be exchanged more freely, helping to build confidence and reduce uncertainty when working with new partners.

Through the technological solutions we are implementing on Fobberg.com, users will be able to access a wide range of data through a single request, with results tailored to their specific needs. This approach will not only provide clarity but also make communication between producers, suppliers, and consumers more efficient and reliable.

Refwin:

Finally, what message would you like to send to REFWIN readers and to the broader refractory community about FOBBERG MEDIA and its mission?

Andrew Fobberg:

My message is simple: FOBBERG MEDIA is here to serve the industry by making information more accessible, communication more direct, and decisions more informed. We are still at the beginning of our journey, but our vision is clear — to create a platform that adds real value for producers, suppliers, consumers, and decision-makers alike.

We are building tools that will make it easier to understand the market, to evaluate risks, and to connect with reliable partners. Our aim is not to replace existing industry media or to act as a trading intermediary, but to complement the ecosystem with new technological solutions that increase transparency and open new opportunities.

To all professionals in the refractory industry, I want to say: join us and follow us — in the nearest future we intend to provide you with entirely new and accessible opportunities to bring your products to global markets.