Interview with Dr. Rainer Gaebel, President of the World Refractories Association (WRA)

2025-11-26

Refwin: As President of the World Refractories Association (WRA), how would you define the association’s core mission in advancing the global refractory industry?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: The WRA’s mission is to serve as the global voice of the refractory industry and to provide a unified platform for collaboration. We act as a forum for refractory producers on matters of common concern and liaise with regional and national associations to achieve efficient and effective cooperation. The WRA advocates internationally to raise awareness of the industry’s critical role in modern life, while embedding sustainability as a fundamental principle of the association’s work. By delivering data-driven insights, we enable informed decision-making across the sector. At the same time, we take a leadership role in harmonizing standards and fostering innovation, ensuring that the industry remains competitive and future-ready.

Refwin: What are the most pressing challenges facing the refractory sector today, and how is WRA addressing them?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: The refractory industry faces a range of serious challenges. The consequences of a weak global economy and overcapacity—both in our customers’ industries and within our own—are issues that WRA can hardly influence. However, many topics require coordinated action. Environmental and regulatory pressures are intensifying, making sustainability and compliance essential priorities. Additionally, the sector’s high energy intensity calls for innovative solutions to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.

A shortage of skilled professionals adds another layer of complexity. This can only be addressed by raising awareness of our industry’s largely unknown but vital role and by creating a positive image of our branch. WRA’s activities complement those of regional associations in this regard. Finally, employee safety remains a non-negotiable focus across all WRA programs.

Refwin: Could you share examples of WRA’s cross-border collaborations that have driven innovation or standardization?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: International cooperation is at the heart of WRA’s work. We collaborate with global organizations to align testing protocols—such as those for abrasion resistance, cold crushing strength, and hot modulus of rupture—along with product classifications and performance benchmarks, creating consistency across markets. The results of this meticulous work have already been published in international journals and presented at conferences such as UNITECR and ICR. Our most recent achievement is the definition of a standard for calculating the product carbon footprint (PCF). Our initiatives also promote the use of recycled materials in refractory production, supporting worldwide sustainability goals and encouraging adoption across the industry. Furthermore, we facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices among leading companies, ensuring that innovation and progress are shared internationally.

Refwin: What strategies does WRA employ to ensure active participation and value delivery to its diverse membership base?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: We maintain a membership structure that represents global companies as well as regional associations. Regular opportunities for interaction—such as collaboration in working groups and scheduled meetings—ensure that members stay connected and informed. Hybrid meetings have proven particularly effective in advancing our projects. Tailored communication channels provide relevant updates, while our advocacy efforts amplify the industry’s voice in global forums.

WRA’s approach is built on inclusivity and engagement. Whether members choose to participate actively or passively, we provide an ideal platform for sharing resources and expertise. All members benefit from our activities and have access to results and data. Non-members also gain advantages, as our findings are typically published and the use of standards is, of course, not limited to members. 

Refwin: What game-changing initiatives can we expect under your leadership?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: My biggest challenge is to maintain the excellent work of WRA’s committees and working groups. The association’s activities rest on three strong and highly productive pillars: Health, Technology, and Communication. Under my leadership, and with the support of my colleagues on the board, WRA will build on these foundations while broadening its portfolio with a stronger focus on eco-friendly technologies and by deepening collaboration—both among members and with other associations.

A key priority in these challenging times is to identify issues critical to the industry and promote research and actions to address them. Equally important is keeping our experts and supporters within member organizations motivated to contribute. Many of them go the “extra mile” to help build a resilient, responsible industry that can thrive in a rapidly changing global environment.

WRA Board Meeting and General Assembly held on 29 October 2025

Refwin: How does WRA’s current portfolio—from health and safety to technology and communication —align with the evolving needs of a decarbonizing and digitally transforming industry?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: Our activities are designed to support the industry’s transformation. Harmonizing standards and setting new benchmarks ensures consistency in an environment where technologies and processes evolve rapidly. For example, our Technical Committee has developed a method and standard for calculating the product carbon footprint (PCF). This new standard is already widely accepted and helps our members, suppliers, and customers quantify the impact of circularity as well as efforts to increase energy and emission savings. The implementation of such an industry standard is a major step forward in decarbonization. At the same time, we are proactively working on an industry-specific digital standard for data exchange to ensure readiness for the digital transformation.

A dynamic transformation is also taking place in our communications. A new series of explanatory and industry-promotional video clips will soon be released through our digital media channels.

WRA members with Kathrin Weber (center, holding certificate), Product Carbon Footprint Taskforce member, who presented the standardised methodology for calculating the PCF of refractory products during the UNITECR 2025 Conference in Cancun

Refwin: How does WRA cooperate with other industry associations to influence the development of the refractory industry?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: We work closely with associations that are members of WRA to address shared challenges and leverage synergies. This collaborative approach enables us to tackle issues such as sustainability, regulatory compliance, and workforce development more effectively. At the same time, we remain open to cooperation with our customers’ associations.

Refwin: What role does WRA play in bridging the skills gap and fostering talent development?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: Talent development is a key priority for our industry. We see a clear shift toward fostering talent through various channels. It has become a central topic at conferences, and special events have been created—an initiative I take some humble pride in having helped to launch.

WRA will do whatever it can to support the industry. As mentioned earlier, our Communications Committee is fully focused on raising awareness of the importance of refractories in modern life and on creating a positive public image of our multifaceted industry. We also provide access to industry statistics and research findings that support educational programs and workforce planning.

For the great professionals and talents already in our industry, our events create valuable opportunities to network, exchange knowledge, and learn from experienced leaders in the field.

Refwin: What should Refwin’s readers understand about WRA’s unique contribution to the global refractory ecosystem?

Dr. Rainer Gaebel: The WRA is the only refractory association that brings industry leaders together on a global scale to advance sustainability, safety, and common standards. Beyond technical progress, we aim to raise awareness of the indispensable role refractory materials play in virtually every aspect of modern life.

By bridging gaps that regional associations and individual companies cannot easily close, WRA strengthens the global refractory ecosystem and serves as a unique point of contact for international associations in our customers’ industries. WRA also helps create a global business environment that attracts the next generation of talent needed to drive this fascinating industry forward.