Which industry is the largest consumer of refractories worldwide when measured by tonnage installed and replaced?

Introduction / Context:
Refractories are used wherever processes run at high temperature. However, consumption patterns are dominated by sectors with large, hot-surface areas and frequent relining cycles. Identifying the biggest consumer helps contextualize material development and supply chains.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Refractory consumption is judged by tonnage installed and replaced.
• Iron and steel plants operate multiple large furnaces continuously.
• Turnover frequency and unit size matter.

Concept / Approach:
The metallurgical sector—particularly iron and steel—runs blast furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces, electric arc furnaces, ladles, tundishes, and reheating furnaces. These demand vast amounts of shaped and monolithic refractories and experience steady wear from heat, slag, abrasion, and thermal cycling. Hence, this sector leads global consumption by a wide margin.

Step-by-Step Solution:
List high-temperature industries and their unit sizes.Compare continuous operation intensity and relining frequency.Select iron and steel metallurgy as the largest user.

Verification / Alternative check:
Industry reports consistently rank the steel industry as the predominant refractory consumer by tonnage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Cement/Power/Fertiliser/Glass: significant users but smaller total tonnage than steel sector.

Common Pitfalls:
Mixing up value with volume; some sectors buy premium materials but in lower tonnage.

Final Answer:
Metallurgical (iron and steel) industry