Export orders for refractory textiles held through the pandemic years
Three years of order data showed no collapse in demand for ceramic, glass or soluble fiber textiles, and new Japanese enquiries asked for coated and sintered variants.
When the pandemic began we expected demand for ceramic, glass and biosoluble fiber textiles to fall, and prepared for it. Three years of order data told a different story: volumes across yarn, cloth, tape, braided rope and twisted rope held, and in some grades grew.
Japanese buyers of biosoluble textiles asked for new variants, including sintered tape and vermiculite coated tape. Two of those customers also buy glass fiber cloth and braided rope, and one buys ceramic textiles including twisted rope without reinforcing wire. Customers in Spain and Italy continued to buy biosoluble and ceramic textiles, Italy at the larger volume, with Spanish demand concentrated on the biosoluble range. Other overseas customers continued to buy through their agents in China.