The versatility of ceramic materials spans a wide field: from clay bricks, tiles, and tableware to advanced technical ceramics for electronics and medical applications. Even parts for rocket engines are made from them.
We distinguish between traditional ceramics and technical ceramics. Both areas place different demands on raw materials and production, yet both are innovative and relevant—especially in light of new technologies and challenges such as energy efficiency. This is precisely where raw-materials specialists like COFERMIN come in, because without the right starting materials, neither innovation nor consistent quality is achievable.
While traditional ceramics show up frequently in everyday life, technical ceramics are found in more specialized uses—for example as heat-resistant burner nozzles, cutting tools, bearings, filters in diesel engines, or components in smartphones. In medicine, ceramics are used as femoral heads for hip joints or as dental crowns because of their hardness and biocompatibility. But the material’s versatility also has a downside.
Ceramic production is energy-intensive, as firing typically requires high temperatures (often 1200–1500 °C). Rising energy costs and demands for CO₂ reduction hit the industry hard. Cost pressure is especially high for mass products such as bricks and tiles.
The industry is responding in several ways. On the one hand, it is working on more energy-efficient firing technologies, such as microwaves, plasma-assisted sintering, or electric kilns powered by renewable electricity to reduce gas consumption. On the other hand, so-called “advanced ceramics” are gaining market share. These include high-performance ceramics such as silicon nitride, SiAlON, or zirconia (ZrO₂), which can substitute for or complement metal parts thanks to their properties. These materials are characterized by extreme temperature resistance, chemical stability, and hardness. Sustainability is also driving the development of “greener” ceramics.
Current research areas include recycling production scrap, using alternative fuels, and developing ceramics that can be sintered at lower temperatures.
In traditional ceramics, clay minerals dominate—such as kaolin, ball clays, and other clay bodies—blended with quartz (silica) and feldspar. Kaolin and clay provide plasticity and form the ceramic matrix during firing; quartz improves strength; feldspar acts as a flux that facilitates sintering around ~1200 °C. In fact, traditional ceramic formulations consist of these “three components”—clay, quartz, feldspar—though in varying ratios. The purity of these raw materials strongly influences the color and properties of the final product.
In technical ceramics, highly pure, often synthetically produced powders are used: aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃, alumina) for corundum ceramics; silicon nitride powders for cutting ceramics; zirconia (ZrO₂) for medical implants; and magnesium oxide (MgO, magnesia) for oxide high-performance ceramics used in electrical insulation. Such powders have controlled particle-size distributions and purities, since mineral impurities would degrade high-performance properties.
COFERMIN supplies high-quality raw materials for both traditional and technical ceramics—from high-whiteness kaolin and feldspar of various origins to alumina (calcined or fused) as well as ultra-pure oxides and carbides for tightly specified applications. With our international supply network and expertise, we support you with the right solutions for your applications.
The choice of raw materials determines the entire process—from the plasticity of the unfired body and sintering behavior to the density, strength, and color of the finished ceramic. In times of rising energy prices, every reduction in firing temperature matters; high-quality flux raw materials (e.g., potash feldspars, wollastonite, calcite, nepheline syenite, as well as spodumene or petalite) can help lower the sintering point and save firing energy. Here, too, our broad portfolio can contribute to decarbonizing your production.
From building and sanitary ceramics to high-tech ceramics: the efficiency and success of a product begin with the raw materials. The ceramics industry faces long-standing challenges (high energy demand, natural variability in raw-material deposits), yet with innovative approaches and high-quality raw materials it bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.
New ceramic materials will play an even greater role in key industries in the future, while demand for tiles, sanitaryware, and porcelain will remain strong.
We support manufacturers in both worlds with application-driven consulting, reliable logistics, and a global raw-materials portfolio—from pure kaolin for fine porcelain to ultra-pure alumina for technical ceramics. Because we take your raw-material supply personally.
Jan Freynik
Sales & Marketing Manager
I have been working at COFERMIN since October 2017. I am originally from Essen and completed my Master of Science in Sales Engineering and Product Management at the Ruhr University Bochum. With over ten years of experience in international sourcing, marketing, and sales of industrial raw materials, I feel at home in the Ruhr area, both professionally and privately.