The Gustav Eirich Award was presented for the 16th time. The award for outstanding dissertations and scientific work in the field of refractories was presented at the International Colloquium on Refractories (ICR) in Aachen, Europe's largest refractories event.
An international jury of experts from Germany, France, Austria, Poland, Spain, and the USA evaluated the submitted works. The prize money totaling €12,000 was awarded to three particularly innovative scientific contributions.
The 2025 award winners
1st place: Dr. Murilo Henrique Moreira, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brazil
“Advances on Refractory Castables Drying Process Coupling Experimentation and Computational Modeling”
2nd place: Dr. Alena Stein, University of Koblenz, Germany
“Development of a chemical refining process for the beneficiation of different natural bauxites using computerized statistical design of experiments”
3rd place: Dr. Florian Kerber, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany
“Enhanced process efficiency through non-metallic inclusion control in steel melts using various grades of MgO-C refractories”
Dr. Andreas Seiler, Head of Research & Development at Eirich, presented the awards: “The Gustav Eirich Award stands for the transfer of scientific knowledge into industrial practice. The award-winning works cover a wide range of topics, from process modeling and the efficient use of raw materials to the optimization of applications in the steel industry. They impressively demonstrate how young researchers can provide impetus for innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness in the refractory industry.”
The Gustav Eirich Award is presented jointly by Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich and the ECREF European Centre for Refractories. The aim of the award is to promote young academics, highlight forward-looking ideas, and strengthen the link between research and industrial application.
About Eirich
The Eirich Group is a family-run group of companies specializing in mechanical engineering for process engineering tasks, headquartered in Hardheim in southern Germany. As a leading global manufacturer of machines and plants for the processing of raw materials, Eirich has been pioneering advanced technologies for mixing, granulating, dispersing, kneading, reacting, tempering, and fine grinding since 1863. Under the EIRICH digital label, the group offers numerous services covering the entire life cycle of plants, from online spare parts ordering to AI-based assistance systems.
With annual sales of €180 million and over 400 patents, Eirich is one of the innovation leaders in mixing and processing technology. The fifth-generation company is managed by Stephan Eirich and Ralf Rohmann and has around 1,200 employees at 13 locations in eleven countries.
More at www.eirich.de
