The history of refractories, which resist and insulate against heat, can be referred to as the history of modern industry in Japan. Above all, it has been directly related to the primary industry of iron and steel production. The formed brick was the main refractory material until around 1950 when monolithic refractory production began in Japan. Monolithic refractories steadily drew greater attention from the industry mainly for their design flexibility, ease of application and maintenance, and low production costs. Due to a Series of technological innovations, monolithic refractories represent 50% of all refractories used today. …