View from the top--RHI AG

摘要

Overall, how is the industry performing? TF: While October 2008 was one of the most successful months in RHI's history, the downturn started in November, marked by a sharp drop in orders in Q109 that lasted until the end of Q209. Compared to our customer industries, sales went back to a much lower extent - they had to deal with decreases of 40-50 percent. Generally, the refractory industry was marked by the dramatic cutbacks in the steel industry. Destocking in the steel industry is normally closed by the end of the first quarter, this time this process continued until the end of the first half of 2009. At the moment we do see a positive trend coming from the steel industry - especially for the fourth quarter.