About /

The UK’s largest shaped refractory manufacturer.

Current Activities

DSF Refractories and Minerals Ltd is an independent refractory manufacturer and processor of refractory minerals, based in the Peak District of Derbyshire, in the centre of England. The company is a leading producer of high alumina refractory bricks and blocks in standard sizes and special shapes and has a complete range of products based on mullite, andalusite, chamotte, bauxite, spinel and pure alumina. Shapes are produced by both pressing and casting techniques and products are high temperature fired to give optimum properties in service.

DSF is the largest shaped refractory manufacturer in the UK, and is recognised as one of the world's leading suppliers of bonded refractories for the glass industry. We supply to other heat containment industries, including iron and steel, cement and other rotary kilns, carbon black producers and petrochemical companies as well as non-ferrous metals, incinerators, brick and ceramic kilns.

We process and supply refractory raw materials in a wide variety of grain sizes our customers include other refractory manufacturers and anti-skid road surfacing. Materials processed include Chinese and Guyanan bauxite, chamotte, andalusite and flint clays. We also supply calcined alumina, microsilica and fused minerals.

Corporate Structure & History

DSF is an independent private limited company based in Derbyshire in the United Kingdom. The ownership rests with the local directors and management.

The company was established over 120 years ago as the Derbyshire Silica Firebrick Company, mining local mineral deposits to manufacture refractories for use in the production of town gas. Through the second half of the 20th century, the business diversified into supplying other industries including steel, glass and cement.

DSF was previously part of West Group International, then British Hartford-Fairmont Ltd but became independent in the 1990’s following a management buy-out when the company was renamed DSF Refractories & Minerals Ltd to reflect the growing importance of processed minerals to the business.

There was a second management buy-out in 2003 with a focus on continued developments and increases in production capacity based on our successes in special refractories and high quality processed minerals. For the first time in the company's history the local management had a controlling interest in the company.

Since the buy out there has been major investment to significantly increase the capacity of our factory with improved firing facilities and cutting and grinding equipment, new products have strengthened our position as a major supplier to the glass industry whilst also maintaining our position as niche supplier into many heat containment applications and developing new markets in carbon black and petrochemicals.

General Information

Our UK plant capacity is currently about 50,000 tonnes per year, with an annual turnover of about £22 million. DSF employs around 150 skilled and experienced people in our Derbyshire factory and consider our employees to be one of the major attributes of the company. DSF employ a quality management system which complies with ISO 9001, and we have been accredited by the British standards Institution since 1988.

DSF

DSF operate from a single site in the UK. This is our factory at Friden, in the picturesque Peak District National Park

DSF

DSF has a proud history dating back to 1892.
This is a view of the factory from the 1920’s.

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DSF continues to invest at the Friden site.
This is a state of the art kiln installed in 2016.