2026 Management Meeting for the CB Group's Refractories Division

At the end of January, all managers from the CB Group's Refractories division gathered to kick off 2026, accompanied by members of the CB Group's Executive Management and Senior Management teams, as well as the CEO and Sales Director of Mt Savage.

This strategic meeting, spearheaded by Bertrand Crépin Leblond, General Manager of the Refractories division, marked the collective launch of the new year.

A strategic time to align vision and priorities

The morning proceeded according to a precise sequence of presentations, allowing for a gradual exploration of all the key strategic aspects of the CB Group and the Refractories Division.

Each speech shed light on an essential link in the 2026 trajectory. By articulating vision, performance, and cross-functional responsibilities, this sequence set a clear framework for the coming year and consolidated the collective momentum needed for its implementation.

Afternoon on the field, three workshops focused on performance

The afternoon marked a concrete return to practical matters, with three immersive workshops providing operational illustrations of the strategic directions presented in the morning.

The first workshop focused on synergies with Mt Savage, an American refractory manufacturer that joined the Refractories Division in April 2025. This session enabled the various mixed groups, composed of executives and employees from several departments, to better understand the Pennsylvania-based company's business, its expertise, and the complementarities developed within the Division.

The presence of Mike and Ryan provided an opportunity for direct exchanges with the management of the American entity, thereby strengthening cohesion and mutual understanding between the teams.

The second workshop immersed participants in the recent improvements made at the Nesles production site as part of the WINEI investment project, which has been underway for several years. Teams were able to discover the new workshop 1, fire risk compliance measures, new automated processes in the Cork Compound workshop, and measures to enhance overall site security.

This modernization program, in line with the CB Group's raison d'être, aims to bring about major improvements to industrial infrastructure and make everyday life easier for TRB employees in the long term.

The third workshop was held at theNeufchâtel Prefabricated Parts Workshop, located a few minutes from the Nesles workshop, and focused on a large-scale project that is strategic for TRB and for the future decarbonization of high-temperature industries. Several hundred tons of materials and nearly 6,000 ECOFIB parts are to be manufactured within a demanding schedule. This contract alone represents nearly three times the usual annual production of precast concrete parts.

This industrial challenge is demanding a great deal of effort from the teams due to the volume, requirements, and complexity of the components required, but it rewards the work and commitment of the various departments involved in bringing this project to fruition and illustrates the Refractories sector's ability to take on and respond to innovative challenges, resolutely focused on the industrial and environmental issues of tomorrow.

A collective dynamic focused on 2026 and beyond

The 2026 outlook is fully in line with the Beyond 2030 strategic vision, which structures the long-term trajectory of the Refractories Division.

Beyond annual targets, this ambition is based above all on the strength of the collective. The commitment of our employees, the complementarity of their expertise, and their ability to work together form the foundations of this sustainable transformation, focused on performance and the future.