Vesuvius is a world leader in the design, engineering, manufacture and delivery of refractory products, systems and services for high-technology industrial applications: Refractories and systems used to control, regulate and protect the flow of steel in the continuous casting process: Alumina graphite isostatically-pressed tubes, nozzles and stoppers, Slide-gate and tube-changer systems and plates, Gas-purging plugs and temperature control devices. Ceramics and chemicals for the foundry industry, such as crucibles,such as filters, feeding systems, coatings, binders, crucibles, stoppers and refractory linings. Fused-silica refractories for flat glass manufacture and the melting of polycristalline silicon. Refractory linings for high-temperature, heavy-duty industrial applications. With the integration of Foseco in April 2008, Vesuvius is now present in 30 countries on 5 continents, with 80 manufacturing units, 7 R&D centres and numerous sales agencies, together employing over 12,000 people.