Welcome to our website. UNITECR 2009 will be the 11th Biennial Worldwide Conference on Refractories. It will be the third time that UNITECR is hosted by ALAFAR, the Latin American Refractories Association, and the second time it is held in Brazil. Following the very successful UNITECR 2007 conference in Dresden, preparations are well underway for UNITECR 2009.  The conference will be held in the beautiful city of Salvador from October 13th to the 16th, 2009. You will enjoy breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean while taking advantage of a valuable technical program and important interaction opportunities.

“Refractories in a shifting globalized world” was chosen as the theme for UNITECR 2009, highlighting a true challenge for the worldwide refractory industry. The global economy is undergoing a remarkable structural transformation.  The breaking down of global barriers allows companies to benefit from abundant low cost workforces, a wide range of less expensive raw materials, and competitive technology. The availability of high-speed, low-cost communications, coupled with the rise in high-level skills in developing countries is deeply affecting the business geography.  Theoretically, anything that does not demand physical contact with a customer can be outsourced to anywhere in the world. Opportunities and threats are certainly associated with this reality.

Our website was created with the spirit of keeping you in touch with the latest news and information about our conference. Our goal is to keep you updated as constantly as possible with useful information on the conference technical program, companion’s social program, schedule of events and much more. There are also a number of services that you will be able to use through our website such as online congress registration, and reservations in hotels already selected for your convenience and comfort. Salvador is a city full of life, and our website will also bring you updated information on tourism, weather, shopping, and other useful travel tips. Welcome to Salvador and to the UNITECR 2009 official website. 


Warm regards,
Luis Bittencourt
UNITECR/09 President