"Innovotech": robots in metallurgy replacing heavy manual labor

Alexey Spirin on how heavy manual labor is gradually becoming a thing of the past, and why the future of metallurgy is connected to robotic complexes.

- What does the company Innovotech do?

Innovotech is a Russian IT company that develops software and robotic complexes for automating and robotizing the maintenance of thermal units at metallurgical and cement plants as part of lining and welding work.

Simply put, we make sure that heavy and dangerous jobs in metallurgical and cement plants are done by robots instead of people. For context: lining is the internal protection of industrial furnaces and units with refractory materials against high temperatures and harsh chemical environments. Previously, this was done by workers—refractory specialists—who manually carried and installed thousands of heavy bricks in conditions of heat, dust, or severe cold. One brick can weigh about 20 kg (for example, for lining a converter), and in a single shift, workers would have to move hundreds of such elements.

Now robotic complexes perform this work: they scan the surface, calculate the lining scheme based on the degree of deformation of the body, and automatically lay refractory materials, ensuring speed and consistent quality regardless of the condition of the unit’s shell. The same applies to welding and plasma cutting: instead of a person working for hours in a hazardous environment, the task is performed by a robot controlled by our software.

- How did the idea for the company come about, and where did your journey begin?

I first became familiar with lining in 2011 while building a new line at a cement plant in the Novosibirsk region. For many years, as a manager, I observed and supervised this work at various plants, being involved in the supply of refractory materials and site supervision.

The idea to robotize lining came to me in 2017. By that time, I had been working for many years with the largest international producers and suppliers of refractory materials—from Turkey, Austria, Switzerland, China—delivering materials to metallurgical and cement plants and overseeing their installation.

At the end of 2017, I had a delivery for a cement plant in Mordovia. I went to supervise the lining of a furnace: it was supposed to be completed in 15 days, but in reality, it dragged on for a month. It was right before New Year's Eve—I ended up celebrating the holiday in a plant hostel. That’s when I clearly realized for the first time: this heavy job should be done by robots, not people.

In 2019, I registered the company, relying only on my own funds. That year, we signed our first commercial contract and did the basic engineering for lining 380-ton steel ladles for Severstal.

- How did the idea for partnering with KAMA FLOW arise? What does this partnership give you?

Any venture creating an innovative product faces not only the need for funding, but also the need for a reliable partner—someone who can provide expertise and advice based on their experience working with innovative companies. KAMA FLOW combines all this.

- Was there a moment when you realized, "Yes, this is a business, it's going to take off"?

I’ve always been confident that the robotic product we created would be in demand, because I’ve worked with refractory materials for over 10 years and I understand the specifics of this business.

- How did people feel about robotization at the time? Was it easy to explain its value to clients?

The term "robotic arm" is often used in articles and presentations because it’s simpler and more understandable for a wide audience. But in practice, everything depends on the task at hand. Sometimes a three-axis gantry robot will solve a simple material-handling task. In other cases, you need a more complex solution with a scanning system, algorithms, and specialized grips. It all depends on the specific needs and infrastructure of the customer.

- What was more important for you in the beginning—saving man-hours or ensuring consistent quality?

It was partly about saving costs, of course. But quality and uninterrupted production cycles were much more important. Today in Russia there is a demographic gap: experienced workers are retiring, and young people are in no hurry to go to tough industrial jobs. Just imagine a university graduate being offered a lining job: in winter, it’s -30°C, the shop is unheated, there’s noise and dust, and you have to move nearly a thousand 10 kg bricks in a shift. Someone might put up with it for a couple of months but soon realize: “You only live once. Why do I need this?”—and leave for a cashier’s job in a warm store for similar pay.

Meanwhile, the plant has spent money on recruiting, training, safety equipment, and taxes. But the person leaves anyway. As a result, according to forecasts from the world's largest refractory manufacturers, the profession of refractory specialist will disappear within 10–15 years.

The conclusion: metallurgy must increasingly invest in training personnel in robotics.

On the other hand, robots deliver what people can't: constant quality, speed, and consistency. Sometimes people can't be replaced, but where they can, robots are far more efficient.

- How did you form your business model?

It's pretty similar to B2B software. The manufacturer supplies us with a "bare" robot and basic control software. But that's not a finished product yet. To make it a working solution, you need to build a whole complex: equipment, cameras, grips, additional software.

In our case, the robots themselves are only 20–30% of the product. The key value is in the methods, algorithms, and sensors. It’s like welding: you can buy a torch in any store, but you only get consistent quality with the right technology, especially in complex processes with two robotic arms working simultaneously.

Next comes implementation: analyzing the client's processes, refining their infrastructure, adapting the complex for specific conditions. Clients almost never have a ready base for robots. Pre-project surveys are essential. Otherwise, you get what often happens: a system is bought, delivered—and then gathers dust in the corner.

- Did you immediately choose a narrow specialization?

Yes. In this niche, we know all the customers, understand their needs, and can clearly measure the impact of what we implement. We’ve gone through every stage—from design and installation to complex welding methods, geometry calculations, and material application. That foundation allows us to scale specific segments and introduce turnkey solutions.

Boxed solutions are more about integrators. They want to sell quickly and at scale but face a limitation: each project takes too many man-hours. That’s why they dream of solutions that can be implemented in days, not months.

- What benefits do your solutions bring to business?

Our systems fully replace the manual lining process and guarantee quality no worse than a level-six lining expert. At the same time, furnace downtime is reduced and workshop productivity increases. For large metallurgical enterprises, even a 2–3% increase in productivity has a very serious financial impact.

- What are Innovotech's plans for the future?

To expand the line of robotic complexes for both metallurgical and cement plants.