About the Englau Group
With over 20 years of expertise in the abrasives industry, Englau Group designs, manufactures, and exports a comprehensive range of high-performance abrasive solutions to industrial customers worldwide. Our core product range includes ceramic extra-thin cutting discs, standard cutting discs, grinding wheels, flap discs, fibre discs, non-woven abrasives, and coated sanding belts — each engineered to deliver consistent performance, extended tool life, and measurable productivity gains across the most demanding industrial applications.
At the forefront of our product innovation is our ceramic flap disc range — a product category where Englau Group has invested heavily in ceramic grain technology, bond formulation, and disc construction to deliver finishing performance that sets a new benchmark for industrial surface treatment operations.
All Englau Group products are manufactured in strict accordance with the German EN 12413 standard — a globally recognized benchmark for abrasive tool safety and performance. Our application engineering team works directly with industrial customers to optimize grain formulations, define precise product specifications, and provide technical support that maximizes operational efficiency and extends tool service life.
Understanding Coated Abrasives
Abrasive Grain Types and Englau Group Product Recommendations
Emery (02)
Emery is a dark gray, round-shaped grain that tends to polish rather than abrade a work surface.
• for polishing and cleaning metal only
Garnet is a reddish-brown natural abrasive mineral of medium hardness. While relatively sharp in its initial cutting action, garnet is significantly less durable than synthetic abrasive grains and is therefore best suited to light-duty woodworking applications. It performs particularly well on softwoods such as pine, where its natural sharpness produces a clean, smooth surface finish. Garnet is not recommended for metalworking or high-pressure industrial grinding applications.
Silicon carbide is the hardest and sharpest of the manufactured abrasive grains, characterized by its distinctive bluish-black color. Its extreme sharpness enables fast stock removal with a cool cutting action, minimizing heat generation at the workpiece interface. Englau Group’s silicon carbide-coated abrasives are recommended for cast iron, non-ferrous metals (including brass, aluminum, and bronze), non-metallic substrates (such as glass, rubber, plastic, and stone), final finishing of wood and stainless steel surfaces, and abrasive planing of particleboard and composite panels.
Light brown aluminum oxide is a tough yet sharp synthetic abrasive grain that combines cool cutting action with extended service life. Its controlled breakdown under pressure continuously exposes fresh cutting edges, maintaining consistent cutting efficiency throughout the tool’s life. Englau Group recommends light-brown aluminum oxide-coated abrasives for production, wood sanding, and non-ferrous metal finishing applications where a balance between cutting speed and surface quality is required.
Brown aluminum oxide is a tough, durable synthetic abrasive grain renowned for its wear resistance and longevity. Its high penetrating strength remains effective even at elevated operating speeds, making it a reliable choice for high-throughput industrial applications. Englau Group’s brown aluminum oxide coated abrasives are recommended for grinding and finishing ferrous metals, aluminum components, and hardwood surfaces where sustained cutting performance and tool durability are the primary requirements.
Heat-treated aluminum oxide is produced by subjecting standard aluminum oxide grains to a controlled heat treatment process that enhances both toughness and cutting efficiency. The result is an abrasive that delivers a cool, free-cutting action combined with extended service life across a broad range of materials. Englau Group recommends heat-treated aluminum oxide-coated abrasives for ferrous metal grinding and finishing, as well as for wood sanding applications where consistent performance across varying material conditions is required.
Zirconia alumina is an ultra-tough synthetic abrasive grain that outperforms standard aluminum oxide in both toughness and sharpness. Its microcrystalline structure enables controlled breakdown and continuous self-sharpening under load, delivering a free, cool cutting action that sustains high stock removal rates throughout the tool’s service life. Englau Group’s zirconia alumina-coated abrasives are the recommended solution for heavy-duty snagging and grinding of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, abrasive planing of wood, plywood, and particleboard, and grinding of fiberglass, rubber, and plastic substrates.
Ceramic alumina represents the highest performance tier in the Englau Group’s abrasive grain portfolio. Manufactured through an advanced sol-gel sintering process, ceramic alumina grains feature a sub-micron microcrystalline structure that continuously exposes sharp cutting points as the grain wears — a self-sharpening mechanism that delivers a consistently cool cutting action, significantly extended tool life, and superior surface finish quality compared to all other grain types. Englau Group’s ceramic alumina-coated abrasives, including our flagship ceramic flap discs and ceramic sanding belts, are the recommended solution for high-performance grinding and finishing of all ferrous and non-ferrous metals, carbon steel, stainless steel, and exotic alloys, including titanium and nickel-based superalloys. For industrial users seeking maximum productivity and lowest total cost of operation, ceramic alumina is the definitive abrasive grain choice.
Backing Types and Selection Guidance
The backing material forms the structural foundation of every coated abrasive product, working in conjunction with the adhesive bond system to support and retain the abrasive grain under operating loads. Backing selection directly influences the product’s flexibility, tensile strength, conformability, and suitability for wet or dry operation. Englau Group’s coated abrasive range utilizes the following primary backing types, each selected to optimize performance for specific industrial applications:
Paper backing is the most economical backing option and is suitable for a wide range of operations from hand sanding to light mechanical sanding. It's fine, consistent surface structure produces uniform finish quality across the full grit range. Paper backings are graded by weight from A-weight (lightest, most flexible) to F-weight (heaviest, least flexible). Lighter grades (A-D) are used for hand sanding and light mechanical operations in sheet, disc, and roll formats. Heavier grades (E and F) are specified for more aggressive mechanical sanding operations in belt and disc configurations.
Cloth backing offers superior tensile strength and durability compared to paper, making it the standard backing choice for demanding industrial applications, including belt grinding, flap disc construction, and high-pressure surface finishing. Cloth backings are classified by weight and treated with resins or adhesives to achieve the required flexibility and strength. J-weight cloth is the lightest and most flexible, suited to contouring and finishing applications. X-weight cloth covers the broadest range of industrial applications, offering a balance of flexibility, strength, and durability. Y-weight is a heavyweight cloth specified for heavy-duty, high-strength removal operations. Englau Group’s flap discs feature high-strength polyester and polyester-cotton blend backings to ensure maximum performance and reliability in angle-grinding applications.
Vulcanized fiber backing is produced by chemically treating cotton fiber layers and consolidating them under heat and pressure to form an exceptionally rigid, impact-resistant substrate. This construction provides vulcanized fiber discs with the structural integrity to withstand the high grinding forces of angle-grinding operations. Vulcanized fiber is used exclusively as the backing for resin fiber discs, which are among the most widely used tools for aggressive stock removal, rust and scale removal, and weld dressing on ferrous metals.
Bond Types and Their Industrial Significance
The bond system secures the abrasive grain to the backing and is applied in two distinct stages. The make coat is the first layer applied directly to the backing, providing the adhesive foundation that anchors the abrasive grain in the correct orientation. The size coat is applied over the grain to lock the grain in place and impart the required physical strength, heat resistance, and moisture resistance to the finished product.
The three primary bonding agents used in coated abrasive manufacture are glue, urea resin, and phenolic resin, applied in various make-coat and size-coat combinations. A glue-over-glue bond system produces the most flexible product, suited to hand sanding and fine finishing operations. A resin-over-resin bond system delivers superior grain retention, moisture resistance, heat resistance, and hardness, making it the standard specification for high-performance industrial coated abrasives. Englau Group specifies resin-over-resin bond systems across our premium ceramic and zirconia-alumina-coated abrasive range to maximize grain retention and ensure consistent cutting performance under sustained industrial operating conditions.
Coating Density Types and Application Guidance
Coating density — the proportion of the backing surface covered by abrasive grain — is a critical specification parameter that determines the tool’s resistance to loading and its suitability for different workpiece materials. Englau Group’s coated abrasive range is available in both open-coat and closed-coat constructions, selected according to application requirements.
Open-coat construction covers 50 to 75 percent of the backing surface with abrasive grain, leaving deliberate voids between grains. These voids provide channels through which removed material — wood dust, metal swarf, or coating particles — can escape, significantly reducing the risk of grain loading. Open-coat abrasives are recommended for softer, more ductile materials such as wood, plastics, non-ferrous metals, and painted or coated surfaces, where loading would otherwise limit tool performance and surface finish quality.
Closed-coat construction covers the entire backing surface with abrasive grain, maximizing the number of active cutting points per unit area. This construction delivers the highest material removal rates and longest product life of any coating density, making it the standard specification for metalworking applications. Englau Group’s ceramic and zirconia alumina flap discs, fiber discs, and sanding belts are manufactured with closed-coat construction to ensure maximum cutting efficiency and tool life in demanding industrial grinding, weld dressing, and surface finishing operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between coated, non-woven, and bonded abrasives?
Coated abrasives have grains bonded to a flexible backing, such as paper or cloth. Non-woven abrasives embed grit within a three-dimensional nylon fiber structure for added flexibility and conformability. Bonded abrasives are solid tools, such as grinding wheels and cut-off discs, with grains consolidated into a rigid substrate.
What materials can Englau Group abrasives be used on?
Our full range of abrasive solutions is formulated for use on steel, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, titanium alloys, plastics, composites, coatings, and painted surfaces.
What grit sizes are available?
Our coated and non-woven abrasive products are available in a wide range of grades and grit sizes to meet specific application requirements. Typical grit sizes offered include P36 to P1200 for coated abrasives and medium to ultra-fine grades for non-woven materials, covering most common needs from heavy stock removal to fine finishing. For specialized applications or the full range of available sizes, please contact us for our complete product specification sheet.
Are your products certified to international standards?
Yes. All Englau Group abrasive products are manufactured in strict accordance with the German EN 12413 standard, one of the most stringent quality certifications in the global abrasives industry. This standard governs safety and performance requirements for bonded abrasive tools, guaranteeing structural strength, operational safety, and uniform quality across our product range.
Can I request product samples or technical datasheets?
Yes. We welcome sample requests and can provide detailed technical datasheets for all product categories. Please contact our team directly with your product requirements, and we will respond within 3–5 business days.
Does Englau Group offer application-specific or custom formulations?
Yes. With over 20 years of experience, we develop market-specific, application-optimized formulations tailored to customers’ unique usage conditions and performance requirements.
Do you accept OEM orders and private label manufacturing?
Yes. Englau Group supports full OEM manufacturing and can produce our complete range of abrasive products under your brand, with custom labeling, packaging design, and product specifications customized to your market requirements. The minimum order quantity is 1,000 pieces per item.
For technical inquiries, product specifications, sample requests, or OEM discussions, please contact Englau Group directly:
Mr. Eric Lau
President, Englau Group Co., Limited
Room 1205, 12/F, 130-132 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong
Phone: +86 137 7034 5768
Email: eric.twintrade@gmail.com
