Métaux Précieux SA Métalor

Metalor Group

Formerly called	Metalor Technologies SA
Founded	Le Locle, Switzerland (1852 (1852))
Founder	Martin de Pury & Cie
Headquarters	Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Key people	Dr. Scott Morrison (Chairman), Philippe Royer (CEO)[1]
Website	http://www.metalor.com/

The Metalor Group, previously "Métaux Précieux SA Metalor", founded in 1852, has become one of the major world suppliers of precious metals related products & procedures. It has one of the most advanced R&D department and refinery of precious metals, making a wide array of alloys fitting any specific need of the industry, especially for the watch and jewellery industry, supplying many of the most reputed Swiss Watch Brands, although it has expended its activities far beyond its primary sector.

History

Preliminary Rolling Factory

In 1852 Martin de Pury & Cie founded the "Preliminary Rolling Factory" at Le Locle, Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, which specialized in the melting of gold and the manufacture of watch cases. In 1864 the factory, which then had a staff of five, was acquired by the Bank of Le Locle.

Start of the Refining of Gold

Soon after being taken over by the Société de Banque Suisse (SBS) in 1918, the workshop - which by now had some thirty employees - started refining precious metals and producing bank ingots.

Métaux Précieux SA Metalor

The SBS subsidiary, Métaux Précieux SA Metalor, a name it was to retain for 65 years, was founded in 1936. Developing its production activities first at the Neuchâtel site, and then in other countries throughout the world, Metalor was to remain in the bank's ownership until 1998, when its majority ownership was taken over by a group of private industrial investors and reorganised to become Metalor Group.

Metalor Group

As of April 2001 the designation "Metalor Technologies" has been incorporated in the names of all Metalor Group companies. The Metalor Group is based in Switzerland with subsidiaries in 17 countries over the world. The company has three main business units, each corresponding to a group of specific markets:

Refining

Metalor's Refining business unit is an industrial organisation specialized in the Evaluation and Refining of precious metals of both primary and secondary origin. Core competence and objective of the Refining Division is to offer its customers a professional, custom tailored and impeccable service with state of the art evaluation methods, equipments and attitude.

The Division refines materials containing precious metals, such as mining doré, industrial scraps, dishoarded bars or any other type of substance containing precious metals, as long as recycling is economically worthwhile. ^[2]

Advanced Coatings

The Advanced Coatings business unit has a number of competitive advantages in the market place: best in class gold, silver and PGM products and solutions, consistency in product quality, product reliability, maximum performance in application and lowest applied cost (via speed, yield, delivery advantages). The division is positioning itself as a one-stop-provider of a comprehensive range of services.

The manufacturing sites are located in Switzerland (Marin and Neuchâtel), the United States of America (Attleboro and North Attleboro), France (Oullins), China (Suzhou) and Japan (Numazu and Tsukuba). R&D centres are in Switzerland, USA, Singapore and Japan. All key facilities are ISO 9001 accredited and "best practice" is applied with respect to health & safety and environmental matters (ISO 14001 in Switzerland, UK, China and Japan). The Attleboro silver powder and flake manufacturing site is ISO/TS 16949 certified.

Metalor’s steady investment into an expanding product range advantageously equips the company to respond to changes in markets' specific requirements. Our division comprises five business groups with a multitude of products.^[3]

Electrotechnics

Metalor's business unit transforms precious metals into electrical contacts which improve the safety and durability of electrical equipment (circuit breakers, switches, relays, etc.) for use in such markets as electrical distribution, numerical or analog control, transportation and household appliances.

Metalor's electrical contacts are frequently multilayered and combine the properties of silver with those of other materials to ensure high electrical conductivity and strong resistance to soldering erosion. The high quality and technical performance of the Electrotechnics business unit's electrical contacts have resulted in its becoming one of the approved suppliers to major international groups in the electrical industry.^[4]

R&D

Technology products

The Metalor Technology Products team is dedicated to ensuring that Metalor continues to drive the industry, its capabilities and its standards forward, with a continuous focus on innovation.

The Technology Products Department regroups Metalor's product lines based on new and innovating applications of precious metals. It focuses on products for growth markets starting with research and development up to large scale production. This department currently comprises the activities related to precious metal powders.

Spin Off

Metalor Dental

Metalor Dental had not been integrated into the Metalor Group : it has now, dating January 1, 2009, been merged into Cendres & Métaux, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. (See: )

Neutral Sources & References

• pdf Info Page on Metalor Group
• Info Page on Metalor
• European Chamber of Commerce Taipei

Metalor Group Sources & References

• www.metalor.com Metalor's Official Home Page
• Company history
• Answers.com Metalor U.S.A.

References