OUR MISSIONS

Build close relations with our customers

Knowing, understanding and proposing
As Imerys sells solutions rather than products, it strives to understand its customers’ expectations and technologies, but also those of their own customers.
The Group’s diverse minerals portfolio, sound grasp of conversion technologies and technical dialogue between research, marketing and customers, often combined with the development of solutions through research partnerships, enable it to meet the needs of a wide range of applications more effectively.

Imerys’ ability to combine mineral properties means it can usually improve several functions at once:

  • Help our customers make better products at lower cost,
  • Reduce the need for expensive raw materials,
  • Cut scrap and use less energy,
  • Add more value to our customers’ products,
  • Reduce the environmental impact of our activities…


Developing solution portfolios
Imerys’ target markets are many and varied, so its overall trade risk is low. Its ten biggest customers represent less than 20% of its sales.
The Group strives to develop real portfolios of solutions for several of its markets. As its customers’ technological partner, Imerys draws on in-depth knowledge of their manufacturing processes, products and applications to deliver solutions that improve their performance and costs. For a high number of customers, Imerys develops technical solutions on a multi-mineral, multi-expertise basis. This approach stimulates the innovation capability of Imerys’ people: closer to their customers, they identify new expectations that give rise to new ideas for solutions.

Sustained innovation efforts
The Group puts extensive resources into research. 270 scientists work in 7 main centers in Europe (Par Moor, Great Britain; Bodio, Switzerland; Villach, Austria; Limoges and St-Quentin Fallavier, France) and the United States (Sandersville, Georgia; Lompoc, California) and in 18 regional laboratories to develop relevant solutions for every customer and set up cooperation programs with research institutes and universities.

The Group’s activities are responsible for managing their own Research & Development. They demonstrate great ability in designing specific innovations for their areas of business and expertise. Considerable potential for further innovations exist at the crossroads between several activities. Identifying those opportunities and turning them into new businesses for the Group is the mission of the Innovation Department created in early 2007. Around 20 research projects have already been identified and are being gradually implemented in nanomaterials, ceramics and functional additives for building materials.


Last update : 02/12/2010