IMERYS

The Rothschild family combines some of their metals and mining interests into a company called Peñarroya. For almost a century it specialises in extracting and processing non-ferrous metals.

After almost a century, as a stand-alone company, Peñarroya branched out, buying a French clay roof tile maker and an American steel and metals processor. It created a holding company called Imetal to manage the new business.

The company makes its first significant investment in refractory minerals and ceramics when it buys France’s Damrec and starts to switch focus from non-ferrous metallurgy activities to industrial minerals. The Group restructures into three key sectors: Building Materials, Industrial Minerals and Metals Processing.

Imetal intensifies its focus on industrial minerals, broadens its geographic footprint and acquires a number of companies. By the end of the decade, to reflect its change in emphasis, Imetal changes its name to Imerys, but it continues to expand its product lines and the markets in which it is present.

Throughout the decade, Imerys adds new minerals, markets and develop new geographies through its ongoing acquisition strategy. At the same time, the Group starts to build its reputation as a respected responsible business with initiatives such as its Sustainable Development Challenge, Safety Charter and Code of Business Conduct.

The acquisitions continue, boosting Imerys position in minerals as varied as talc and bentonite. The Group also continues to refine its responsible business activities, introducing I-Cube, an operational excellence program. In 2019, Imerys is further improving its organization to make it simpler, more efficient and more customer-focused.