Heraeus acquires Swiss precious metals processor, Argor-Heraeus

Hanau, April 03, 2017

Heraeus, the global technology company, today announced that its Global Business Unit, Heraeus Precious Metals (HPM), has acquired Swiss precious metals processor, Argor-Heraeus (Argor), which will make Heraeus the world’s largest provider of precious metals services. In addition to its current share of approximately 33 %, Heraeus will also acquire the stakes of former co-owners, Commerzbank and Münze Österreich, and the shares of Argor’s management.

Argor’s key business focuses on refining mined gold, recycling precious metals, and the industrial processing of bars, coins, alloys, and semi-finished products. Source: Argor-Heraeus
Argor-Heraeus site in Mendrisio, Swiss

Argor is one of the world’s leading precious metals corporations. Headquartered in Mendrisio, Switzerland, it also has facilities in Germany, Italy, and Latin America. The company employs over 300 people and occupies a key position at the center of the supply chain for precious metal processing. Argor’s key business focuses on refining mined gold, recycling precious metals, and the industrial processing of bars, coins, alloys, and semi-finished products. This makes Argor an ideal partner for all players in the precious metals business: mines, precious metals traders, central and commercial banks, mints, jewelry and watch manufacturers, and industrial clients.

“The complete acquisition of the shares will now enable Heraeus to fully benefit from Argor’s expertise and processing capacity for gold and silver. Argor is the ideal match for Heraeus’ existing precious metals business which has largely focused on platinum group metals. The takeover will allow Heraeus to expand its business and become the world’s largest precious metals service provider,” says CEO Jan Rinnert on the reasons for the takeover.

Even the companies’ different regional sourcing and sales markets complement each other: In addition to being headquartered in Switzerland, Argor already has a major facility in South America, and Heraeus’ presence in Asia, India, and North America will improve Argor’s access to these markets.

Heraeus has held a stake in Argor since 1986. The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the deal. Approval by the relevant authorities is required before the deal can be concluded.

About Argor-Heraeus

The Argor-Heraeus Group, founded in 1951, is one of the world’s most important processors of precious metals. The headquarters in Mendrisio (Ticino, Switzerland) and the international branch offices in Germany, Italy and Chile, are involved in the processing of gold, silver, platinum and palladium, the transformation into finished and semi-finished products for banks, the electronics industry, the chemical sector as well as the watch and jewellery sector. In addition, the company provides support services for precious metals trading. Since its founding, the company’s main objectives have been the creation of added value, innovation and compliance throughout the entire distribution chain for precious metals, from the mine to the end user, to the benefit of all partners involved.