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IMERYS S.A. is a French multinational company that specialises in the production and processing of industrial minerals. The main headquarters is located in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and are constituents of the
CAC Mid 60 The CAC Mid 60 (formerly the CAC Mid 100) is a stock market index used by the Paris Bourse. It is a Market capitalization#Market cap terms, mid-cap index which represents the 60 largest French equities after the CAC 40 and the CAC Next 20. The in ...
index.
Groupe Bruxelles Lambert Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) is a Belgian holding company invested in multiple industries. It invests in both listed and private companies. Directed by Ian Gallienne, GBL had a net asset value of €22.5 billion and a market capitalisation of � ...
is the largest shareholder of Imerys.


History

The company was first founded in 1880, when the
Rothschild family The Rothschild family ( , ) is a wealthy Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Jewish noble banking family originally from Frankfurt. The family's documented history starts in 16th-century Frankfurt; its name is derived from the family house, Rothschild, ...
combined some of their metals and mining interests into the Spanish company Peñarroya. Over the next century it specialized in extracting and processing
non-ferrous metals In metallurgy, non-ferrous metals are metals or alloy An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which in most cases at least one is a metal, metallic element, although it is also sometimes used for mixtures of elements; herein only meta ...
, becoming one of the world leaders in mining extraction. After operating as a stand-alone company, in 1970 Peñarroya branched out and merged with the Société Le Nickel (now
Eramet Eramet is a French multinational mining and metallurgy company, listed on the Euronext Paris exchange under the symbol ERA. The company produces non-ferrous metals and derivatives, nickel alloys and superalloys, and high-performance special stee ...
) and Mokta (now
Société Mokta El Hadid The Société Mokta El Hadid was an iron ore mining company in Algeria, and later in other West African countries. From around 1865 until 1927 it was the largest mining company in Algeria, delivering ore of exceptional quality for processing in Fra ...
) and created a new holding company called
Imétal IMERYS S.A. is a French Multinational corporation, multinational company that specialises in the production and processing of industrial minerals. The main headquarters is located in Paris and are constituents of the CAC Mid 60 index. Groupe Bru ...
to manage the new business. By the end of the 1990s, the company had become entirely focused on industrial mineral processing, following more acquisitions and a few divestments. In 1999, Imétal changed its name to Imerys. The company continued to expand its product lines, geographic reach, and markets. In 2018, the Imerys group sought to simplify its structure through a transformation plan, reorganising the company around two segments, and grouping five newly created business areas. In October 2022, Imerys announced the commencement of a mining operation for a
lithium Lithium (from , , ) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the ...
deposit at Allier from 2027. A press release issued by the group specified that this exploitation of lithium should last at least 25 years and will constitute one of the largest deposits of the mineral in Europe.


Business organization and operations

Imerys has undergone numerous restructurings over the last decade with changing leadership.


Leadership

As of February 17, 2020, Alessandro Dazza assumes the role of Imerys’ Chief Executive Officer. Former Imerys CEOs are
Patrick Kron Patrick Kron (born 26 September 1953) was the chairman and chief executive (Président-directeur général) of the French engineering conglomerate Alstom. Alstom is most well known for its TGV trains, and is headquartered at Saint-Ouen. Early ...
, Gérard Buffière, Gilles Michel and Conrad Keijzer. Since June 2019,
Patrick Kron Patrick Kron (born 26 September 1953) was the chairman and chief executive (Président-directeur général) of the French engineering conglomerate Alstom. Alstom is most well known for its TGV trains, and is headquartered at Saint-Ouen. Early ...
has served as chairman of the board of directors at Imerys.


Locations

Imerys’ headquarters are located in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. Imerys is based in over 40 countries and has 230 industrial sites. The group operates across the Americas and Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC). The company's North American Operations are headquartered in
Roswell, Georgia Roswell is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States. At the official 2020 census, the city had a population of 92,883, making Roswell the state's ninth largest city. A suburb of Atlanta, Roswell has an affluent National Registe ...
. Other major offices are located in Kifisia, Athens, Greece,
Shanghai, China Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
and Nagpur, India.


Corporate social responsibility

Imerys runs various initiatives in the field of
corporate social responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or corporate social impact is a form of international private business industry self-regulation, self-regulation which aims to contribute to societal goals of a philanthropy, philanthropic, activist, or chari ...
(CSR). Since 2010, it has been part of Eco-Bos, a joint venture in
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
with Orascom Development to develop a series of
sustainable communities The term "sustainable communities" has various definitions, but in essence refers to communities planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. Sustainable communities tend to focus on environmental and economic sustainability, urban i ...
on the site of former
china clay Kaolinite ( ; also called kaolin) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedron, tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen ...
mines, starting with the West Carclaze Garden Village, currently under construction. In 2017, Imerys Minerals received the Natural England Award for Landscape-scale Restoration in the Biodiversity Category, recognition for a large-scale project recreating close to 2,000 acres of lowland heathland in
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
.


Science Based Targets

The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) has validated Imerys’ 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets in July 2023.” "Imerys commits to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% by 2030 from a 2021 base year. Imerys also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, capital goods, fuel and energy-related activities, upstream and downstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, business travel, employee commuting, and investments 25% within the same timeframe.”


Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

In 2019, Imerys was recognized by the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) and received a score of B for the group's efforts on
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
. The group affirms this grade is higher than the European average and the mining industry average (both grade C).


French Museum of Natural History and Act4Nature

On May 28, 2018, Imerys signed a convention for collaboration, research, and expertise with the UMS 2006 Patrimoine Naturel and other organizations, including the
National Museum of Natural History, France The French National Museum of Natural History ( ; abbr. MNHN) is the national natural history museum of France and a of higher education part of Sorbonne University. The main museum, with four galleries, is located in Paris, France, within the ...
, the French Agency for Biodiversity (now the
French Office for Biodiversity The French Office for Biodiversity (OFB; French: ''Office français de la biodiversité'') is an établissement public à caractère administratif within the Government of France. It is under the control of both the Ministry of the Ecological Transi ...
) and the
French National Centre for Scientific Research The French National Centre for Scientific Research (, , CNRS) is the French state research organisation and is the largest fundamental science agency in Europe. In 2016, it employed 31,637 staff, including 11,137 tenured researchers, 13,415 engi ...
(CNRS). The three-year partnership of three years is meant to help Imerys structure a global plan for diversity preservation. The convention centers around “the knowledge and conservation of biodiversity” and relies on four main pillars: site analysis and identification of best practices; sharing expertise, methodology, and tools; participating in and supporting innovation, and highlighting research findings, which includes raising awareness and informing personnel. The UMS Patrimoine Naturel offers its scientific expertise, support, advice, and methodological tools to support Imerys in the development of an action plan and commitment project that is aligned with the objectives of the National Biodiversity Strategy (SNB) and Act4Nature. The aim of this program is to develop and deploy methodological tools to characterize and assess biodiversity on Imerys sites in France and abroad, aiming to ensure that biodiversity is taken into account during all phases of a mining project. In October 2020 the program was officially renewed, taking effect in June 2021 for another three years. In 2018, Imerys also joined Act4Nature International, an initiative launched on July 10, 2018 by Entreprises pour l’environnement (EpE), the
World Business Council for Sustainable Development The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a CEO-led organization of over 225 international companies. The council is also connected to 60 national and regional business councils and partner organizations. Its origins da ...
(WBCSD) Global Network partner in France. In a public announcement, the group declared its plans to implement concrete measures to integrate and reinforce efforts to preserve biodiversity in their operations over the period 2020-2024.


Controversies and criticisms


Imerys Talc America worker lockout

After Imerys Talc America in
Three Forks, Montana Three Forks is a city in Gallatin County, Montana, United States and is located within the watershed valley system of both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers drainage basins — and is historically considered the birthplace or start of the M ...
unveiled plans to phase out union workers' retiree insurance, seniority, and overtime clauses and to alter work rules and classifications,
Boilermakers A boilermaker is a Tradesman, tradesperson who Metal fabrication, fabricates steels, iron, or copper into boilers and other large containers intended to hold hot gas or liquid, as well as maintains and repairs boilers and boiler systems.Bure ...
Local D-239 union workers did not ratify a new contract. On August 2, 2018, Imerys informed union workers by letter that they would be locked out of the workplace and escorted the remaining employees off of the property. The mill's union president, Randy Tocci, stated that the company brought in employees from other sites around Montana to run the mill in Three Forks, crossing
picket lines Picketing is a form of protest in which people (called pickets or picketers) congregate outside a place of work or location where an event is taking place. Often, this is done in an attempt to dissuade others from going in (" crossing the pic ...
. Over August and September, multiple Montana elected officials and candidates visited the picket lines, such as Democratic Governor Steve Bullock, Senator
Jon Tester Raymond Jon Tester (born August 21, 1956) is an American politician and farmer who served from 2007 to 2025 as a United States Senate, United States senator from Montana and from 2005 to 2007 as president of the Montana Senate. A member of the ...
, and US House candidate Kathleen Williams. On August 9 August Montana Governor Steve Bullock stood with the unionized plant employees for more than an hour, offering his support and expressing hope that the parties would return to negotiations. On October 6, 2018, in response to the lockout, Tester introduced a bill called Prohibiting Incentives for Corporations that Kickout Employees Tax Act, or PICKET Act
S. 3544
, that would raise tax rates and eliminate tax breaks for corporations while they are engaged in labor lockouts. Deduction of wages and benefits for temporary workers during the lockout would also be prohibited under the Act, and certain tax credits for hiring replacement workers would be prevented. This bill has no co-sponsors and has not received a hearing in the Finance Committee during the 119th Congress. On October 31, 2018, after three months of negotiations, union workers voted to approve a new three-year contract with Imerys, effectively ending the lockout and allowing workers to return to the plant. Randy Tocci said that “Imerys brought some different people to the table on Oct. 25, which helped move the negotiations forward.” About the contract, Tocci further said that it “protects seniority while also considering skills in applying for jobs and will continue to provide health benefits to retirees who leave the company through 2019. Workers will get a 3 percent increase in base pay, but their pensions will be frozen”.


Talc business

Through Imerys Talc America, Imerys led operations in
talc Talc, or talcum, is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, with the chemical formula . Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thickening agent and lubricant ...
mining and talc transformation for many years in
Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
and
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. These activities served local markets, as varied as paper & board, plastics, and cosmetics. As a talc supplier for
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a c ...
, the company was a co-defendant with Johnson & Johnson in mass tort litigation in the USA involving powder products that some consumers alleged to have contained
asbestos Asbestos ( ) is a group of naturally occurring, Toxicity, toxic, carcinogenic and fibrous silicate minerals. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous Crystal habit, crystals, each fibre (particulate with length su ...
and caused them to develop
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. Imerys Talc America has always denied that its talc products contain asbestos and stands by the safety of its products. Faced with a growing number of complaints, on February 13, 2019, the North American Talc Subsidiaries of Imerys (Imerys Talc America, Imerys Talc Vermont, Imerys Talc Canada) filed
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. On May 15, 2020, Imerys came to an agreement with representatives of the current and future tort claimants to resolve their historic talc-related liabilities. As part of the plan, the North American Talc subsidiaries agreed to sell their assets and contribute the proceeds to a
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust (law), a legal relationship in which one person holds property for another's benefit * Trust (bu ...
to compensate claimants. That sale process was completed in November 2020, when the Court approved the sale of the North American talc business to Magris Resources, a Canadian mining group, for $223 million. The debtors are aiming to close the sale in early 2021. Under the plan, the trust would also receive all insurance and indemnities related to the talc liabilities in North America, as well as a cash contribution from the Imerys Group. This plan of reorganization is pending approval by the claimants and the Court.


References


External links

*
Euronext: NK ImerysGoogle Finance: ImerysCalderys
{{Authority control * Companies listed on Euronext Paris French companies established in 1880 Companies based in Paris