What is Umicore?

Umicore is a materials technology group, whichand precious metal recycling.
focuses on four business areas; advancedThey even have a method called Umagine where
materials, precious metals products and catalysts,they transform their research, and development,
precious metal services and Zinc specialties.and make it more modern, and improved.
Umicore was a company that was formed whenUmicore supports open innovation and certifies
four other companies, from the smelting andexemplary scientific research compiled outside the
refining industries, merged. Umicore was formerlycompany. They also give awards internally in all
called Union Miniere. It has included into its sphereareas where innovation occurs. This greatly
the areas of refining, and recycling of preciousimproves motivation, and encourages people to
metals, and manufacturing products from metals.come up with more and better ideas.
Union Miniere was firstly a mining and refiningToday, Umicore is a flourishing company that is
company, although in the 1990s they took alisted in the Euronext Brussels stock exchange. In
different approach and diversified. They placed2005, Umicore came out with Cumerio, which was
themselves as a specialty materials company. Toan independent copper business. Cumerio also
mark this change of moving away and adjustingmade it to the Euronext Brussels. In 2007,
for changes, the company altered their name toUmicore amalgamated its zinc refining, and alloy
Umicore in 2001. The company now performs atbusiness with Zinifex. Nystar, the newborn, also
the edge of chemistry, metallurgy, and materialsmade it to the stock exchange. In 2007, Umicore
sciences.was driven to top charts, with the help of the
In 2003, Umicore took over PMG, and this addedautomotive catalyst division of Delphi, as they
another component to its impressive repertoire.overtook the market in the field of passenger
PMG was formerly a unit in the German Degussacars.
group, which coincidently was also the foundingUmicore is a company that welcomes change, a
shareholder of Hoboken firm of Umicore.way of thinking that every firm wanting to
They provide employment for around fifteensucceed today has to accept. The company
thousand, and five hundred employees, and havebelieves in searching for new ways to become
a turnover of around 9.2 billion Euros. Umicoreefficient and performing their tasks more
operates on all continents, and serves a globaleffectively. This will assist them in laying the
customer base.foundation for a loyal customer database as well
Umicore has a Research and Developmentas increase their profits in the long term. Currently
department that is completely decentralised.Umicore is a company that never tires of
Research and Development expenditure had anundertaking difficult tasks, and achieving their
addition of 33% in 2008. Umicore spends angoals, in striving towards the discovery of
estimated eighty percent of its research budgetinnovative clean techniques. Their aim is to
on finding ways for clean technology; examplesdevelop, produce, and then recycle materials in
include emission catalysts, materials used forsome way that yield materials for a better life.
rechargeable batteries and photovoltaic, fuel cells