Johnson Matthey Plc Profile
Johnson Matthey plc operates as a specialty chemicals company. The company’s focused areas include catalysts, precious metals, fine chemicals, and process technology. The company has operations in approximately 30 countries primarily in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Segments
The company operates in three divisions: Environmental Technologies; Precious Metal Products; and Fine Chemicals & Catalysts.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES DIVISION
The Environmental Technologies Division is a global supplier of catalysts and related technologies for applications which benefit the environment, such as pollution control, cleaner fuel, use of hydrocarbons and the hydrogen economy.
The Division comprises three businesses: Emission Control Technologies, Process Technologies, and Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells.
Emission Control Technologies (ECT): ECT comprises the company’s global autocatalyst, heavy duty diesel and stationary emissions control businesses. The company is a manufacturer of catalysts for vehicle exhaust emission control and catalyst systems for the reduction of emissions from industrial processes. Manufacturing takes place in the U.K., Germany, Belgium, Russia, the U.S.A, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, Malaysia, India, China and South Korea. R&D facilities are in the U.S.A, the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Brazil.
Process Technologies: Process Technologies manufactures process catalysts for the syngas, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, gas / coal to products, oil refineries and gas processing industries. Davy Process Technology develops chemical process technologies and licenses them to customers in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Its Tracerco business offers specialist technology for the diagnostics, measurement and analysis of process plant conditions across the hydrocarbon chain. Process Technologies is a global business with manufacturing sites in the U.K., India and China, supported by various U.K. based technology centers and technical offices in key centers around the world.
Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells: Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells develops and manufactures catalysts and catalysed components for a range of clean energy fuel cell systems.
PRECIOUS METAL PRODUCTS DIVISION
The Precious Metal Products Division focuses on the marketing, distribution, refining and recycling of platinum group metals, fabrication of products using precious metals and related materials, and refining of gold and silver.
The Precious Metal Products Division is organized into five businesses: Platinum Marketing and Distribution; Noble Metals; Pgm Refining and Recycling; Colour Technologies; and Gold and Silver.
Platinum Marketing and Distribution: The business consists of its worldwide platinum marketing and distribution activities. Marketing is headquartered in Royston, the U.K. with support facilities in Philadelphia, the U.S.A and Hong Kong. The company is a distributor of platinum group metals (pgms) and the sole marketing agent for Anglo Platinum, a producer of platinum.
Noble Metals: Noble Metals produces a range of precious metal and other fabricated products for industrial and medical applications. It offers pgm fabricated products for industrial applications.
Pgm Refining and Recycling: The company’s Pgm Refining and Recycling business includes the recovery of pgms from spent catalysts and other secondary materials and refining primary pgms from global mining operations. It has facilities in the U.K. and the U.S.A.
Colour Technologies: The company’s Colour Technologies business manufactures black obscuration enamels and silver conductive materials for automotive glass. It also makes colours, enamels and decorative precious metal products for other glass applications, such as bottles and architectural glass, as well as for tableware and other ceramic applications.
Gold and Silver: Gold and Silver comprises the company’s gold and silver refining and bullion manufacturing operations. The business serves the mining industries and recycles secondary scrap material. Gold and silver refining operations are located in the U.S.A and Canada.
FINE CHEMICALS & CATALYSTS DIVISION
The Fine Chemicals & Catalysts Division is a global supplier of fine chemicals, catalysts and other specialty chemical products and services to a range of chemical and pharmaceutical industry customers and research institutes.
Catalysts and Chemicals: The Catalysts and Chemicals business manufactures precious and base metal catalysts, fine chemicals and electrochemical products. The business sells its products to customers in the specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, fine chemical and other markets.
Macfarlan Smith: Macfarlan Smith manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediate products for the pharmaceutical industry. The business offers APIs for controlled drugs, particularly opiate products. Majority of Macfarlan Smith’s customers are generic pharmaceutical companies.
Pharmaceutical Materials and Services: The Pharmaceutical Materials and Services business manufactures APIs and provides services to the pharmaceutical industry. The business involves in the manufacture of platinum based anticancer APIs and controlled drugs and provides a range of commercial scale manufacturing services for APIs to both generic and branded pharmaceutical companies. The business has operations in the U.S.A and Ireland.
Research Chemicals: The Research Chemicals business is a globally integrated catalogue based supplier of specialty inorganic and organic chemicals. It operates under the Alfa Aesar brand name and is based in the U.K., the U.S.A, Germany, China and India.
Acquisitions
In March 2009, the company acquired BASF’s automotive enamel and silver paste business; and the 49% of Alfa Aesar China Limited.
Dispositions
In November 2008, the company sold its non-core Insulators and Alumina businesses.
