Omya

Omya is a leading global producer of industrial minerals, mainly fillers and pigments derived from calcium carbonate, and a worldwide distributor of chemical products. The company's major markets are paper, plastics, coatings and adhesives. Omya meets highest customer expectations in terms of product quality, safety and reliability, and provides premium services and solutions while making great efforts to protect the environment and respect communities. Founded in 1884 in Switzerland, Omya’s global presence today extends to 6000 employees at more than 100 locations in over 50 countries. As privately owned company, Omya AG is able to pursue long-term goals.

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History

Omya started life in 1884 when Gottfried Pluess and Emma Staufer set-up a company (Pluess-Staufer) to manufacture high quality glazier's putty in Oftringen, Switzerland. Their entrepreneurial vision and courage laid the basis for today’s global player Omya. Pluess and Staufer soon recognised that the quality of the chalk, their key ingredient, was critical and, as their requirements could not be met locally, they acquired own sources. In 1900 production started at a purpose-built whiting factory at Omey, France. Incidentally, “Omya” is derived from 'Les Omyats', the residents of Omey. With high quality products and good customer relationships, Pluess-Staufer soon became a household name in Switzerland and beyond and started to expand into rubber and paints fillers. But it was the arrival of plastics in the early 1950's that signalled the rapid growth of Omya to an international white minerals company covering numerous industries. In 2000 the company's name was changed from Pluess-Staufer to Omya. Today chalk, limestone and marble are used to make calcium carbonate fillers and coating pigments, which are important constituents of adhesives and paints, plastics and rubber, paper and board, as well as every day household products, such as toothpaste and cream cleansers, and food additives. In fact, there are few products which don't use finely ground calcium carbonate. And there is a fair chance this has been supplied by Omya.

Corporate Policies

Based on the visionary ideas of its founders, Omya has consistently developed the company according to the following corporate goals and policies: Quality - Omya deploys the latest technology to maintain top quality. From extraction and processing through to packing and dispatch processes are supported with advanced technology. Omya equipment and processes meet the highest quality requirements. All Omya works either have ISO 9000 certification or are in the process of being certified. Professionalism - For quality products, Omya needs quality professionals. Omya goes to great lengths to ensure employees health and safety as well as continuous training and education. Customer focus - A constant dialogue with customers helps to identify needs and develop solutions. Significant investments in research and development increasing year by year ensure that Omya fillers and pigments satisfy customers' future requirements today. Omya fillers and pigments have been customised for a variety of applications and industries, ranging from granules in big bags, fine powders in bags or as bulk cargo, and pumpable slurries in heated tanks with stirrers. Reliability - With sales offices all over the world, Omya is near the markets and close to customers. Omya logistics assure its customers worldwide delivery on time, all the times. To minimise transport and maximise efficiency, Omya plants are located near important markets. Sustainability - Omya has systematically incorporated a sustainability perspective in its corporate policy. Environmental objectives are defined and regularly reviewed. To protect natural resources, raw materials and energy are used in a responsible way. All facilities, production procedures and products fully comply with the regulations of the local, national and international environmental authorities. Omya takes great care in safeguarding its raw materials as this is the key to ensure long-term supply to customers. Protection of the environment - Production is environmental friendly and minimises emissions. For the renaturation of mines and quarries, Omya cooperates with the WWF. To minimise transport, production sites are strategically close to markets. Means of transport are selected based on environmental criteria: Tanker ships and railway wagons for long distance, trucks for short distance. In countries, where the railway infrastructure is insufficient trucks are refitted to run on natural gas.