Our Business Model
Our purpose is to use advanced materials to make the world more sustainable, and to improve the quality of life. This purpose guides our actions: it underpins our work to reduce our environmental impact, informs how we treat our people, and ensures we fulfil our responsibility for good corporate governance.
We play an important role in society, using our deep materials science knowledge and process capability to solve customer problems and deliver on our purpose.
Download our Business Model
Utilising our distinct competencies
Our strategy builds on our strengths and focuses the Group on scalable businesses in attractive markets.
We have three core capabilities:
- Materials science
- Application engineering
- Customer focus
We serve markets that are growing and where we have room to grow, and where our customers value our differentiated products and services.
The Group's products are produced within two global divisions and five global business units.
Thermal Products division, organised in two global business units:
- Thermal Ceramics
- Molten Metal Systems
Carbon and Technical Ceramics division, organised into three global business units:
- Electrical Carbon
- Seals and Bearings
- Technical Ceramics
Servicing markets ranging from industrial to healthcare
Our thermal products are used in high-temperature industrial processing of metals, petrochemicals, cement, ceramics and glass, and by manufacturers of equipment for automotive, marine, aerospace, and domestic applications in insulation and fire protection.
Our electrical carbon products are used in the rail industry, for power generation, in the mining of iron and steel and to enable wind power generation.
Our seals & bearings products are used in pumps for industrial and domestic use, or other sealing applications. We use advanced carbon/graphite, silicon carbide, alumina and zirconia materials to engineer lightweight, low-friction bearings and seals.
Our technical ceramics products are used in selected segments of the electronics and semiconductor, energy, healthcare, industrial, petrochemicals, security and transport markets, typically in close collaborative customer relationships.
Products that deliver on purpose
We manufacture advanced ceramic materials, products and systems for thermal insulation in high-temperature environments.
We engineer systems for the safety of people and equipment in demanding applications. Our products help customers, especially those operating energy-intensive processes, to reduce energy consumption, emissions and operating costs.
We manufacture an extensive range of high-performance, energy saving crucibles and foundry consumables for non-ferrous metal melting applications.
We produce a wide range of products which are used to transfer electrical current between stationary and rotating or linear moving parts in motor, generator, and current collector applications.
We create high-performance self-lubricating bearing and seal components, used predominantly in pumps.
We engineer high- performance functional and structural ceramic materials, components and sub-assemblies to address customer-specific technical challenges.
Contributing to the economy and supporting an improved society for our people, customers, and investors.
We contribute positively to the economy and support an improved society for our people, customers, and investors. The economic value we generate includes wages paid to our people, purchases from local and global suppliers, taxes, and dividends – in addition to indirect benefits arising from expenditure by our suppliers, customers and employees.
Our business contributes positively to society. We support the skills development of our people, from apprentice level and operators, through to senior executives. Our global makeup reflects the communities we serve with representatives from many backgrounds, and we strive to promote inclusivity and opportunity for all.
Our operations look to benefit our environment through the products we design and manufacture, products which make more efficient use of resources and can improve the quality of life.