History

The following is a chronology of the development of the CRONIMET Group:

The ‘80s

1980

• Formation of both CRONIMET companies in Karlsruhe (GER) and Düsseldorf (GER)

1982

• Formation of CRONIFER Holland (NED)

1987

• Formation of the subsidiary CRONIMET Kirchheim (GER)
• Minority investment to the amount of 40% in Westdoor (GBR) and Fagersta Metals (SWE)

1989

• Formation of CRONIMET S.A: (SUI)
• Increase of shares in Fagersta Metals (SWE) to 49%

The ‘90s

1990

• Market entry in the new Federal States of Germany via a purchasing office in Chemnitz (GER). Purchasing amounts from Eastern Europe already amount to 30% of the entire volume.

1991

• Increase of the purchasing amounts in Eastern Europe and the CIS States.
• Formation of subsidiary CRONIMET Spolka in Katowice (POL)
• Beginning trade with primary metals and special alloys

1992

• Formation of CRONIMET France (FRA)
• Expansion of the stockyard in Karlsruhe (GER)
• Opening of a purchasing office in Tartu (EST)

1993

• Expansion of operations in Karlsruhe (GER)

1994

• Formation of the CRONILEG Duisburg (GER)
• Opening of representation in Moscow (RUS)
• Takeover of ERG Edelstahl Recycling in Offenbach (GER) by the metal company CRONIMET FRANCE (FRA) turnaround completed in only two years

1995

• Integration of ERG (GER) into the CRONIMET Group
• Integration of “D&T Alloys” founded by the UK subsidiary Westdoor in South Africa into the CRONIMET RSA (RSA)
• Installation of stationary radioactivity detectors in all companies

1996

• Acquisition of an additional 16% and therefore the majority in the investment Fagersta Metals
• and renaming into CRONIMET Fagersta (SWE)
• Opening of representation in Kiev (UKR)

1997

• Formation of the CRONIMET Legierungen in Wuppertal (GER)
• Formation of the CRONIMET ALFA in Munich (GER)
• Formation of the US subsidiary CRONIMET CORPORATION (USA)

1998

• Very good development of the US subsidiary that quickly established itself into one of the main suppliers of the American stainless steel plants. In order to procure the amounts demanded additional operations are opened in Chicago and Houston. World market leader in the special area of tungsten carbide scrap that is processed in a operation in New Jersey and distributed via the CRONIMET CORPORATION. The British Westwood Ltd. becomes the majority property of the CRONIMET Group due to an increase of the capital share to 60% and is renamed into CRONIMET Great Britain (GBR)

1999

• Expansion of the storage area of the business in Karlsruhe (GER)
• Opening of a new warehouse business in Riga (LAT) in order to meet the needs of East European suppliers and to relieve the other European stockyards.
• There processed materials are shipped directly by sea to plants in Europe and Asia
• Formation of a joint venture for the production of ferro-molybdenum and molybdenum metal with the company Pure Iron (AM). The ferro-molybdenum produced there is distributed by the new subsidiary CRONIMET Noble Alloys in Duisburg (GER) which also has an exclusive contract with a Brazilian ferro niobium producer for distribution in Europe.
• Formation of CRONIMET Brazil Ltda. in Sao Paulo (BRA)

2000 - present

2000

• Expansion of joint venture with Pure Iron (AM)
• New construction of a warehouse in the harbor of Dortmund (GER) that replaces the locations in Düsseldorf (GER) and Wuppertal (GER) in 2001.
• Joint formation of CRONIMET Italia (ITA) with the Italian Demont (Venice) increase in capacity in the USA by opening up a new warehouse in Alabama.

2001

• Takeover of Nichel Leghe (largest stainless steel recycling company in Italy), which has businesses in Milan (ITA) and Turin (ITA). The total capacity of the CRONIMET Group at the beginning of the year is approx. 1 million tons per year. Russia closes its borders to the West (with the exception of Finland) for scrap exports via truck. Closing of the warehouse business in Riga (LAT) and formation of CRONIMET Finland (FIN)
• Purchase of 35% of the shares in Pure Iron (ARM)

2002

• Increase of the market share in the special alloy sector by taking over
• United Alloys (USA)
• Relocation of ERG from Offenbach (GER) to Aschaffenburg (GER)
• Increase of shares in Pure Iron (ARM) to 47%

2003

• Majority acquisition of Avarus AG (CH) and Metallium Marketing GmbH, Gelsenkirchen (GER)
• Formation of CRONIMET Suisse AG (SUI)
• CRONIMET Great Britain takes over TINICO (GBR)
• Takeover of Contur and renaming into CRONILEG Poland (POL)

2004

• Acquisition of Schach-Matt, Herne (GER)
• Formation of the CRONIMET Services GmbH (GER)
• Opening of a business in Ohio (USA)
• Majority acquisition of the Zangezurer Molybdän Kombinat AG (ARM)
• Formation of the CRONIMET MINING GmbH (GER)
• Increase of shares in Pure Iron (ARM) to 51%

2005

• Opening of a business in Genk (BEL)
• Opening of a business in Ontario (CAN)
• Opening of a business in Missouri (USA)
• Formation of the CRONIMET Holding (GER)
• Takeover of Metals & Alloys (GBR)
• Expansion of CRONIMET Switzerland (SUI) and CRONIMET Sweden (SWE)
• Opening of representation in Shanghai (CHN)
• Opening of representation of the CRONIMET MINING GmbH in Jerewan (ARM)

2006

• New construction of the CRONIMET administration building at the headquarters in Karlsruhe (GER)
• New construction of several plant halls at the business location in Karlsruhe (GER)
• Acquisition of Metalloy Metalle-Legierungen GmbH, Norderstedt (GER)
• CRONIMET Holding (GER) takes over 20 % of the shares at the TSR Group
• Formation of the Jocelyn & Günter Pilarsky Foundation with headquarters in Karlsruhe.
• Günter Pilarsky is named Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia

2007

• Opening of a business in Herby (POL)
• Formation of the CRONILEG Metal Sanayi Tic Ltd. (TUR)
• Acquisition of Ferinox S.p.A., Molteno and Milan (ITA)
• Formation of the CRONIMET Estonia OÜ (EST)
• Opening of the honorary consulate of the Republic of Armenia at the CRONIMET headquarters
• Introduction of the new CRONIMET slogan “CRONIMET – metals are our passion”

2008

• Formation of CRONIMET METAL TRADING AG (SUI)
• Renaming CRONIFER (Holland) b.v. into CRONIMET (Holland) b.v.
• Increase of shares in CRONIMET Beheer Group (NED) to 80 %
• Increase of shares in CRONIMET Holdings Inc. Group (USA) to 100 %