Imerys S.A. is a French multinational corporation and a global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions. Based in Paris, the company operates over 200 industrial facilities across more than 50 countries, employing over 16,000 people. In 2023, Imerys reported annual revenues of approximately €4.5 billion. Its largest division, Industrial Minerals, supplies essential minerals such as kaolin, talc, calcium carbonate, mica, and graphite powders.
Imerys focuses on the extraction, processing, and transformation of natural minerals to provide high-performance materials that impart critical properties like conductivity, durability, and purity to customer products across various industries, including energy, construction, automotive, paper, and consumer goods. Sustainability is a core priority for the company, which invests approximately 3.5% of its annual revenue in research and development to advance environmentally sound materials and processes.
Battery Technology
With the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries driven by the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems, Imerys has secured a strategic position within the battery materials ecosystem. The company’s involvement extends from raw material extraction to downstream product support. Imerys extracts and processes critical minerals for battery manufacturing, specifically graphite for anodes and lithium compounds. Its specialty minerals enhance essential battery properties, including purity and conductivity.
Imerys supplies specialty minerals such as conductive carbon blacks (including product lines SUPER P® Li, ENSACO®, and C-NERGY™) and synthetic/natural graphite grades (KS6L, SFG6L). These are used as additives in battery electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. These materials improve battery performance by enhancing electrical conductivity, increasing energy density, enabling faster charging, and extending lifespan through better cyclability and reduced internal resistance. These additives are widely utilized by manufacturers for mid- to high-end lithium-ion battery applications in EVs, consumer electronics, and energy storage.
Recent Projects
Imerys has expanded into lithium production, a vital element for the European battery supply chain. Through Imerys British Lithium, a wholly-owned subsidiary, the company is developing one of Europe’s first commercial producers of battery-grade lithium carbonate. This Cornwall, UK-based project aims to supply lithium carbonate sufficient to power approximately 500,000 EVs annually by the end of the decade.
The EMILI project, located in the Allier region of France, is a flagship initiative to establish a fully integrated, local supply chain for battery-grade lithium hydroxide. This project includes an underground mine at Échassières, a mineral concentration plant, and a conversion facility near Saint-Victor. It targets an annual lithium hydroxide output of 34,000 tonnes, enough for about 700,000 EVs annually.
To address increasing demand from European battery manufacturers, Imerys is expanding production of conductive carbon blacks in Belgium, which are essential conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries.
Investors
Imerys S.A. is majority-owned by Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA, which holds approximately 54.6% of the company’s shares. Blue Crest Holding SA is the next largest shareholder with about 5.08%. Other shareholders include an employee shareholding scheme (~1.92%), individual insiders (~5.1%), and institutional investors collectively (~14.5%), notably Amundi Asset Management and Financière de l’Échiquier. The free float held by the general public is approximately 23-24%.
Business Details
Location: Paris, France
Website: https://www.imerys.com/markets/batteries-fuel-cells
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8878
