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Welcome to Metalcasting Additives
Our Metalcasting Additives business unit is the key supplier of green molding sand additives to the global foundry industry. Since the establishment of IKO Industriekohle in 1964 in Germany, we have earned a reputation for expertise, service, quality and innovation in this field. After our strategic combination with the Imerys group, the brand Imerys Metalcasting Solutions has emerged from the IKO brand.
Foundry Solutions Worldwide
We have a long tradition as a supplier of foundry-grade bentonite, originally using our world renowned reserves on the island of Milos. With the acquisition of IKO-Erbsloeh, we moved closer to foundry customers in Europe, supplying them with bentonite, coal and application technology. The group expanded into the Americas by incorporating the expertise, technology and assets of the Hill & Griffith and BPM foundry businesses.
Today the Imerys group offers foundry solutions worldwide out of its bases in Europe and America as well as through newly established joint ventures in Asia. Within the group, Imerys Metalcasting Solutions as a brand symbolizes the know-how, customized services and quality offered to this important market segment.
Innovation for the Foundry Industry
Our industry-leading technology has been instrumental in the development of a range of innovative products and solutions for many segments of the foundry industry, addressing environmental concerns associated with molding and core making.
From the ENVIBOND® System, which enables the foundry to operate with fewer emissions, to the patented RIKO® process, which utilizes the waste stream from green sand extraction systems as a source of materials for green sand molding operations, we are constantly searching for and developing new, sustainable answers to the industry’s ever-evolving challenges.
History
| 1934 | S&B bentonite activities begin |
| 1964 | In Marl (Germany), IKO Industriekohle GmbH & Co. KG is founded, offering products predominantly made from carbons (lustrous carbon formers) for the foundry industry. |
| 1968 | The first mixture of carbons and bentonites is launched into the German market. |
| 1977 | The portfolio is expanded to include the Bregenzer auxiliaries and accessories for foundry applications. |
| 1982 | Expansion of bentonite and coal production capability in France (IKO France S.A.R.L.). |
| 1988 | First affiliation of S&B and IKO, through a joint participation in IBECO Bentonit-Technologie GmbH in Mannheim/Germany. |
| 1990 | Expansion of production capability in eastern Germany, after reunification (BentoCarbon). |
| 1994 | Merger of two companies – IKO Industriekohle and Erbslöh Geisenheim, adds Bavarian bentonite to the foundry portfolio. S&B acquires 50% of the new company. |
| 2001 | S&B acquires the remaining 50% of the shares and IKO becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of S&B Group. |
| 2007 | S&B acquires the foundry business of the Hill & Griffith Co and bentonite reserves in the U.S. |
| 2008 | Expansion of production capability in Turkey (S&B Endustriyel Mineraller A.S.). |
| 2009 | S&B acquires the foundry business of Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC in the U.S. |
| 2013 | S&B acquires a 50% stake in Chaoyang GoldCommon Mining Co Ltd, a leading bentonite producer in China. |
| 2014 | S&B acquires Guido Vincon e Figli S.p.A., a leading Italian producer of additives for the Foundry industry |
| 2014 | S&B acquires a 50% stake in Gimpex-S&B India Pvt Ltd, a leading bentonite producer in India. |
| 2015 | S&B becomes part of the Imerys Group and the IKO brand becomes Imerys Metalcasting Solutions. |
Innovation
Our engineers and scientists concentrate their R&D activities –many of which are performed in cooperation with universities and private institutions – on development of new products and processes to:
- Optimize product performance; for example a clay mineral modification; QUICKBOND
- Reduce significant emission by using less carbonaceous materials; ENVIBOND
- Minimize core expansion defects such as veining; ANTRAPEX
- The re-use/recycling of bentonite by a patented bentonite recovery process; RIKO
- Eliminating core binder emissions through the development of an inorganic binder system; IKO-WB
R&D work is executed in close cooperation with the foundry industry. The combination of this and utilization of sophisticated- and application specific test equipment results in an atmosphere of creative development from which new solutions are conceived.
By association and questioning of other segments involved with the application of the same or similar mineral products we are able to create new ideas for testing and equipment design. We innovate and provide practical solutions for industry through our design experiments, observations and networking.
R&D work is performed in our global laboratories sited in Europe, America and Asia. Physical and chemical mineral characterization includes all X-Ray technologies, SEM electro-microscope, Thermal Analyses, Laser Particle Analyses, FT-IR Emission online analyses and many application specific testing procedures. But the most important factor is our experience in serving and providing industry with application specific minerals for more than 80 years.
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