# Ceratizit

The Ceratizit Group is a joint-stock company (S.A.) and a business area of the Plansee Group, based in Mamer, Luxembourg. Ceratizit is primarily active in the cemented carbide industry. They manufacture cutting tools and products for wear protection, including solid carbide tools and inserts, hard material rods, and wear parts as well as products for wood and stone working. The company is the fourth-largest carbide manufacturer globally and a world leader in industrial applications such as wear protection, wood, and stone working.

## History

Ceratizit S.A. was created in 2002 as the result of a merger between the companies Cerametal and Plansee Tizit. The first cooperation between Cerametal and the then Metallwerk Plansee GmbH had already taken place in 1949.

### Plansee Tizit

Plansee Tizit was founded in Austria in 1921 by Paul Schwarzkopf as Metallwerk Plansee GmbH. His son, Walter Schwarzkopf, subsequently continued to lead the company. Following his death in 1978, his widow, Hilde Schwarzkopf, took over the management. Their son, Michael Schwarzkopf, then led the company from 1996 to 2007.
In 1996, Instrument AG in Bulgaria was integrated into Plansee Tizit, and a partnership with Siel was initiated to establish Siel Tizit Ltd. in Kolkata, India. In the same year, the Plansee factory burned down, and was fully rebuilt soon after.

### Cerametal

Cerametal was initially founded as Luuchtefabrik in Bereldange, Luxembourg, by Nicolas Lanners in 1931. Tungsten filaments for light bulb production were first produced there. In 1949, it was renamed Cerametal. Paul Schwarzkopf, Nicolas Lanners, and engineer Guillaume Kroll were among the shareholders. In 1962, Schwarzkopf and Kroll sold their shares in the company.
1971, the company relocated to Mamer, Luxembourg. In 1978, Cerametal began production in the United States. The following year marked the first production of ceramic parts. In 1998, the company expanded to China.

### Merger to form Ceratizit and acquisitions

After the merger of Cerametal and Plansee Tizit to form Ceratizit S.A. in 2002, the company opened sales offices in Brazil, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in 2003. In 2007, new administrative buildings were opened in Mamer and Reutte, along with the Tooling Academy (a testing and training center in Reutte), as well as sales and distribution offices in China, Mexico, and Spain. In 2007, Ceratizit acquired the privately held company Newcomer Products, Inc., based in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. In 2008, the Plansee Group acquired the American company Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. (GTP). In 2010, Ceratizit and CB Carbide consolidated their Asian activities into the joint venture CB Ceratizit, in which Ceratizit and the shareholders of CB Carbide each hold a 50% stake.
As part of its expansion strategy, Ceratizit acquired 50% of the solid carbide tool manufacturer Günther Wirth in 2012 to complete the value chain for round tools. In 2014, Ceratizit further expanded into the United States with the acquisition of 80% of the shares in solid carbide tool manufacturer Promax Tools, based in Rancho Cordova, California. In 2015, Ceratizit acquired solid carbide tool manufacturer Klenk from Balzheim and 67% of the shares in Cobra Carbide India. Subsequently, Ceratizit also required the remaining shares.
In 2016, Ceratizit acquired Becker Diamantwerkzeuge (Becker Diamond Tools) from Puchheim/Munich, and in 2017, Best Carbide Cutting Tools, a manufacturer of micro tools, from Los Angeles. On October 13, 2017, the Ceratizit Group announced the acquisition of the Komet Group.
In 2019, Ceratizit acquired 50% of the shares of the German scrap metal recycler Stadler Metalle. As of March 1, 2022, the company acquired the remaining 50%, becoming the sole owner of Stadler Metalle.
In March 2021, the Plansee Group, which had previously held 50% of the shares in Ceratizit, became the majority owner. In 2022, Plansee acquired the remaining shares in Ceratizit and has since been the sole owner.

## Company structure

The headquarters of the Ceratizit Group are located in Mamer, Luxembourg. The sole owner of the Ceratizit Group, the Plansee Group, achieved a revenue of 2.35 billion euros in 2022/2023. Ceratizit contributed about half of this figure. In 2019, the Ceratizit Group generated a revenue of 1.2 billion euros and employed 7,200 people worldwide in 2020.
Ceratizit S.A. operates 30 production sites across Europe, North and Central America, and Asia and maintains sales offices in 42 countries. The company holds over 1000 patents worldwide and produced over 10 billion sintered parts in 2010. Annually, the company invests nearly 10% of its revenue in the development of new products and technologies.

## Products and Services

Ceratizit is a producer of cemented carbide products. The company manufactures cutting tools and products for wear protection, such as solid carbide tools and inserts, hard material rods, and wear parts, such as turning tools, drills, and milling cutters for private labels, distribution partners, and end consumers. Additionally, products for wood and stone working are manufactured and distributed.
Their products are used in various industries such as construction, metalworking, material processing, oil, gas, mining, general machinery, automotive, food, medical, defense, transportation, agriculture and aerospace. For example, Ceratizit produces carbide grades certified for contact with food, specialized tools for areas like e-motors and defense, and components for prosthetics and orthopedic parts.
Ceratizit also offers carbide recycling services. In this process, the company group buys carbide based on the current market price and provides collection containers as well as transportation.
Additionally, Ceratizit provides services like tool reconditioning and coating to extend the lifespan of cutting tools.

## Awards (Selection)

* 2006: Award for the best powder metallurgical development from the European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA).
* 2015: Polish Gold Medal Award for the Armoth Professional CTE band saw.
* 2020: Innovation award in the Process category from the industry association FEDIL.