h.c: starck sustainability report 2012 · pdf filepowders as well as for tantalum sputtering...

|1| LOREM ISPUM

Sustainability Report

2012

Technology Metals | Advanced Ceramics

Table of Contents

Statements by the Board

Our Business Strategy

Our Products

Sustainability Strategy

Sustainability Organization and Management Systems

Corporate Compliance

Sustainable Products

Environment

Workplace and Employees

Contribution to Society

Facts and Figures

GRI Index

1

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

21

“In fi scal year 2012, H.C. Starck success-fully expanded its market position in all major industries, maintained its sales at the level of the previous year despite falling metal prices, and achieved the second-best result of the past ten years. While this performance is encouraging, we do not rest on our laurels. Using quality management methods like 5S, Kaizen, Lean Manage-ment, and Six Sigma, we strive for the continuous improvement of com-pany processes including overall cost effi ciency. This is in line with our over-all strategy – high performance and sustainability.”Dr. Andreas Meier

Chairman of the Executive Board (President and CEO)

“H.C. Starck takes responsibility not only for the quality of our products and services but also for our employ-ees, our customers, and suppliers as

well as for the environment surround-ing our production sites. We work with integrity and follow our established ethical guidelines and principles world-wide. In addition to auditing our numbers, we also review our business practices on a regular basis. Also in the fi nance sector we continuously improve by optimizing accounting and forecasting tools, systems, and processes. For us, this is the only way to be successful in a global market-place and act with credibility and integrity.”Ludger Heuberg

Member of the Executive Board (CFO)

“Securing a long-term, stable, and confl ict-free raw material supply is a key focus for H.C. Starck. We are in a powerful position given our unique recycling capabilities and supply agreements with well-established and certifi ed primary raw material sup-pliers. In May 2012, we received certi-fi cation as a “confl ict-free smelter” from Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) for the second con-secutive time for our Tantalum opera-tions. Using innovative technologies, we are recycling increasing volumes of secondary materials and turning them into high-quality and high-per-

formance technology metals. Far more than half of our raw materials are now secondary materials.”Dr. John van Put

Member of the Executive Board

“To be successful in rapidly evolving markets, we need to continuously evolve our business and look for new opportunities. H.C. Starck’s Fabricated Products business segment continued to apply this strategy successfully in 2012. Our portfolio became more diverse, with a broad mix of core markets and new, technology-driven opportunities. These diverse seg-ments follow different economic cycles, and this presents attractive growth opportunities, despite last year’s vola-tility in technology-driven markets.”Dr. Dmitry Shashkov

Member of the Executive Board

Statements by the Board

STATEMENTS BY THE BOARD | 1 |

|2| OUR BUSINESS STRATEGY

H.C. Starck – a World-leading Manufacturer of High-performance Materials

Our 2,926 employees work across 14 state-of-the art manufacturing sites in Europe, North America, and Asia, and in our international sales offi ces all over the world close to our custom-ers as well as in our headquarters in Munich (Germany) to supply our cus-tomers with advanced metal powders, compounds, semi-fi nished products, and customer-specifi c parts made of Tungsten, Molybdenum, Tantalum, Niobium, Rhenium, and their alloys. Our expertise lies in Advanced Metal

As a leading global manufacturer and developer of key materials for the high-tech industry, we at H.C. Starck are passionate about our business. We are committed to supplying high-quality and innovative materials to technology-driven industries, including the electronics, aerospace, energy, and automotive industries. Our sales reached 862.9 million euros in 2012, achieving the second-best result of the past ten years.

and Ceramic Powders (AMCP), Fabri-cated Products (FPR), and Ceramic Parts and Components (CER). We hold leading market positions for Tanta-lum, Tungsten, and Nickel-Niobium powders as well as for Tantalum sputtering targets in Europe. Since sustainability is at the core of our business, we have made recycling a priority and are currently the global leader in the recycling of technology metals.

H.C. Starck’s History

H.C. Starck was founded in 1920 in Berlin (Germany). Only fi ve years later, in 1925, the company launched its inter-national business with the foundation of H.C. Starck Inc. in New York. In the following decades, the company built up a strong reputation for its unique technology expertise, and fi led its fi rst patents for Tantalum and Niobium powders. In the 1960s and 1970s, H.C. Starck installed modern production facilities for Tungsten and Molybdenum powders. In 1986, Bayer AG acquired H.C. Starck and developed the company for 20 years before changing owner-ship in 2006 to the fi nancial investors Advent International and The Carlyle Group. From 2007 to 2009, H.C. Starck implemented a fully integrated business concept and has since focused on its core competencies in fi ve major technology metals. More information on H.C. Starck’s history is available at www.hcstarck.com/history.

36%Electronics

15%Asia

15%Other

3%Chemical

10%Aerospace & Defense

6%Automotive

12%Energy

18%Industrial

20%North

America

65%Europe

DIVERSIFIED END-MARKETS 2012

H.C. STARCK’S EMPLOYEES 2012

(FULL TIME EQUIVALENT)

OUR BUSINESS STRATEGY | 3|

Our Business Strategy:

High Performance and

Sustainability

At H.C. Starck, high performance and sustainability are the foundations of our success. We think and act long term. The environmental, economic, and social consequences of our actions are at the core of our business and every decision we make. We care about the safety of our employees and the local communities as much as we care about fulfi lling our customers’ needs. For us, high performance and sustain-ability are closely connected and are key elements for success.

We achieve high performance through technology leadership and innova-tion in our products and solutions to enhance the environmental effi ciency of both our own and our customers’ businesses. As a competent develop-ment partner, we are attuned to our customers’ unique requirements and support them in increasing their com-petitive edge while reducing their ecological footprint.

We at H.C. Starck act in a responsible and sustainable manner for the bene-fi t of our employees, our customers, the communities in which we work, and future generations. We purchase raw materials only from confl ict-free

sources and from suppliers with environmentally and socially sound business practices. To minimize the ecological impact of raw materials extraction, we have made the recy-cling of complex and potentially hazardous secondary materials an integral part of our business. Using highly innovative processes, we cur-rently obtain about half of our raw materials from in-house recycling, more than any other company in the industry. It is our goal to continue to fi nd solutions to continuously reduce our ecological footprint, to act in a socially responsible way, and to remain a successful, sustainable business in the long run.

SarniaColdwaterEuclidNewton

GoslarCalne

MunichHeadquarters

HermsdorfSelb

MitoTaicang

GanzhouJoint Venture

Map Ta Phut

MinamataJoint Venture

MANUFACTURING SITES AND HEADQUARTERS 2012

Laufenburg

|4| OUR PRODUCTS

Our Products Serve High Tech Applications and Enable Global Megatrends

Solar panels, tablet computers, and medical imaging machines – most technological innovations rely on advanced materials for their perfor-mance. As a leading global supplier of advanced materials, we help our customers grow at the high speed of global megatrends: miniaturization and faster data processing in the elec-tronics industry, high-performance requirements, clean technologies, and increasing energy effi ciency as well as scarcity of raw materials. H.C. Starck holds number one and number two market positions in the majority of our relevant market segments. Our main products are based on the fi ve tech-nology metals: Tantalum, Niobium, Tungsten, Molybdenum, and Rhenium.

H.C. Starck processes technology metals to high-performance powders and customized components.

Through our profound knowledge in materials technology and pro-cesses, we are also a premier supplier of thermal spray powders, off ering standard and customized solutions for a whole range of products and services along the entire value chain, from powders to complete coatings. We work closely with original equip-ment manufacturers (OEMs) and manufacturers of spraying systems in our research and development to achieve the highest standards as well as a reliable supply of products.

Our ceramics product program, rang-ing from ceramic powders to high- quality ceramic fabricated products, constitutes another important pillar of our business. Our product line also includes nonferrous metals such as Boron and Boron products. As an inno-vative and quality-driven materials supplier, we view our customers as our partners in developing customized solution for challenging business needs.

In the past two years, we have taken several important steps to expand our product line to serve our customers through changing times. In Asia, we

Al2O3

ALUMINUM OXIDE

Al2TiO5

ALUMINUM TITANATE

Si3N4

SILICON NITRIDE

AMPERSINT®ATOMIZED METAL POWDERS

AND ALLOYS

NbNIOBIUM

41

SiC

SILICON CARBIDE

ZrO2

ZIRCONIUM OXIDE

AMPERIT®

SPRAY POWDERS

MoMOLYBDENUM

42

WTUNGSTEN

74

ReRHENIUM

75

TaTANTALUM

73

Additives in lenses for digital cameras

High-capacitance materials for smartphones and tablet PCs

Surface coating powders for aircraft and industrial gas turbines

Sputtering targets for production of fl at panel displays

Wear-resistant materials for drilling and mining

founded two joint ventures: one with the Jiangxi Rare Metals Tungsten Holding Group Co. Ltd. (JXTC), one of the largest Chinese operators of Tungsten mines. The plant will start operations at the end of 2013 and will then have the capacity to supply several thousand tons of high-quality Tungsten products predominantly for the Chinese market. In Japan, we entered a joint venture with the chemical company Japan New Chisso Corp. to develop and produce cath-ode material that will be used in high-performance lithium-ion batteries, like those in hybrid and electric vehi-cles, as well as in battery packs to store energy, such as those used for wind and solar power systems.

We will continue to focus on and expand our recycling activities where we have acquired unique know-how and competencies in complex processes. As the industry leader in the recycling of technology metals, H.C. Starck is well positioned to become a strategic partner for an increasing number of growth indus-tries committed to sustainability.

SELECTED HIGH-TECH APPLICATIONS

OUR PRODUCTS | 5|

Our products are the key for the manufacture of LED that are an integral part of everyday life.

|6| SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

H.C. Starck’s Strategic North Pole

What influences us?

Five global megatrends

H.C. Starck’s growth in specifi c end-markets is driven by fi ve global megatrends:

> Miniaturization is driving the demand for smaller and more power-ful electronic components. Our high- and ultra-high-capacitance Tantalum powders, for instance, make ever smaller capacitors possible.

> The increase in high-performance requirements such as superior wear, corrosion resistance, and material properties for cutting tools, and high-

precision applications is met, for instance, by our nanoscale Tungsten carbide powders.

> The increase in high-speed and mobile data processing requires reliable and high-performance mate-rials, which our Tantalum (for semicon-ductors) and Molybdenum/Niobium (for LCD and OLED fl at panel displays/sputtering targets) enable.

> The growing trend towards clean technologies and energy effi ciency is driving the demand for high-perfor-mance materials that maximize energy storage and generation. We meet this trend with Molybdenum

sputtering targets and Silicon nitrides used to manufacture thin fi lm solar cells; ceramic components used for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC); crucibles and hot zones used for the LED pro-duction; and cathode materials for high-performance Lithium-ion batter-ies for the electric and hybrid vehicle market.

> A growing scarcity of raw materials is increasing the exploitation of raw materials in ever more challenging environments, driving the need for improved recycling technologies we already off er.

Attractive and fair

working environmentOur highest priority is to ensure the health and safety of our employees. We are strongly committed to both the personal and profes-sional development of our employees. We leverage our culture based on engagement and ownership of all as well as on inspiring leadership. As a global player, diversity is an important success factor for our company.

5

Continuous growthWe are the industry forerunner, enabling global megatrends and expanding our presence in all markets. We pursue growth projects and seek new business opportunities at every turn.

1

6Supply securityWe provide secure and sustainable access to scarce materials and prod-ucts. We enter partnerships with credible suppliers, actively develop-ing new raw material sources along with promoting and enabling mate-rial reuse through recycling.

Market and techno-

logical leadershipWe lead the market in size and technological competence. We strive to be “Number 1” through better processes, products, services, and through strategic partnerships.

2

Customer valueWe provide high-performance materials and products tailored to meet customer demands. We are a reliable and preferred business partner. We know the value we generate for our customers – and are rewarded for it.

3

How do we get there?

By living our strategy

We at H.C. Starck live our strategy. Our businesses are pursuing strategies in line with our strategic principles. In our Tungsten business, our Chinese joint venture will ensure that we are a leading supplier for the growing Chinese market. By debottlenecking our Goslar and Sarnia facilities, we generate economies of scale in Europe and North America mainly through recycling. In our Tantalum business, we secure confl ict-free raw materials for our Tantalum and Niobium busi-ness. Our Fabricated Products business segment is pursuing several initiatives to ensure we successfully expand into new markets and businesses. We are also running strategic initiatives to align our processes to these principles, for example our “Lean and Six Sigma” initiatives, our “Vision 2020” project to identify growth opportunities beyond current strategies, and our eff orts to improve our leadership and culture.

Where are we?

The H.C. Starck story

We enable our customers to increase the performance of their products both reliably and sustainably:

> by designing and providing advanced materials with unique physi-cal, chemical, and mechanical char-acteristics tailored to customer needs, our customers can produce high- performance products; and

> by providing sustainable, reliable, and effi cient access to otherwise scarce materials, based on excellent primary raw material access, and unique material processing and recy-cling capabilities.

We are confi dent that our work, our materials, our products and our services will play an increasingly impor tant role in the future. We also observe total cost of ownership by targeting the best possible price/ performance ratio.

Where do we want to be?

H.C. Starck’s principles

We carefully analyzed our strengths and opportunities, and defi ned seven strategic principles that will assist us excel as a business. When the heads of all business lines and corporate functions met with company manage-ment in Munich in June 2012, they presented strategic plans, defi ned business targets, set budgets, and defi ned measures and projects for 2013. The result was a large number of indivi dual principles that add up to one consistent strategy: H.C. Starck is set for growth. A series of steps were taken to create an overall strategy. We ana-lyzed and compared all available infor-mation – such as the company’s goals and guiding principles, the new H.C. Starck leadership principles, and business targets – with current busi-ness unit behavior. Then we took the results into discussions with employees and management. The outcome was seven strategic principles – our strate-gic North Pole.

H.C. Starck’s Corporate Principles

Sustainability and

social responsibilityWe respect nature and society. We have signifi cantly improved energy and emissions effi ciency at our plants and observe the Charter on Confl ict-free Raw Material Procurement. We maximize the positive impact of our products on the quality of life.

7

Excellence in

everything we doWe continuously improve business processes, cost effi ciency, and quality. We are agile in reacting to customer demands, moving materials quickly from source to customer. We always do the right thing and maintain the highest ethical and legal standards.

4

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | 7|

Sustainability Organization and Management Systems

Transparency and Dialogue

Compliance with local, national, and international legal requirements is paramount to us as it constitutes the basis of our successful international business. We rigorously follow and actively support environmental and ethical standards such as Responsible Care®.

Sustainable development and creat-ing value for both business and soci-ety does not happen in a vacuum. It greatly depends on balancing diff er-ent interests and on an ongoing dia-logue between diff erent stakeholder groups. We are committed to engag-ing in this dialogue and consider transparent and immediate informa-tion as essential for all stakeholders but especially for our neighbors who live next to our production sites.

Strategic Approach

on Sustainability

The best sustainability governance policy only works when it is supported by eff ective structures that are imple-mented on all levels and in all regions of the organization. The core of our governance structure consists of an effi cient management system, stan-

dardized guidelines, and an integrated organizational sustainability structure. Our standards, such as our Code of Conduct, apply to all employees and sites in our worldwide operations. Regional action programs that focus on special local requirements supple-ment our corporate governance structures.

Our concern for sustainability encom-passes the entire supply chain from quarries to suppliers and customers. Our actions are structured around the areas: compliance, products, employ-ees, environment, and society. To be transparent in our eff orts and to allow for continuous improvement, we report and publish our sustainability performance annually.

Reliable Management Systems

We are dedicated to the highest levels of quality and safety. As proof of our commitment to achieving the desired results on a consistent and measur-able basis, H.C. Starck has successfully passed all audits required for the ISO matrix certifi cation in 2012. For the fi rst time in 2012, we sought and achieved certifi cation according to the international quality management standard ISO 9001 and the inter-

“We are creating value for all our stakeholders and

by doing so we aim to increase our corporate value.

All our business units and operations actively work

toward these goals.”

Quality

DIN ISO 9001

Environmental

DIN ISO 14001

Aviation

DIN ISO 9100

Energy

DIN ISO 50001

Occupational

Safety

OHSAS 18001

Laboratory

Accreditation

DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025

Responsible Supply

Chain Management

H.C. STARCK

GROUP MANAGEMENT

Medical

Technology

DIN ISO 13485

Dr. Andreas Meier, Chairman of the Executive Board (President and CEO)

|8| SUSTAINABILITY ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

national environmental management standard ISO 14001 not only for our headquarters but also for all locations worldwide.

In addition to the ISO certifi cations, the H.C. Starck Group has implemented a Responsible Supply Chain Manage-ment System (RSCM) based on inter-national standards. This system ensures that the procurement of raw materials for H.C. Starck’s global production is carried out in a socially and ethically responsible manner. We hire indepen-

dent, internationally accredited certi-fi cation organizations to evaluate our management systems according to objective and verifi able criteria.

Continuous Improvements

Our goal is to continually improve our processes and systematically evaluate our progress using meaningful and measurable performance indicators. Since we value the expertise and know-how of our employees, we wel-come their ideas and suggestions

for improvements. In 2009, H.C. Starck initiated the fi rst project aimed at continuous improvements of our busi-ness processes in Euclid (USA).

Since then, many locations and offi ces around the world have followed suit and have improved considerably the quality, productivity, safety, availabil-ity, profi tability, and customer satis-faction at their sites. The diff erent techniques used to accomplish these results fall into the three categories “Lean Manufacturing” with Kaizen as an important component, “Theory of Constraints,” and “Six Sigma.”

H.C. Starck’s continuous improvement processes have been acknowledged with a number of industry awards; the Best Factory Award (2011) for our pro-duction site in Calne (UK), the Sony Green Partner Award for our produc-tion site in Coldwater (USA), the Oro Gold Supplier Award 2011, the Blue Stone Award 2011, and the Evolution of Manufacturing Award 2011 and 2012 for our production site in Euclid (USA) among them.

To further increase effi ciency, H.C. Starck started several IT initiatives in 2012. The project OneIT is a com-pany-wide initiative aiming at improv-ing and unifying its information sys-tems. A master plan for the next three years was developed in 2012, out-lining the most important projects regarding business-critical and inter-nal IT processes. One employee per site is involved in the project to ensure that all relevant issues are addressed.

AMCP FPR Other

Executive BoardChairman of the Executive Board (President and CEO)

Steering Committee

Sustainability

Head of Sustainability ManagementHead of Corporate Communications

Group Functions

AMCP Advanced Metal and Ceramic Powders FPR Fabricated Products

SUSTAINABILITY ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS | 9|

SUSTAINABILITY ORGANIZATION

Compliance and Raw Material Procurement

Our raw materials procurement policy is determined by two strategic princi-ples: we strive to continuously expand our recycling activities to minimize the use of resources and we only pur-chase raw materials from confl ict-free certifi ed suppliers and suppliers who are in line with the requirements of our Responsible Supply Chain Manage-ment.

Responsible Supply Chain

Management

Responsible Supply Chain Manage-ment (RSCM) is an integral part of our procurement policy. H.C. Starck was the fi rst company in the industry to develop a comprehensive supply chain management system in August 2009. Our goal was to secure a competitive procurement process while ensuring that we buy only from suppliers that act responsibly in the areas of envi-ronmental protection, occupational

safety, and social accountability. The RSCM was created in cooperation with the independent auditors URS and Connexis. Its global implemen-tation has been reviewed by BUREAU VERITAS. The RSCM applies to H.C. Starck’s entire purchasing system across all business units and regions and, in addition, to all suppliers includ-ing mining companies, trading com-panies, slag suppliers, and smelters. It fulfi lls the requirements of a man-agement system standard, as required by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Conflict-free Smelter

With our procurement policy, we fully support the position of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to avoid the use of ores and metals that fi nance or benefi t armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or in neighboring coun-tries. As a result of our commitment, H.C. Starck has established a Tantalum supply chain that has been certifi ed “confl ict-free” and was granted the status as a “Confl ict-free Smelter” by the EICC and the Global e-Sustain-ability (GeSI) in 2012 for the second

In our procurement policy,

we do not compromise

even when facing global

challenges such as scarce

resources, strict export

quotas, price volatility,

and confl ict minerals.

We are committed to

ethical and responsible

sourcing.

|10 | CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

CORPORATE COMPLIANCE |11|

time. The supply chain for Tungsten is currently in the process of being cer-tifi ed. H.C. Starck is a founding mem-ber of the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA). We are also adhere to section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act pertain-ing to “Confl ict Minerals” and its regu-lations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This law refers to Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten, and Gold as “confl ict minerals,” independent of whether or not they are actually sourced through confl ict-free supply chains. As we process two of those metals, namely Tantalum and Tung-sten, we are committed to actively support our customers with their dili-gence and disclosure requirements regarding a confl ict-free supply chain by the SEC regulations.

Responsible Procurement of

Raw Materials

Even though the supply of raw mate-rials overall is stable and suffi cient,

several factors cause volatility in price, availability, and instability. To meet these challenges and secure a stable and, fi rst and foremost, responsible supply, H.C. Starck has implemented diff erent strategies for diff erent mate-rials according to their specifi c risks and challenges. A challenge associ-ated with many raw materials but especially with Tantalum, Tungsten,

and Molybdenum, is the price vola-tility. In the procurement of Tantalum in particular we pay special attention to its source of origin. All H.C. Starck Tantalum processing sites in the United States, Germany, Japan, and Thailand are regularly audited by the indepen-dent organization EICC to ensure they meet the requirements for processing confl ict-free raw materials.

Regarding Tungsten, we have a bespoke approach. We obtain more than half the Tungsten needed in our global production from recycling, which makes us one of the largest Tungsten recyclers worldwide. This is especially important since China, the largest producer of Tungsten, has restricted the export of many natural resources including Tungsten. Molyb-denum is currently sourced mainly from North and South America. In addition, a large part of the Molyb-denum needed for production is sourced through our recycling processes.

80%audited Tantalum suppliers in 2012 (2011: 75%)

Corporate Code of Conduct

H.C. Starck operates worldwide with the goal of increasing value for all stakeholders. This goal is embedded in the general framework of our corporate conduct, including legal parameters, social responsibility, responsible care, sustainable environmental protection, production and product safety, high productivity, optimal economic effi ciency, and customer orientation. Our business practices are in line with the legal systems of the countries and regions in which we operate, with the antitrust principles, and with the ethical standards that the company and its employees respect in Germany and abroad. Our Code of Conduct covers particularly important areas of responsibility for our employees. It encourages employees to seek advice when in doubt. Supervisors and specialized departments are available to give counsel.

Product Innovation and Quality

We are constantly striving to improve customer satisfaction by optimizing our production processes as well as the quality of our products and their reliable delivery.

Innovation through Research

and Development

The challenges we encounter in the global marketplace require real inno-vation for sustainable success. This is why we have made research and development a priority. Our product portfolio is geared towards dynamic growth markets and allows our cus-tomers to benefi t from global mega-trends such as renewable energy, miniaturization, and our innovations

enable our customers to develop cutting-edge technology products.

More than 165 employees at H.C. Starck’s facilities around the world work on developing new materials, products, and innovative applications for the future. They collaborate closely with our customers’ technology experts, renowned universities, and research institutes to incorporate the latest scientifi c fi ndings into real-world applications.

All new products and processes are thoroughly tested and modifi ed according to customer specifi cations. H.C. Starck holds more than 900 pat-ents and an additional 900 patent

The consistently high

quality of our products

and services is the key to

our success. H.C. Starck

employs an array of certi-

fi ed systems to ensure

our materials are uniform-

ly consistent, standard-

ized, well suited for further

processing, and pure.

The European REACH regulation (EG 1907/2006) concerning the registration, evaluation, approval, and restric-tion of chemicals came into force on June 1, 2007. It is intended to improve the level of protection and safety for human health and the environment through identifi cation of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances.Manufacturers and importers are required to gather information on the properties of their chemical sub-stances, which will allow their safe handling, and to register the information in a central database run by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). REACH provisions are being phased-in over 11 years.

REACH REGISTRATION

2013 +37 substances

242010 substances

|12 | SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

applications worldwide, ranging from advanced high-tech materials to process-controlled production, cus-tomer-specifi c product solutions, and innovative recycling processes.

Renewable Energy: Solutions

for the Photovoltaic Industry

Energy supply is one of the most important problems the world faces. Renewable energy sources are one answer to limited resources. Photovol-taic, wind power, and fuel cell tech-nology are true growth markets with high potential for innovation. For these markets, H.C. Starck off ers inno-vative product solutions that assist in the collection and storage of renew-able energy, and that help improve energy effi ciency. Our Molybdenum sputtering targets are used as coat-ing materials for back contacts in thin-fi lm solar cells. Their superior density, optimized metallic microtexture, and individual design options enable a longer target life, making them an ideal response to the increased pres-sure to reduce manufacturing costs.

Our Molybdenum is used in applica-tions such as wind turbine heat sinks. With our special ceramic and metallic materials and components, we are

also involved in extending the appli-cations for fuel cells. With our metic-ulously assembled hot zones used to grow sapphire crystals for the manu-facture of LEDs we help to develop the market for this lighting technology that has fewer emissions, more energy effi ciency, and extremely long service life.

High-Performance Applications:

Wear-Resistant, Precise, Safe

Technology metals from H.C. Starck are in particularly high demand for high-performance applications, many of which would not be feasible with-out these metals’ special physical and chemical properties. H.C. Starck sup-plies ultra-fi ne Tungsten powder for very heavy-duty drilling and cutting tools, and Molybdenum sputtering targets with a special metallic texture for large fl at-screen televisions.

Our materials can be found in many key technologies. For example, they are helping to locate and extract valu-able raw materials thousands of feet underwater. Tungsten carbide from H.C. Starck makes drill bits extremely hard-wearing, while critical sections of drill pipe can be protected against corrosion and wear with H.C. Starck

spray powders, for longer durability and thus higher operating effi ciency. Tungsten-based components from H.C. Starck also enhance the reliability, precision, and safety of radiology devices, guiding X-ray beams accu-rately and contributing signifi cantly to diagnostic certainty.

Miniaturization:

Smaller, Faster, More Capable

Ever smaller electronic devices are expected to perform ever more func-tions with ever greater data volumes. This requires high-capacity electronic storage material like our patented ultra-high-capacity Tantalum powder, which allows capacitors to be made ever smaller. One gram of powder has over ten square meters of surface, to store huge amounts of electrical charge. Modern communication devices like smartphones and tablet PCs profi t from this material. The latest analytical technology permits new materials that can be used in a wide range of innovative technologies. For example, Niobium Pentoxide in inter-changeable lenses makes them lighter while enabling better performance in digital single lens refl ex cameras and mirrorless system cameras.

Tantalum capacitors on 1 cent coin

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS | 13 |

Conservation of Resources through Consistent Recycling

We focus on the continuous improve-ment of our products and processes to reduce the potential risks and nega-tive impacts on the environment, the safety and health of our employees, and the people living close to our pro-duction sites. We achieve these goals by increasing our recycling activities, by focusing on effi cient energy man-agement at all production sites, and by minimizing any risks associated with our operations. H.C. Starck’s environ-mental, health, and safety performance is constantly monitored by key perfor-mance indicators. We strive to improve our performance continuously.

Raw material supply strategy

Our raw materials supply strategy rests on two pillars: on long-term contracts with well-established mines and on the continuous expansion of our recycling activities. H.C. Starck is one of the global leaders in the recycling of high-quality technology metals. Our recycling expertise combined with closed-loop processes is an integral element of our commitment to conserve resources and protect the environment. They are at the heart of our corporate philosophy that has sustainability as a key principle. All our employ-ees are committed to continually improve the initia-tives leading to increase environmental protection. We support these by providing information and intensive training.

Example:

Optimizing the use of

compressors for the generation

of compressed air

Following the optimization of the operating schedule of machines to generate compressed air at our site in Goslar (Germany), we are able to use the waste heat emanating from the compressors. This will result in considerable energy savings. The energy that has been captured by a heat recovery system will be directed to its intended location by an intelligent control system and is subsequently used to heat up buildings or to heat the water for the additional heating systems.

Recycling and environ-

mental protection is part

of our business strategy.

We receive about half of

our raw materials from

in-house recycling, which

is among the highest rate

in the industry.

1

2

|14 | ENVIRONMENT

Example:

Reducing energy use through

optimized technological pro-

cesses in the APT production

(Ammonium Paratungstate)

The gradual conversion of our production method from vaporization crystallization to direct extraction from solids resulted in a signifi cant reduction in the use of natural gas at our production site in Goslar, Germany. Because of a sharp decline in vapor needed for the process, the amount of gas necessary also decreased by 25 percent. Rigorous vertical process controls within the production process contributed to further energy savings.

3 4 5

Example:

Niobium and Tantalum

from wastewater

Residues from wastewater treatment at our pro-duction site in Goslar (Germany), containing residual Tantalum are recycled at our site in Laufenburg (Germany). By doing so, several tons of Tantalum and Niobium are recovered annually through inter-nal processes. External recycling companies are commissioned to recycle additional materials that are not part of H.C. Starck’s core production so that up to 10 percent of the overall production by-products and residues are shipped to recycling facilities to reclaim usable materials.

Example:

New Hydrogen supply system

reduces the environmental

impact at our site in Goslar by

60 percent

In our overall concept for environmentally friendly production processes, we at H.C. Starck always con-sider our supply systems as well. As part of a pres-tigious project carried out by one of our renowned suppliers for industrial gas, we converted our Hydrogen supply system in Goslar from a 200 bar high-pressure gas tube trailer supply to a 500 bar gas tube trailer supply. This conversion resulted in a sustainable 60 percent reduction in the environ-mental impact caused by Hydrogen transport.

Ore mining

Power

stations

Energy Heat

recovery

23

Air

emissions

CustomersRaw materials

WastewaterFresh water Waste

Disposal

Products

Recycling of

valuable materials (direct and through the recycling market)

4

1

ENVIRONMENT | 15 |

5

them with opportunities for profes-sional growth.

Its tasks include coordinating the com-pany-wide activities as well as increas-ing the transparency of HR processes by answering the following questions:

> How do we position ourselves as an attractive employer?

> How do we fi nd and recruit the technicians and business leaders of tomorrow?

> How do we develop, challenge, and encourage our employees to retain them in the long term?

As of December 31, 2012

the H.C. Starck Group

employed 2,926 people

(2011: 2,816 people) world-

wide. A key factor in

ensuring our long-term

success is our skilled and

committed employees.

Therefore we place a special focus on several kinds of development measures, e.g. training and continu-ous education, on our corporate cul-ture, and on health and occupational safety. In addition we made leader-ship a priority of our company-wide development activities.

Talent Management:

Our Employees are Key to Success

Our talent management team is at the center of our eff orts to attract and retain employees while providing

Investing in People: Ensuring Long-term Success with Our Employees

H.C. Starck Sales Academy

We launched the H.C. Starck Sales Academy in October 2012 for all our sales personnel world-wide with the aim to develop and align a consistent sales culture focused on value-based selling and on aligning our sales organization. This is an out-standing example of our contin-uous eff orts in developing our capabilities as a company.

Talent

Manage-

ment

SuccessionManagement

Learning and Development

Performance Management

Attraction andSelection

Our overall goal is to place the right employee with the right abilities in the right position. In order to do so, the talent management team concentrates on four core areas.

|16 | WORKPLACE AND EMPLOYEES

Leading with All Our Senses

We have made the continuous devel-opment of highly professional and competent leaders one of our top priorities. Positive leadership behavior increases the commitment and engagement of all employees and contributes to securing our long-term success. In order to ensure a common leadership culture our senior manage-ment has developed a set of leader-ship principles applicable to all leaders within our company. A three-dimen-sional leadership model was the result: rational, emotional, practical.

We aim to continuously improve our leadership capabilities and fi rmly establish our leadership culture among our leaders. We introduced a leader-ship feedback process based on these principles. Our goal is to foster indi-vidual self-refl ection and development as well as to establish an open feed-back culture based on trust and mutual understanding.

we also conduct intensive training to raise awareness of potential hazards and to minimize risks. We have inten-sifi ed these eff orts with a series of special health and safety events in several locations.

These worldwide initiatives have deliv-ered tangible results: The H.C. Starck production site in Euclid (USA) cele-brated 1 million working hours with-out any downtime due to incidents in 2012. In Calne (UK) we reached the important milestone of fi ve years of continuous operations without any accidents. The wastewater treatment facility in Goslar (Germany) and the Amperit production site in Laufenburg (Germany) also had reason to cele-brate: It accomplished the goal of working 5,000 days without accidents, which amounts to 13 years and 251 days.

LEADING WITH ALL OUR SENSES

rational emotional practical

2010 2011 2012

NumberAccidents worldwide

Number of in-service HS training for HCST employees

20 15 23

7,820 6,211 8,203Number

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAININGS

> How do we increase the perfor-mance of all of our employees and thus the performance of the whole company?

WORKPLACE AND EMPLOYEES | 17 |

Health and Safety

We want our employees to be as healthy and safe as possible and have issued comprehensive Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) guidelines for all of H.C. Starck’s locations. We strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of international agreements regarding health, safety, environment, and quality.

Our participation in the Responsible Care® initiative further demonstrates our commitment to health and safety. In addition to regular inspections and risk assessments at all our locations,

H.C. Starck is dedicated

to playing a positive and

active role in the societies

in which we do business.

We focus on having a

strong local presence at

our production sites

worldwide and on con-

tributing to the develop-

ment and growth of our

industry.

This entails supporting young people in their education and in their profes-sional aspirations, fostering the dia-logue between science, business, and society, and to be actively involved in our professional networks.

H.C. Starck Supports Science

Programs and Young Scientists

We at H.C. Starck are glad to recognize the contributions made by the next generation of excellent scientists. Dr. Saskia Stegmaier from the Tech-nical University, Munich (Germany), and Dr. Matthias Kellermeier from the University of Regensburg (Germany) were awarded in 2012 with the H.C. Starck prize for their outstanding PhD theses. The prize is endowed with 5,000 euros to support young and promising scientists in the areas of solid-state chemistry and material sci-ence. The winners are selected by an independent jury from the Society of German Chemists (GDCh).

To foster the dialogue between scien-tists, practitioners, politicians, and business experts, H.C. Starck spon-sored the conference on metallurgy in March 2012 in Goslar, Germany. Twenty experts gave speeches and presentations about energy effi ciency,

recycling, EU-wide and national poli-cies, and their consequences for the processing of technology metals. H.C. Starck was repeatedly mentioned as a role model and innovator in the presentations not only for our advanced recycling technologies and practices but also for our certifi ed supply chain for the procurement of Tantalum.

Interesting Students in Science

and Supporting Them in Their

Career Choices

H.C. Starck counts on the next gen-eration and wants to support young people in their professional aspira-tions. “The national unemployment rate in the US is at 8 percent, but highly skilled jobs in manufacturing, health care, and research, among others, are vacant,” says Chuck Wood, Process Engineer at the Coldwater site. This is why he invited chemistry students from Hillsdale Academy, a local high school, for a tour of the H.C. Starck Coldwater site. The tour took place on October 22, 2012 and is planned again for 2013.

Society and Community Engagement

|18 | CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY

CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY | 19 |

theoretical part and the practical part are coordinated in a way that is con-ducive to fostering a deeper under-standing of the pro cesses involved in automation, energy systems, informa-tion technology, and communication systems. The nine-semester program is an ideal preparation for a position in the chemical or electronics industry.

Special Events for Children as well

as Social and Environmental

Causes

H.C. Starck organized a summer party in Goslar, Germany, with an array of games and attractions for the young-est members of society. The parents had the opportunity to be tested to fi nd out whether they are potential donors for a bone marrow transplant for a child with cancer in the commu-nity. A total of 155 parents were tested in addition to the many H.C. Starck

employees who had volunteered to do so at two prior events.

In Thailand, H.C. Starck donated toys, stationery, and snacks to a school to support the children’s education. In Canada, H.C. Starck conducted a fundraiser for the non-profi t United Way that fosters community involve-ment. The employees collected and donated 2,520 Canadian dollars, sur-passing the goal of 2,000 Canadian dollars they had set. In Prasae Cove in Thailand, H.C. Starck planted a new mangrove forest to provide a refuge for aquatic animals and to counter coastal erosion. H.C. Starck employees also participated in a beach-cleaning event and collected plastic bottles, bags, and other debris.

H.C. Starck aims both at supporting the primary school teachers with engaging teaching aids and inspiring young children to develop a lasting interest in science and the natural world.

Employee Donation Program 2011

In March 2011, an earthquake hit the northeast of Japan, and H.C. Starck employees immediately started a worldwide donation program to support their colleagues. The company management doubled the fi nal donation sum, so that a check for JPY 16 million was handed over to the H.C. Starck employees in Mito. Part of the donation was spent on repairing their damaged houses. Out of responsibility to the local community, employees at H.C. Starck Japan decided to donate the majority, JPY 11.47 million, to the local Ashinaga Foundation that takes care of children who lost their parents due to the earthquake or the tsunami.

In Laufenburg, Germany, children between 12 and 16 years of age were invited to H.C. Starck’s training lab in August 2012 where they produced everyday products using simple chemical processes. H.C. Starck has been off ering open lab days in Laufenburg for 12 years and plans to continue to do so. In Goslar, Germany, H.C. Starck provided chemistry sets and protective clothing for primary school children at the Sudmerberg School to foster their interest in sci-ence. The partnership between the primary school and H.C. Starck aims to support the primary school teachers with engaging teaching aids, a project idea developed by the German industry association “ChemieNord”

and by the University of Bremen. In Goslar, Germany, more than three dozen high school students partici-pated in the “future day” at our offi ces, where they learned about possible training and specialization at H.C. Starck.

Practical Training to Supplement

University Studies

H.C. Starck and the Ostfalia University have joined forces to off er a com-bined occupational training and uni-versity education program, which simultaneously leads to the qualifi ca-tions of “Certifi ed Electrician for Auto-mation Technology” and of “Bachelor of Engineering.” The contents of the

|20 | FACTS AND FIGURES

*1 Number of state-certifi ed trainees at the sites of Goslar, Laufenburg, Selb, and Hermsdorf (education model in Germany). Selb and Goslar off er commercial traineeships.

*2 Defi nition: electricity => 0.166 t CO2/GJ => 597.6 g/kWh (0.166 = factor defi ned by German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) in 2005*3 Defi nition: natural gas => 0.057 t CO2/GJ; fuel oil => 0.074 t CO2/GJ*4 Gases: Argon, Nitrogen (N2), Hydrogen (H2), and others (mostly Oxygen (O2))*5 Greenhouse gases complete: Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Perfl uorocarbons (PFC), halogenated Fluorocarbons (HFC) and Sulfur

Hexafl uoride (SF6) + CO2 direct

Business Data 2011 2012

Sales EUR million 883.2 862.9

Production quantity Tons 41,231 38,640

Research and development expenses Percent of sales 2.06 2.52

Employee Statistics 2011 2012

Employees (full time equivalent) Number 2,855 2,954

Employees: female Number (percent) 538 (18.8) 558 (18.9)

Employees: temporary contracts Number (percent) 171 (6.0) 208 (7.0)

Employees: temporary contracts, female Number (percent) 27 (15.8) 30 (14.4)

Germany: state-certifi ed trainees (commercial/industrial)*1 Number 100 (22/78) 136 (26/110)

Employees under 20 years Number (percent) 12 (0.4) 7 (0.2)

21–30 years Number (percent) 451 (15.8) 469 (15.9)





n.a. Number (percent) 3 (0.1) 3 (0.1)

Days away from work (DAW) Number 286 494

Accident rate (employee per million working hours) MAQ 3.00 3.13

Severity rate USQ 57 97

Fatal accidents Number 0 0

Total number of regular occupational health checkups Number 2,294 2,545

Number of fi rst aid trainings Number 313 258

Environmental Statistics 2011 2012

Total amount of wastewater m3 2,621,455 2,302,198

Inorganic salts in wastewater effl uents t 13,330 11,781

Sum of metals in wastewater effl uents t 8 9

Waste total t 37,353 42,654

Total non-hazardous waste t 28,147 33,335

Total hazardous waste t 9,206 9,319

Recycling rate (inhouse waste) Percent 30 39

Total electricity GJ 775,485 831,374

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) indirect *2 t 128,730 138,008

Total natural gas and fuel oil *3 GJ 969,030 904,735

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) direct t 55,608 51,944

Total steam GJ 351,005 348,614

Total water BU (drinking, cooling, industrial, and deionized water) m3 4,764,183 5,008,392

Total technical gases *4 m3 27,329,796 27,637,298

Air emissions: dust emissions t 8 13

Greenhouse gases complete *5 t 57,387 60,081

GRI INDEX | 21|

In our sustainability reporting we commit ourselves to Level B following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 3.1 guidelines. H.C. Starck’s Sustainability Steering Committee defi ned the report content following the GRI process

determining materiality. The report covers the business operations of H.C. Starck and its entities in 2011 and 2012. The complete GRI Index and the GRI Certifi cate are avail-able online: http://www.hcstarck.com/sustainability.

Excerpt of GRI Reporting

Strategy and Analysis

1.1 Statement from the Board p. 1

1.2 Key impacts, risks, opportunities p. 6–7

Organizational Profi le

2.1 Name of the organization H.C. Starck GmbH

2.2 Brands, products, services p. 2–4

2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8

Operational structure, headquarters, countries, markets, scale

p. 2–3, 8–9, 20

2.6 Ownership and legal form Opus Investment S.à.r.l. is the parent company of the group. The company is owned by The Carlyle Group and Advent International

2.10 Awards Please visit our GRI Index online

Report Parameters: please visit the detailed GRI Index online for information regarding indicators 3.1–3.10

Governance, Commitments, and Engagement: please see pages 6–9 and GRI Index online for further information regarding indicators 4.1– 4.14.

Strategy and Profi le

Economic Performance Indicators

MA Management approach p. 10–11

EC 1 Economic value generated p. 20

EC 4, 5, 7, 8 Financial assistance from government, wage ratios, local hiring, infrastructure investments

Please visit our GRI Index online

Environmental Performance Indicators


EN 3, 4, 8, 16, 22, 23, 24

Direct and indirect energy consumption, water withdrawal, greenhouse gas emissions, weight of waste, signifi cant spills, waste

p. 20

EN 18, 26 Initiatives to reduce GHG emissions, initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts p. 14–15

EN 20 NOx, SOx, and other air emissions Please visit our GRI Index online

EN 28 Fines and sanctions Please visit our GRI Index online

Social Performance Indicators

Labor Practices and Decent Work


LA 1 Workforce by employment type p. 20

LA 5 Minimum notice period(s) Please visit our GRI Index online

LA 7, 8 Rates of injury, number of work-related fatalities, programs on health and safety p. 17, p. 20, please visit our GRI Index online

LA 13, 14 Employees according to indicators of diversity, ratio of salary of men to women p. 20, please visit our GRI Index online

Human Rights


HR 3, 4, 6, 7 Training on human rights, incidents of discrimination, child labor, forced labor Please visit our GRI Index online

Society

MA Management approach p. 10–11, 18–19

SO 1 Programs to assess impacts on communities Each of our sites is engaged in social projects. For examples see p. 18–19

SO 2, 5 Anti-corruption, public policy positions and lobbying Please visit our GRI Index online

SO 7, 8 Anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, monopoly practices, non-compliance No incidents registered during reporting period

Product Responsibility


PR 1 Assessment of health and safety impacts Please visit our GRI Index online

PR 3 Product and service information Material Safety Data Sheets: www.hcstarck.com/en/products/products_a-z.html

PR 5, 6, 8 Customer satisfaction, marketing standards, customer privacy Please visit our GRI Index online

Performance Indicators

|4| LOREM ISPUM

H.C. Starck GmbH

Landsberger Strasse 94–9880339 Munich/GermanyT +49-89-500-9420F +49-89-500-942-499

Dr. Astrid Görge

Head of Sustainability ManagementT [email protected]

Im Schleeke 78–9138642 Goslar/Germany

Ulrike Reich

Head of Corporate CommunicationsT +49-89-500-942-155 [email protected]

Landsberger Strasse 94–9880339 Munich/Germany

Imprint

Concept, Text and Production Scholz & Friends Reputation

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