Argor-Heraeus Mint

History of Argor-Heraeus

The company was founded as Argor SA in Chiasso, Switzerland, in 1951 and, for a time, was owned by the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS). In 1999, UBS withdrew and Argor-Heraeus management took full control of the company. It has a range of prestigious shareholders, including Commerzbank International SA and the Austrian Mint.

While still under UBS control, Argor-Heraeus opened their refinery in Mendrisio. In 1998, the refinery was expanded and Argor-Heraeus operations have grown ever since. In 2004, the mint opened offices in Santiago, Chile and constituted a German affiliate, Argor-Heraeus Deutschland. 2006 saw the constitution of a second affiliate, Argor-Heraeus Italia.

2012 marked the completion of a new ancillary Argor-Heraeus plant that enabled the company to double its production. It was also the year that Argor-Heraeus set its sights on a commitment to sustainability, installing one of the region’s largest solar panel and electricity generation systems.