Umicore, the Belgian diversified metals and minerals producer [Euronext Brussels:UMI], established a beachhead of sorts on North American shores with the Dec. 17 announcement [PDF] that it had reached an agreement to acquire privately held Imperial Smelting & Refining Co. of Canada Ltd.

Flush with its share of the capital proceeds from the Oct. 29 flotation of Nyrstar on Euronext, “the acquisition of Imperial will provide our group with a market entry into the North American jewelry industry,” commented Dr. Jörg Beuers, head of Umicore’s Jewelry and Electroplating business unit and CEO and Chairman of Allgemeine (Allgemeine Gold-und Silberscheideanstalt AG), of which Umicore owns 90.8%. “In addition to the local production platform we will be able to supply this market with products and services from our Pforzheim plant.”

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