OUR COMPANY
Now in its fourth generation, our family-run company is based in Lugano, Switzerland, with additional independent agency locations in Europe and Asia.
Our family-owned company began in the 1940s as the exclusive distributor of Chilean copper to the Italian market.
Over the last seventy years our product line has expanded to include FerroChrome, Pig Iron and Steel related products in various countries.
Through our sales representatives in Germany, Italy, France, the UK and China, we collaborate with raw material
and processing companies in the mineral and metal markets to commercialize its products in key areas across the globe.
1920s
The great grandfather of the current President of the company established the family’s fist industrial activity in Argentina, what later become the largest textile producer in South America. The factory was expropriated by the government under the revolution, which forced the company to re-focus on its existing merchant businesses.
1950s
Most notable was the exclusive agreement to distribute copper produced by Kennekott, the Chilean monopolist of copper production, now owned by Rio Tinto. The company, called ItaSarco, over the years increased sales and controlled a market share of approx. 20% of the entire European market of copper.
1960s
The business was then expanded by the father of the current President who took over the company in 1957, to include sales on the Italian market of asbestos from Canada on behalf of Lake Asbestos. Other important agency agreements included distribution of nickel products of Queensland Nickel in Greenvale (Australia), as well as Ferrochrome from Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe).
1980s
In the 1980s, the leadership of the family was taken over by the current President of the company. His most notable additions to the existing businesses include successful exclusive partnership agreements for the sale of Carbon and Stainless Steel from South Africa, with ISCOR (now ArcelorMittal) and Middelburg Steel and Alloys (now Columbus Stainless) respectively, becoming the largest exporter of stainless steel products from the African continent.
1990s
An exclusive distribution agreement of High Carbon Ferrochrome produced by Mineral Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) was signed and is still in place today, confirming Chromiumtrade’s longstanding relationship with Zimbabwe and demonstrating a half century leadership as the largest exporter of ferrochrome from Zimbabwe. The successful experience of the Ferrochrome business lead in 1997 to the acquisition of CarboGhise S.p.A., a division of the Coeclerici Group in charge of Basic Pig Iron distribution to industrial companies on the European market.
2000s
The company opened its second office in China, Shanghai, in 2003 to focus on exports of stainless steel from the growing industrial capacity of China’s state-owned companies.
2010s
The 2010s marked a successful period for the company for its stainless steel distribution business, with the signature of a first-of-a-kind partnership agreement with TISCO for the distribution of its stainless steel products on the European markets.
In 2015, together with the Gulf Investment Corp (GIC), an important investment was made in the middle east to own and operate a stainless steel rolling mill based in Bahrain – APL and Z-Mill line, plus finishing service center for coils and sheets.
In 2015, together with the Gulf Investment Corp (GIC), an important investment was made in the middle east to own and operate a stainless steel rolling mill based in Bahrain – APL and Z-Mill line, plus finishing service center for coils and sheets.