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Johnson Matthey is an international specialty chemicals and sustainable technologies company. Founded in 1817 and headquartered in London, Johnson Matthey has sites and locations in over thirty countries and had over 14k employees in 2020/21. The company is organized into four sectors: clean air, efficient natural resources, health, and new markets. Johnson Matthey is traded on the London stock exchange. Its 2021 annual report and accounts reported £15.7 billion in revenue and £504 million underlying operating profit.
In 1817, Percival Norton Johnson began a gold assaying business in London with just £150 of capital. In 1838, thirteen-year-old George Matthey joined the company as an apprentice. In 1851, he persuaded Johnson to exhibit some of the company's precious metal products at the Great Exhibition and also managed to secure supplies of platinum from Russia. That year, to reward him, Johnson renamed the company to Johnson and Matthey (later shortened to Johnson Matthey). In 1852, Johnson Matthey was appointed assayers to the Bank of England.
The company grew rapidly, and during the 20th century expanded into Asia and North America, including supplying electrocatalysts to the NASA space program. They produced the first emission control catalyst to cut exhaust emissions and moved into the pharmaceutical industry producing platinum-based anticancer drugs. During the 21st century, Johnson Matthey broadened its offering to new sectors and geographies, expanding into China and making several acquisitions.
Johnson Matthey offers a large range of products and services across many sectors:
- Mobile emissions control technologies
- Fuel cells
- Chemical processes and oil and gas
- Hydrogen
- Pharmaceuticals and medical
- Precious metal chemicals
- Precious metal products
- Pgm refining
- Stationary emissions control products
- Medical components
- Battery materials
- Battery systems
- Glass industry products
- Diagnostics for oil, gas, and petrochemical industries
These products and services are utilized by customers across many industries including chemicals, automotive, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and fertilizer, food and beverage, energy generation and storage, and glass.
