History of Hustadmarmor
In 1976, a closer cooperation started with the family-run company Omya AG (formerly Plüss-Staufer AG), who are market leaders in refinery of lime based fillers and pigments. Hustad Kalk og Marmor AS were split into the raw material producer Hustadkalk AS, owned by the Steinsvik family, and the refining company Hustadmarmor AS, of which Hustadkalk AS and Omya AG each had 50% ownership.
In 1979, the decision was made to invest heavily in lime-based pigment as additive in paper manufacturing. Chalk had never been used for this purpose before. The new filler and coating material Hydrocarb was quickly introduced, and from 1985 on the paper industry has become an important customer as it changed over to neutral processes. Gradually the basic idea that ”the more Hydrocarb, the better the product and the less expensive the paper” gained acceptance. Today, 99.8% of the production is for the paper industry and almost all of it is for export.
To ensure the future development and financing of further expansion, Omya AG acquired a 79% ownership share in 1990.
In 2007, Steinsvikfamilen sold their last shares to Omya. Today Omya AG owns 100% of the shares in Hustadmarmor AS.
The portion of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), or liquid marble, in both wood based paper and non-wood based paper grows every year and the future of Hydrocarb looks bright. Basic investments and the refinery process are set for continued growth.
Customer Focus
Constant dialogue with clients around the world is essential for identifying and developing optimal solutions quickly.
