Argor-Heraeus

History of Argor-Heraeus

The company was founded in 1951 as Argor SE. Like other refineries such as Valcambi and Metalor, Argor would eventually come under the ownership of a Swiss bank—in this case, UBS. The acquisition happened in two stages: in 1960, UBS acquired 80% of the shares, and by 1973, it had become the sole shareholder.

Just ten years after its founding, Argor became a member of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). In 1974, Argor SE began trading on the COMEX exchange in the United States. In 1986, the German refinery Heraeus acquired a 25% stake in Argor SE, forming the new company Argor-Heraeus.

In the same year, Argor-Heraeus moved its headquarters from Chiasso to Mendrisio, another Swiss town.

In 1999, UBS withdrew as a shareholder, and in the same year, the German bank Commerzbank International acquired a stake in the refinery. Three years later, the Austrian Mint also bought a share in Argor-Heraeus.

Following all these transformations, Argor-Heraeus was awarded the status of one of five LBMA Good Delivery referees. This program includes the review and approval of membership applications from other refineries and mints seeking entry into the LBMA.

Interesting Facts About the Company

In Numbers – Argor-Heraeus has the capacity to refine over 400 tonnes of gold and over 400 tonnes of silver annually. The company employs over 15,000 people across 40 countries.

What Products Does Argor-Heraeus Offer?

Argor-Heraeus’s product range includes minted and cast gold bars.

For minted investment gold bars, the weights range from 1 to 100 grams. They have a purity of 24 karats and a fineness of .9999. Cast gold bars range from 50 grams up to 400 troy ounces (approximately 12.5 kg). The purity of cast gold bars varies, typically .995, .999, or .9999 fine.

Argor-Heraeus is the only refinery in the world to successfully apply a new technology to its bars: the so-called Kinebar series, featuring a computer-generated image on the reverse side of the bar.

Unlike a standard hologram that uses pixels, Kinegram technology is based on vector images created using nanostructures. These structures reflect light in various colors, serving both as a design element and a security feature.

Gold Kinebars were first produced in 1994, and since 2012 have been available in weights ranging from 1 gram to 100 grams.

Regarding silver products, Argor-Heraeus offers both polished and cast silver bars, which have held the LBMA Good Delivery certification since 1992. Minted silver bars range from 5 to 100 grams in weight. Cast silver bars range from 250 grams to 1,000 troy ounces (31.1 kilograms).

Are Argor-Heraeus Products a Good Investment?

Argor-Heraeus gold and silver bars are produced in accordance with the highest standards of the precious metals market. All refinery products are certified by the London Bullion Market Association.

The Argor-Heraeus gold bars offered by Tavex range from 1 gram to 100 grams. All bars come in sealed plastic packaging that includes a certificate of authenticity. The packaging states the name of the refinery, the purity, and the serial number of the bar.

Another important feature is the “Melter Assayer” stamp. In accordance with Swiss law, every refinery must appoint an official inspector to verify the quality and authenticity of the products.

This is why it’s important to keep the packaging intact and undamaged. If the packaging is broken, scratched, bent, or melted, the bar can no longer be treated as an investment product but only as raw gold.

In that case, the purchase price offered will be significantly lower than if the product were treated as an investment-grade gold bar.

What Certifications Does Argor-Heraeus Offer for Gold and Silver?

1. LBMA – The London Bullion Market Association is the leading trade association for precious metals, representing globally the London market for gold and silver Bullion.
2. Certification ISO Quality Environmental Health & Safety SQS Certification
3. ISO 17025 – Accreditation ISO Analytical Laboratory – Testing laboratory for the determination of the fineness of gold, silver and for the analysis of the precious metal alloys
4. RJC – Responsible Jewellery Council is the world’s leading sustainability standard setting organisation for the jewellery and watch industry.
5. ASM programs
6. LME -The London Metal Exchange (LME) is a futures and forwards exchange in London.
7. SPMC – Swiss Precious Metals Control regulates the trade of raw materials, melting materials and melting products, as well as goods such as watches and jewelry from precious metals.
8. D&B Rating – A key indicator of a company’s financial strength and creditworthiness.
9. COMEX – An abbreviation for The Commodity Exchange. COMEX is the primary futures and options market for trading metals such as gold, silver, copper, and aluminum.

What technologies does Argor-Heraeus use for processing precious metals?

The metallurgical lab at Argor-Heraeus is equipped with advanced technologies to analyze precious metals across the full spectrum of their physical and chemical properties. This scientific precision allows us to optimize material performance.

Why Trust Tavex?

Since 2023, Tavex has been an official partner of the Swiss refinery Argor-Heraeus. The goal of this partnership—and others with mints and refineries we work with—is to offer our clients the widest possible selection of gold and silver investment products.

Our extensive catalog allows us to provide the best market prices, without compromising on the quality of our services. All Argor-Heraeus products we offer are purchased directly from the Swiss manufacturer.