Element Six is a global leader in the design, development and production of synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide supermaterials. Part of the De Beers Group, we employ over 1,500 people. Our primary manufacturing sites are located in the UK, Ireland, Germany, South Africa, and the US.
Since 1946, our focus has been on developing the diamond synthesis process to enable innovative synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide solutions. As well as being the planet’s hardest material, diamond’s extreme and diverse properties give it high tensile strength, chemical inertness, broad optical transmission and very high thermal conductivity.
We strive to deliver extreme performance through the development of cutting-edge synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide solutions.
Our customers are at the core of everything we do. Leveraging our extensive risk management processes, we are committed to working together to minimise supply chain impact arising from the rapidly evolving global geo-political dynamics. A trusted, western supplier of super-hard material solutions, for over seventy years Element Six has pioneered material innovation for products with demanding technological requirements. During this time, we have continued to develop and optimise our proprietary synthesis and sintering platforms, along with our extensive micronising, machining and value add processes, in our global sites across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany and South Africa. To find out more, read our supply chain statement.
De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, the De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, the De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa. As part of the company’s operating philosophy, the people of the De Beers Group are committed to ‘Building Forever’ by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about the De Beers Group, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
Umicore is a global materials technology group focused on materials science, chemistry, and metallurgy. Its activities are centred on four business areas:
Umicore is dedicated to clean technologies like emission control catalysts, materials for rechargeable batteries, photovoltaics, fuel cells, and recycling. Umicore has industrial operations on all continents. It generated a turnover of €11.94 billion in 2017 and currently employs approximately 9,769 people.*
*Source: http://annualreport.umicore.com/media/1517/ar2017annualreviewen.pdf
To learn more about who we are and what we do, click on one of the links below:
Industrial Distributors Ltd. established by Sir Ernest Oppenheimer to concentrate on industrial uses of natural diamonds
Foundation of Diamond Research Laboratory (DRL) in Johannesburg
First successful synthetic diamond synthesis (ASEA - Sweden)
Diamond Research Laboratory (DRL) team synthesised synthetic diamond for the first time in South Africa
Our chairman of the time, Harry Oppenheimer, announces our first successful HPHT diamond synthesis
Opening of Ultra High Pressure Units in Springs, South Africa
Shannon plant established in Ireland - the company's first site outside South Africa
Synthetic saw grit product SDA (saw diamond abrasive) launched
The first large synthetic diamond crystals were grown at the Diamond Research Laboratory
Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) first launched commercially, with a product called Syndie
The first cubic boron nitride (CBN) grit product, ABN, is launched commercially
Our first polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) product, Amborite, is launched commercially
First diamond films produced at our UK facility, using our microwave plasma-enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) synthesis process
First boron doped diamond grade launched
Launch of two new CVD product families tailored for mechanical applications
Diamond Research Laboratory opened in its new location in Springs
First public reporting of outstanding properties of a single crystal CVD diamond
Rebranding of De Beers Industrial Diamonds to Element Six
Single crystal CVD diamond material available
Element Six and speaker manufacturers Bowers & Wilkins launch the first synthetic diamond tweeter dome, providing unrivalled clarity in sound production
Synthetic diamond factory opened in Suzhou, China
The launch of a series of monocrystal products for use in precision industries and applications for wear parts
Business development and customer service office opened in Shanghai
D Power PCD road pick launched in Europe, extending road pick life by up to 40 times
Highest purity CVD diamond used in CERN LHC to support identification of the Higgs boson
Element Six awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation for the development of its synthetic diamond tweeter dome in partnership with Bowers & Wilkins for use in its 800-series of speakers
Walter Hühn appointed CEO
First US CVD development and manufacturing facility opened in Santa Clara, California
Global Innovation Centre opened in Harwell, UK
PCD used to shape the next generation of smart phone in partnership with the world's most successful mobile phone manufacturer
The launch of Diamox signals a breakthrough in CVD diamond technology, enabling effective, reliable and economical electrotechnical treatment systems for highly contaminated wastewaters
Diamox won the 2017 Edison Best New Product Award for Environmental Quality
TM200 won the 2017 Compound Semiconductor Industry Award
Lightbox Jewelry is announced with Element Six as the manufacturer of their laboratory-grown diamonds
Element Six and Lockheed Martin announce the use of single crystal CVD diamond materials for their cutting-edge, quantum-enabled ‘Dark Ice’ technology
Amazon Web Services and Element Six announce a new research collaboration to develop synthetic diamond-enabled solutions for quantum networking and photonics
