On January 2, 2024, Elkem celebrated its 120-year anniversary, having grown from an industrial start-up in 1904 into a position in 2024 as one of the world's leading providers of advanced silicon-based materials, crucial components for the digital and green transitions.

Elkem was founded by Sam Eyde, Knut Tillberg, and Knut and Marcus Wallenberg as “the Norwegian Stock Company for Electrochemical Industry”. Today, the company has around 7,300 employees all over the world, delivering revenues of NOK 45.9 billion in 2022 (US$4.5 billion) and ranked in the top 5% in climate performance by CDP.

“We are very proud of Elkem’s 120 years of history, which demonstrates to our stakeholders that we are in it for the long run. Our colleagues all over the world take a lot of inspiration from our past, but we always remain focused on the future and delivering new and innovative products and services to our customers. We see ourselves not as a 120 years’ old company but as 120 years young, and work on continuous improvements every day,” said Elkem’s CEO Helge Aasen.

Aasen continued, “The Elkem of 2024 is one of the world's leading providers of advanced silicon-based materials shaping a better and more sustainable future. The company develops silicones, silicon products, and carbon solutions by combining natural raw materials, renewable energy, and human ingenuity. We help our customers create and improve essential innovations like electric mobility, digital communications, health, personal care, as well as smarter and more sustainable cities.”

Coincidentally, 2024 also marks the discovery of silicone 200 years ago. Silicon was first isolated and described as an element by Jöns Jacob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist. It is the second most abundant chemical element in the earth’s crust, just behind oxygen. Silicon is today best known for its semiconductor characteristics and has been vital in the development of solar energy, electronics, driving, and digital technology.

Currently, around three grams of high-purity silicon produced by Elkem can be found inside most of the world’s smartphones. Advanced silicones from Elkem can also be found in more than 2 million electric vehicles around the world. Elkem’s silicon has even made an impact beyond Earth, as part of thermal batteries which have successfully landed the Perseverance rover on Mars.

To learn more, visit www.elkem.com.