The H.C. Starck Group is a global specialist in the sustainable recovery, processing, analysis and handling of strategic raw materials. It comprises H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH, a leading global manufacturer of market‑specific tungsten powders, the analytics specialist Chemilytics GmbH, and Chemitas GmbH, which operates the Metallurgy Park Oker infrastructure at the Group’s headquarters in Goslar, Germany. The H.C. Starck Group employs approximately 800 people across three production and service sites in Germany, Canada and China. Since 2024, H.C. Starck has been a part of Mitsubishi Materials Group (MMC).

Our company’s roots go back to the early 19th century. As early as 1899, a predecessor of today’s H.C. Starck purchased tungsten ores for the first time. In the 1930s, we began processing hard-metal scraps and recovering tungsten powder from them—a milestone that marked the beginning of our deep passion for recycling.

Since then, we have continuously refined and industrialized chemical tungsten recycling, making it one of the most efficient, reliable, and sustainable routes in the global tungsten industry. Today, we are recognized as the quality and technology leader in tungsten recycling and, now as part of the Mitsubishi Materials Group, we are committed to driving strategic recycling solutions forward even more decisively.

Our ties with Japan date back nearly a century. In 1936, the founder of our company, Hermann C. Starck, established initial contacts with the Awamura Mining Company, the predecessor company of Japan New Metals Co., Ltd. (JNM), now a Group company of MMC. Technical cooperation, during which this historic picture of Hermann C. Starck and JNM director Awamura-san was taken, began in 1954, followed by the first product deliveries from Germany to Japan in the 1960s.

I have been part of this extraordinary company for almost 30 years. After studying chemistry and business chemistry, I started my career as Laboratory Manager in Research and Development. As an application engineer for tantalum and niobium, I took care of our Japanese customers from 1998 onwards. My career path within H.C. Starck took me through operations, strategy and then abroad to China, and eventually back to Goslar, where I became Site Manager before taking over full responsibility for the H.C. Starck Group in 2018.

No two days are alike. My work spans a wide range of responsibilities—from strategic discussions with my management team to close coordination with Mitsubishi Materials colleagues in the Netherlands and Japan. I represent the interests of the tungsten industry at a regional, national, and international level, and I regularly exchange views with partners in the market. Together with my team, I work closely with customers and suppliers, and I am proud of the trusting relationships we have built, many over decades.

Outside of work, I find balance in metal and rock music and through practicing the traditional martial art of Shotokan Karate. In addition, I am actively involved in the Rotary Club, where business professionals volunteer their time and expertise to support regional social projects. And when I finally do slow down, I enjoy immersing myself in the world of science fiction, where visionary ideas often inspire new ways of thinking.