Annual Report 2010 - About Heraeus

Tiny spheres that look like silver billiard balls; they are used as writing tips for fountain
pens. A high-tech product manufactured from an extremely hard ruthenium-osmium
alloy, shaped with extreme precision, resistant to highly aggressive inks and paper types
– and all of that at a mere 0.6 to 1.6 mm in diameter. The global market for these
exquisite spheres is limited to a few well-known writing instrument manufacturers,
and almost all of them are supplied by Heraeus. Our production of these miniscule
balls of precious-metal represents more than 90 percent of the global market. For the
premium fountain pen market, every pen tip in the world is manufactured in Hesse,
Germany.
This example demonstrates how Heraeus occupies global niche markets in which few
competitors can even keep pace – thanks to its materials expertise. High-tech materials
expertise from Hanau is found in almost every product today, in everyday items as well
as extravagant, one-of-a-kind specialties. They fulfill important functions in cars, laptops,
yogurt cups, optical fiber cables, pacemakers, and dental prosthetics as well as in solar
simulators, gravitational wave detectors, particle accelerators, and large catalysts for the
chemical industry. The name Heraeus cannot be found on any of these things; the company
concentrates on producing essential core components, but never manufactures the
complete finished product. As different as these components may be from one another,
their production is always based on two decisive skills: working with complex materials
such as precious metals and quartz glass, and working with extremely high temperatures.
This expertise always comes into play where others cannot go – into the niche.
Tiny ruthenium-osmium alloy spheres are indispensable
as tips for fountain pens.