Our Business

OM Materials (Qinzhou) Co. Ltd (“OMQ”) is the Group’s wholly owned smelter in Qinzhou, China. The smelting plant was built and designed using in-house engineering capabilities. Construction commenced in 2002, and first production was tapped in 2004.

The plant is sited next to Qinzhou port, and is in the Qinzhou Port Economic Development Zone Jingujiang Industrial Park. Equipment consists of one 25.5 MVA and 16.5 MVA furnaces and two 36m2 sinter lines, with a closed furnace design that enables the recycling of fuel gases for sintering. OMQ has won several accolades from local and regional authorities for its performance in safety, innovation, and economic contribution. Prior to China levying an export tax on the export of ferroalloys, OMQ was recognized as the second largest exporter in Qinzhou for four years running.

The plant originally has a production capacity of 80,000 metric tonnes per annum of high carbon ferromanganese and 300,000 metric tonnes per annum of sintered ore. Equipment upgrading and improvements in 2020 will improve production efficiency and increase total capacity at the plant with an added flexibility to produce either silicomanganese or high carbon ferromanganese. The plant is expected to have a production capacity of 80,000 to 95,000 metric tonnes per annum of manganese alloys following the equipment upgrading.  

Smelting is the process of converting raw ores mined from the ground into semi-finished alloys used in a variety of industrial applications. Sintering is the process of heating and fusing powdered ore into higher grade, “semi-processed” ores.

OMQ ceased production since December 2021 due to elevated power-tariffs in China. A Share Sale Agreement for the sales of 90% equity interest in OMQ to Beijing Kunpeng Hongsheng Metal Co. Ltd has been executed on 1 November 2023. OMS will retain 10% interest in OMQ.