About Luxfer MEL Technologies

Our collaborative approach extends beyond traditional supply relationships—we function as an extension of your workforce, co-creating custom solutions from concept to platform-level specification while maintaining the consistent quality and on-time delivery that has earned us the trust of aerospace, defence, automotive, energy, and specialist industrial sectors worldwide.

When urgent challenges arise, we go the extra mile with proactive technical services, process and foundry capabilities, state-of-the-art laboratories, and both chemical and metallurgical expertise that not only solve immediate problems but anticipate future needs, ensuring our customers feel secure in their choice of a partner who understands their applications intimately and delivers value that makes their operations more efficient, cost-effective, and successful.

When you partner with Luxfer MEL Technologies, you’re not just receiving advanced materials—you’re investing in a proven partnership built on superior quality, first class support, and the technical authority that transforms complex challenges into reliable solutions.

Message from the Divisional Managing Director

At Luxfer MEL Technologies, our vision is to be the global authority and partner of choice in the supply of magnesium and zirconium technologies for mission critical applications. We target markets and customers where are technologies are of deep technical relevance.

Through our innovation, collaborative approach, and Customer First obsession, we help create sustained value for all our stakeholders.

Today, underpinned by our core values and the outstanding commitment, capability and creativity of our people, our technologies are incorporated into products that touch over 1 billion people around the globe. We are proud of the global spread of our technologies and the impact they have had over the last 90 years.

As we navigate today’s global challenges, we remain excited about our next generation innovations and the future growth of our business and all those within the Luxfer MEL Technologies community.

– Graham Wardlow

Leadership team

Graham Wardlow

Divisional Managing Director

Paul Rogan

General Manager, Zirconium

Ross Baird

Director of Growth, Mg Alloys

Sarka Jeremic

Director of Growth, Zirconium

Emiliana Dvininov

Director of Innovation, Zirconium

Matthew Murphy

Director of Innovation, Mg Alloys and Powders

Lindsay Guillebeau

Director of Growth, Powders

Jeffrey Nichols

General Manager, Powders

Gavin Edwards

Vice President – US Operations and Global Procurement

Deb Harris

Director of Customer First and Quality Compliance

Jamie Savage

Director of Finance / ERP

Quality and compliance

At Luxfer MEL Technologies, we place great emphasis on the need for everyone to understand and appreciate our quality policy and the requirement to contribute to maintaining our quality management system. We are committed to the continuous development of all employees including training and education in the area of quality.

We utilise a quality management system based on the requirements of a number of quality and environmental standards such as AS 9100, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001 and IATF 16949 and we carry out regular internal and third party audits to ensure compliance with these standards. Our objective is to give complete satisfaction that we can produce safe and reliable products and services that continually meet or exceed our customers’ expectations.

Furthermore, our regulatory and export control department are dedicated in ensuring compliance with various laws and regulations.

Customer commitment

The ‘Customer First’ experience

  • Open communication
  • Approachable, accountable and eager to help
  • Collaborative culture
  • Partnerships built on trust
  • Motivated by customer success

World-class service

  • Prompt order acknowledgement
  • Efficient response to order amendment requests

  • Excellent product quality

  • Effective response to customer concerns

Environmental and social responsibility

  • Decreasing carbon footprint and waste
  • Safe products and safe operations
  • Dedicated, knowledgeable and committed team members
  • Supportive, diverse, and inclusive workplace
  • Actively engaging and supporting the local and global community

Product leadership

  • Lightweight, durable products
  • Diverse product range covering a wide range of applications
  • Proven product performance
  • Customer focused innovation
  • Deep technical expertise

Our values

Customer first

We make it easy to do business with Luxfer, and we continually strive to exceed customer expectations and be the partner of choice.

Integrity

We deal ethically and honestly with our customers, business partners, shareholders, communities and Luxfer colleagues.

Accountability

We embrace opportunities, rise above circumstances, accept responsibility for our actions—and deliver agreed results.

Innovation

We continuously improve, embracing new ideas, taking calculated risks, creating better ways of working and developing new products and services that ensure our future success and growth.

Personal development

We value personal talent and potential, and we invest in our people, maximising opportunities for individual development.

Teamwork

We work together effectively in teams to achieve our common goals in ways that benefit our customers, local operations and global business.

Best quality of products and excellent customer relationship of Luxfer MEL Technologies makes us to feel excellent about the organisation.

Very professional, always responded in a timely manner and got us what we needed in a short period of time.

We appreciate the great communication recently when there was a delivery issue. This allowed us to keep our critical line running.

Overall Luxfer is an outstanding company to work with as a supplier. They have been very flexible with our delivery schedules and are always willing to assist with issues.

I deal with many different vendors and people on a daily basis and Luxfer has a top shelf customer service and order process staff. Overall award-winning staff!

Luxfer has been an invaluable partner in helping us deliver on a difficult product line. The level of service provided is well above others in the industry.

Our history

1920 – Major Charles Ball

Charles Ball MC, DSO, working for F. A. Hughes, recognises the emerging potential of a new metal, magnesium, and contracts with the German company, I. G. Farben, part of Griesham Elektron, who had pioneered the electrolytic process that allowed magnesium to be produced in commercial volumes, to become the sole importer into the UK. F. A. Hughes rapidly built up a demand of 1,500 tonnes in the UK, which included castings for aircraft, commercial vehicles and buses.

1934 – British Magnesium (Elektonmetall) Co. Ltd. founded

Major Ball secures patent rights and know-how for I. G. Farben’s manufacturing process which was far superior to any other, in exchange for a 30% share in a new company, British Magnesium (Elektonmetall) Co. Ltd. Other co-owners of the new company were ICI (48%) and F. A. Hughes (22%).

1935 – First magnesium produced

The name of the company was changed to Magnesium Elektron and the new magnesium production plant was established at Clifton Junction in North Manchester with an initial capacity of 1,500 tonnes per annum.

1940 – A new class of magnesium alloys

A new class of Magnesium alloys is developed based on the addition of Zirconium in the form of fluoride salts. Through this work, in the late 1940s, the Zirconium chemicals organisation emerged.

1941 – Magnesium capacity increase

To meet the rapidly increasing demand new capacity was added at Clifton Junction lifting production to 9,000 tonnes
per annum.

1947 – Aerospace alloys

Even during World War Il the company had maintained a significant level of research work. It was this faith in the ability of MEL’s scientific strengths which led to important advances in alloy technology after the market collapsed. Of particular importance to the research team was the work in perfecting the alloying of magnesium with zirconium. This development came at the perfect time for the company as its improved properties at high temperatures were ideal for the blossoming jet aircraft industry.

1949 – The Magnet

The MEL monthly magazine (The Magnet) was created and went on to be distributed on a monthly basis.

1950 – First sale of zirconium oxide

The company made its first sale of zirconium oxide in 1950. It had developed the production expertise in order to produce zirconium based alloys of magnesium for the aerospace market. Sales of zirconium carbonate followed in 1956 and then throughout the 1960’s a whole range of tailored zirconium products were developed for a wide-range of applications, establishing the zirconium operation as a thriving business in its own right.

1955 – Magnesium Elektron Inc established

North America was recognised as an important market for the company from the earliest days. In 1955 Magnesium Elektron Inc. (MEI) was formed to import magnesium alloys and provide supporting services to foundries in North America. In its early days it was housed in the Rockefeller Centre in New York City.

1955 – Baco acquires a majority share

The British Aluminium Company acquires a majority share in the company. By this time Magnesium Elektron’s role in the magnesium industry was accepted as being that of a high technology specialist backed by a potent reserve of research and development and a world-wide market.

1970 – Magnesium Elektron Inc relocates to New Jersey

The business relocated to New Jersey sharing facilities with Raleigh Industries of America, a sister company of the British Aluminium Company.

1973 – Magnesium Elektron Inc operation in Flemington, NJ

MEI acquired the chemical manufacturing assets of Tizon Chemical Corporation in Flemington, New Jersey, which has been its base ever since. This remains the centre of the North American zirconium operation and the second leg of the MEL Chemicals business, the third being the Japanese joint venture Nikkei-MEL Co Ltd.

1990 – Magnesium Elektron Inc acquires Reade Manufacturing Co.

Magnesium Elektron acquired Reade Manufacturing Co. a manufacturer of particulate magnesium powders based at Lakehurst, Manchester, New Jersey. Originally established in the late 1700’s in Wolverhampton, England the company relocated to Jersey City in 1881. The acquisition gave Magnesium Elektron access to technology and expertise in the manufacture of magnesium powders.

1990 – MEL Chemicals and Magnesium Elektron

1990 saw the Magnesium and Zirconium sides of the business split in to subsidiaries of Magnesium Elektron
Limited. This saw the creation of Magnesium Elektron and MEL Chemicals.

1996 – Became wholly owned by Luxfer Group

The Luxfer Group acquired Magnesium Elektron limited in 1996. The Company in its current form was created in February 1996 from a management buy-out of the downstream operations of British Alcan and formed a new company, initially called British Aluminium Limited.

1998 – MEL acquires Hart Metals

Magnesium Elektron acquires Hart Metals, based in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and Niagara, Canada, expanding their expertise in magnesium powders into atomised powders.

2003 – MEL acquires SCI

Magnesium Elektron acquired the magnesium casting and rolling assets of SCI at Madison, Illinois and the photoengraving plate operation at Findlay, Ohio, giving them a substantial presence in the magnesium rolled products market and a leading position in the magnesium photoengraving sector.

2007 – MEL acquires Revere Graphics

Magnesium Elektron and our Revere Graphics business share a long history and proud heritage in metal engraving and etching. Our combined roots date back to Paul Revere (1735 – 1818), a master engraver and painter.

2007 – Luxfer Group floats on NYSE

On October 3, 2012 Luxfer Group becomes a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.

2008 – ISO 14001 certification achieved

ISO 14001 certification achieved. Our Flemington site MEI became known as MEL Chemicals Inc.

2012 – SynerMag facility opened

Our state of the art SynerMag facility was built to produce our state of the art bio-absorbable magnesium alloys. Much of the equipment is bespoke, designed specifically to achieve the consistent high quality requirements expected of our SynerMag Products.

2016 – CE Approval of Magmaris Stent

In 2016, using one of our flagship magnesium alloys, the Magmaris stent was given CE approval to be used within a human patient.

2018 – Creation of Luxfer MEL Technologies

After the appointment of Luxfer CEO, Alok Maskara, in June 2017, Magnesium Elektron and MEL Chemicals once again, become one. This time, under the name of Luxfer MEL Technologies. Combining expertise in many departments, Luxfer MEL Technologies and leading suppliers of Magnesium and Zirconium based products.

2022 – Elektron Powder business integrated

The Elektron Powder business units in the US integrated with the Luxfer MEL Technologies organisation.

2025 – Celebrating 90 years

Nine decades of service and innovation as pioneers of materials engineering in the magnesium alloys and zirconium chemicals industries, delivering excellence and unwavering commitment to advancing these critical sectors.

Environment, social
and governance

Luxfer’s business, like many others, is deeply intertwined with sustainability matters. Just as our mission and values are an inextricable part of how we do business, so is sustainability.