Materion
Materion is a U.S.-based advanced-materials company supplying specialty metals, alloys, ceramics, coatings, chemicals, and thin-film materials for demanding technology and industrial applications.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Materion is a multinational advanced-materials company whose roots are in the extraction, refining, alloying, and processing of beryllium. Founded in 1921 as Brush Laboratories by Charles Brush Jr. and Charles Baldwin Sawyer, the business developed around the difficult industrial problem of producing useful beryllium metal, beryllium oxide, and beryllium master alloys. Over time, it expanded from a specialized beryllium producer into a diversified supplier of engineered materials used where low weight, high strength, thermal performance, electrical conductivity, dimensional stability, optical quality, or resistance to severe environments are important. The company operated under several names during its development. After Charles Brush Jr.'s death in 1927, the enterprise became the Brush Beryllium Company. It was incorporated in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1931 and moved production to Lorain, Ohio, in 1935. A major fire at the Lorain facility in 1948 interrupted copper-beryllium production, prompting the company to establish replacement alloy capacity in Elmore, Ohio, in 1953. This manufacturing base later supported the company's role in supplying specialty materials for aerospace, defense, electronics, and other technically demanding markets. Brush broadened its business through acquisitions and international expansion. In 1971 it acquired the Wellman division of Abex Corporation and adopted the name Brush Wellman. The company became publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. During the 1980s and 1990s it added facilities and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, while building capabilities in engineered materials beyond its original beryllium focus. In 2000, Brush Wellman and several related businesses were consolidated under Brush Engineered Materials Inc., a holding-company structure that supported further acquisitions. On March 8, 2011, the company unified its operations under the Materion name. The rebranding reflected a broader portfolio that included specialty engineered beryllium, high-performance alloys and composites, thin-film deposition materials, technical ceramics, tantalum, niobium, precious and non-precious metals, inorganic chemicals, and specialty coatings. Subsequent acquisitions expanded its optical and electronic-materials capabilities, including Optics Balzers in 2020 and the electronic materials business of HC Starck in 2021. Materion serves aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, data centers, defense, energy, industrial equipment, medical devices, semiconductors, and telecommunications. Its products are generally supplied as engineered inputs rather than consumer-facing finished goods. The company therefore competes through materials science, process control, application engineering, purity, reliability, and the ability to meet specialized customer specifications. Examples of its historical technology contributions include materials used on the re-entry surface of Alan Shepard's spacecraft and materials delivered for the primary mirror of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Materion remains an active public company focused on high-performance materials for advanced manufacturing and technology markets.
History
Materion traces its origins to Brush Laboratories, founded in 1921 by Charles Brush Jr. and Dr. Charles Baldwin Sawyer. The early company concentrated on extracting beryllium ore and producing beryllium metal, beryllium oxide, and master alloys. Beryllium was difficult to process but valuable for applications requiring low density, stiffness, thermal performance, and specialized electrical or mechanical properties. The company's early work established the technical base from which its later advanced-materials portfolio developed. Following Charles Brush Jr.'s death in 1927, the company became the Brush Beryllium Company. Sawyer continued to lead the business with Swedish chemical engineer Bengt Kjellgren. The company was formally incorporated in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 9, 1931. In 1935 it transferred production operations to Lorain, Ohio, creating a manufacturing center that remained important to the enterprise for decades. The Lorain operation suffered a major setback in 1948 when a fire forced the company to stop producing copper beryllium there. Brush responded by opening a new alloy-production facility in Elmore, Ohio, in 1953. The company's materials subsequently found roles in aerospace and spaceflight. Brush supplied material used for the re-entry surface of Alan Shepard's spacecraft during his 1961 spaceflight. In 2005, the company also produced and delivered materials used in the primary mirror of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, illustrating the long-term relevance of its precision-materials capabilities. Brush began a more explicit diversification and acquisition phase in 1971, when it purchased the Wellman division of Abex Corporation. Shareholders approved the name Brush Wellman that year, and the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. Through the 1980s and 1990s it established or expanded plants and offices in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Singapore. Its U.S. footprint included locations associated with Tucson, Lincoln, Buffalo, Brewster, and Lorain. The business broadened beyond basic beryllium production into engineered alloys, composites, specialty metals, and related technologies. In 2000, Brush Wellman, Technical Materials, Zentrix Technologies, Williams Advanced Materials, and various international subsidiaries were consolidated under Brush Engineered Materials Inc. The new structure supported additional acquisitions and geographic growth, including activity in Ireland, Milwaukee, Westford, and Albuquerque. On March 8, 2011, the company adopted Materion Corporation as its unified operating name. The change signaled a strategy centered on a wider set of high-performance materials rather than a single beryllium-centered identity. Materion subsequently added capabilities in optical, electronic, and specialty materials. It acquired a facility in Farnborough, England, in 2012, expanded through a site acquisition in Hanau, Germany, in 2017, acquired Optics Balzers in 2020, and acquired HC Starck's electronic materials business and a Newton, Massachusetts, facility in 2021. Today, Materion supplies specialty engineered beryllium, high-performance alloys and composites, thin-film deposition materials, technical ceramics, tantalum, niobium, other specialty metals, inorganic chemicals, and coatings. Its customers span aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, data centers, defense, energy, industrial, medical-device, semiconductor, and telecommunications markets.
- 2021
HC Starck electronic materials business acquired
[1]Materion acquires HC Starck's electronic materials business and a facility in Newton, Massachusetts.
- 2020
Optics Balzers acquired
[1]Materion expands its optical-materials and coating capabilities through the acquisition of Optics Balzers.
- 2017
Jugal K. Vijayvargiya becomes CEO
[1]Jugal K. Vijayvargiya is appointed president and chief executive officer and becomes a company director.
- 2011
Materion name adopted
[1]On March 8, the company unifies its operations under the Materion Corporation name.
- 2005
Materials supplied for the James Webb Space Telescope
[1]The company produces and delivers materials used in the telescope's primary mirror.
- 2000
Brush Engineered Materials structure is created
[1]Brush Wellman and related businesses are consolidated under Brush Engineered Materials Inc.
- 1972
Public listing begins
[1]The company is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 1971
Wellman division acquired
[1]Brush purchases the Wellman division of Abex Corporation and changes its name to Brush Wellman.
- 1961
Brush materials support U.S. spaceflight
[1]Brush produces material used on the re-entry surface of Alan Shepard's spacecraft.
- 1953
Elmore alloy facility opens
[1]Brush opens a new alloy-production facility in Elmore, Ohio, to replace lost capacity.
Products and positioning
A specialized, technology-led supplier of high-performance materials for aerospace, defense, semiconductor, electronics, optics, medical, energy, and other applications in which conventional materials cannot meet performance or reliability requirements.
Advanced metals and alloys · 1921
Beryllium and copper-beryllium materials
Materion's historical foundation is the production and processing of beryllium, beryllium oxide, master alloys, and copper-beryllium materials. These materials are used where low density, high stiffness, strength, thermal conductivity, electrical performance, and dimensional stability are valuable. They serve specialized aerospace, defense, electronics, industrial, and other applications.
Engineered materials
High-performance alloys and composites
Materion supplies engineered alloys and composite materials designed for demanding mechanical, thermal, electrical, and environmental conditions. The portfolio extends beyond beryllium into specialty metal systems and application-specific materials for aerospace, automotive, energy, industrial, medical, and defense customers.
Electronic materials
Thin-film deposition materials
Thin-film deposition materials are supplied for processes that create controlled layers on semiconductor, display, optical, electronic, and other high-technology components. Their value depends on purity, consistency, composition control, and compatibility with demanding deposition and manufacturing processes.
Ceramics
Technical ceramics
Materion's technical-ceramics activities address applications requiring combinations of electrical insulation, thermal performance, wear resistance, chemical stability, and controlled mechanical properties. These engineered ceramics are intended for specialized industrial, electronic, semiconductor, and other high-performance uses.
Metals and materials
Specialty metals
The company processes and supplies tantalum, niobium, precious metals, non-precious metals, and other specialty engineered metals. These materials support applications in electronics, energy, aerospace, defense, medical devices, optics, and industrial systems where purity or specialized physical and chemical properties are required.
Optical materials · 2020
Optical materials and coatings
Materion's optical-materials portfolio was strengthened by the acquisition of Optics Balzers. It includes optical coatings and related engineered materials used to control transmission, reflection, durability, and spectral performance in precision optical systems and other demanding photonics applications.
Chemicals and coatings
Inorganic chemicals and specialty coatings
Materion also provides inorganic chemicals and specialty coatings for customers requiring controlled composition, surface performance, corrosion or wear resistance, optical behavior, or compatibility with specialized manufacturing processes.
Brand decisions
2021
Acquisition of HC Starck electronic materials businessM&ABackground
Electronic and semiconductor applications were an increasingly important part of Materion's advanced-materials strategy.
Action taken
Materion acquired the electronic materials business of HC Starck together with a facility in Newton, Massachusetts.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Materion's electronic-materials platform and manufacturing presence in the United States.
2020
Acquisition of Optics BalzersM&ABackground
Materion sought to strengthen its capabilities in optical materials and precision coatings.
Action taken
Materion acquired Optics Balzers.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened the company's photonics and optical-coating capabilities.
2011
Corporate rebranding as MaterionStrategyBackground
The company's portfolio had expanded substantially beyond the beryllium products associated with the Brush name.
Action taken
On March 8, the company unified its operations under the Materion Corporation name.
Aftermath
The new identity positioned the business as a diversified advanced-materials supplier serving technology, aerospace, defense, industrial, and medical markets.
2000
Creation of the Brush Engineered Materials holding structureStrategyBackground
The company had accumulated multiple operating businesses and international subsidiaries with capabilities extending beyond traditional beryllium production.
Action taken
Brush Wellman, Technical Materials, Zentrix Technologies, Williams Advanced Materials, and related subsidiaries were consolidated under Brush Engineered Materials Inc.
Aftermath
The structure provided a platform for continued acquisitions and expansion into engineered metals, electronic materials, and other specialty technologies.
1971
Acquisition of the Wellman divisionM&ABackground
Brush sought to expand its materials and manufacturing capabilities beyond its original beryllium-centered business.
Action taken
The company acquired the Wellman division of Abex Corporation and adopted the Brush Wellman name.
Aftermath
The transaction became an important step in the company's diversification before its later expansion into a broader advanced-materials portfolio.
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