About Us

We produce high-purity arsenic. This is mainly used for semiconductor and optoelectronic applications. We have more than 70 years of experience in the production of high-purity arsenic and other high-purity metals. Our production facilities are located in Saxony-Anhalt, in the city of Osterwieck.

Interesting Facts About Arsenic

High-purity arsenic is required for the production of III/V semiconductors such as GaAs, which is used to manufacture integrated circuits (power amplifiers in cell phones, in radar technology, in wireless communication devices (IoT) etc.) and in the manufacture of LEDs and laser diodes. Special product forms of metallic arsenic are suitable for use in MBE systems. Arsenic(III) chloride is required to produce organic compounds used in MOCVD processes.
In everyday life, you will find our arsenic in your cell phones, your WiFi base station, in chargers, in IR cameras and even in your car. The introduction of the 5G standard in particular is leading to an increasing demand for our product. All of this is our contribution to building a modern society - from Germany for the world.

We sell:
  • High Purity Arsenic in purity grade 99.9995% (5N5),
  • High Purity Arsenic in purity grade 99.9999% (6N),
  • Ultra High Purity Arsenic in purity grade 99.99999% (7N),
  • Ultra High Purity Arsenic for MBE applications (7N+), and
  • High Purity Arsenic(III) Chloride (Ultra High Purity Arsenic Trichloride).

Information About Hazards and Safety Measures

Leaflet with Information on Hazards and Safety Measures

The Hazardous Incident Ordinance stipulates that operators of production facilities in which hazardous substances are handled must inform the neighborhood about the correct behavior in hazardous situations. As we operate such plants, we would like to provide you with the here available for download to inform you about what we have done to prevent incidents and limit their effects. Above all, we provide information on how you can effectively protect yourself and your relatives if an incident occurs despite all precautions.

Sheet with Information on Hazards and Safety Measures.

Our Quality Policy

The aim is to achieve a company-wide quality standard that makes PPM High Purity Metals GmbH the preferred partner of satisfied customers, for the long-term and sustainable satisfaction of our partners. That is why every employee must be committed to the quality of the products, the added value of the services offered, the satisfaction of our business partners, the trust of our stakeholders, and our environment.

What do we want to achieve?
  • Products and services should always meet the requirements agreed upon with customers.
  • Even requirements that have not been agreed upon but are mutually assumed in dealing with the customer should be met to the customer's full satisfaction.
  • Quality-conscious behavior must take into account environmental concerns and promote safety in the workplace.
Who is responsible for quality?

Quality requires the cooperation of everyone. All employees in the company are involved as creators and recipients of work results, supplier and customer at the same time. This means that everyone is responsible for the quality of their own work results.

How can we achieve our goals?
  • Avoid errors by taking preventive measures.
  • Systematically eliminate and permanently reduce the causes of errors.
  • Continually strive to improve the quality achieved.
  • Actively participate in the application and further development of our QM system.

Only consistent quality ensures the success of the company.

You can download our ISO 9001 certificate here.

Company Policy

Environmental Policy

The PPM High Purity Metals GmbH supports ecological concerns by complying with the applicable regulations and thus ensures the protection of the health of its employees and sustainable business operations. With this in mind, the company's managers and employees are particularly committed to the HSE guidelines. We also attach great importance to building reliable relationships with local stakeholders (interest groups) and local environmental authorities.

You can download our ISO 14001 certificate here

Energy Policy

The establishment and continuous further development of an energy management system are essential for constant growth and profitability and are part of the integrated quality and safety management system. Our key energy aspects are:

  • Consumption of electrical energy for numerous thermal processes
  • Consumption of electrical energy for drives

The management is responsible for ensuring that the energy management system is put into practice by employees and that energy efficiency is continuously improved. To achieve these goals, the following are practiced:

  • employee training courses,
  • target agreements with the departments (including their measurability),
  • awareness-raising at all levels with regard to energy efficiency, and
  • involving employees in the continuous improvement process via the company suggestion scheme.

In addition to complying with legal requirements, the management is also responsible for reducing energy consumption, improving the energy efficiency of all processes running in the company, and reducing the energy consumption induced by our products over the course of their life cycle. Within the scope of responsibilities and authorities, the Executive Board has appointed management representatives who are responsible for:

  • maintaining and updating the system,
  • informing the management about the performance of the energy management system, including any necessary improvements, and
  • promoting awareness of energy efficiency among all employees.

The effectiveness of the management system is evaluated four times a year by the management as part of the quality management review. The reviews also include the results of internal audits, feedback from customers, key process indicators, the status of corrective and preventive measures, and follow-up measures from previous reviews. The evaluation results in recommendations for the further improvement of the energy management system.

The company strives to improve its image through extensive public relations work and an open dialog with consumers and authorities to secure its market position.

You can download our ISO 50001 certificate here

Our Health Protection Policy

As a company in the chemical industry, health protection is an essential prerequisite for our daily activities. PPM High Purity Metals GmbH is particularly vigilant with regard to compliance with the associated legal requirements and the protection of the health of all employees and guests, in particular through safe plant technology, the use of personal protective equipment, medical precautions, and other organizational measures.

Our Safety Policy

The early identification of risks and prevention in connection with our industrial activities is at the heart of our strategy. In view of the activities of our company, it is essential that work and production equipment is adapted and secured so that employees can work in the best possible conditions.

Our plant in Osterwieck operates under the safety regulations of the 12th BImSchV (12th Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act).

The safety report to be prepared in this context describes the measures taken to prevent accidents/incidents and to limit the effects of accidents involving hazardous substances. These measures are carried out in accordance with the so-called PAAG process, the results of which are incorporated into a safety management system at PPM High Purity Metals GmbH. The safety report also contains an emergency plan, which is coordinated with the responsible public authorities.

Our production and wastewater treatment plants are licensed in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) and the Water Resources Act (WHG). These permits regulate the permissible immission values and the scope of the required monitoring.

The exhaust gases and waste water from the production facilities are cleaned of harmful components in an elaborate exhaust air purification and treated in a wastewater treatment plant and fed into the municipal wastewater system.

Due to the processing of arsenic and arsenic compounds, the site is classified as an upper class operating area under the Hazardous Incident Ordinance. In this context, you will find the following obligatory documentation. Accordingly, the last site visit under the Hazardous Incident Ordinance took place on November 19, 2020.

You can download our ISO 45001 certificate here.

Compliance and Ethics Guidelines

Human Rights and Working Conditions

PPM High Purity Metals GmbH respects and observes human rights at every level of the organization. Any kind of discrimination based on gender, age, origin or nationality, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, religious or political views, or trade union involvement is prohibited. Ignorance and inaction are no justification for any kind of discrimination. Therefore, any violation of human rights and discrimination will not be tolerated. Any moral, sexual, or generally unlawful attempts at intimidation, bullying, harassment, and victimization are prohibited. We ensure equal opportunities for all in terms of career and work opportunities, working relationships, and job offers. The human resources management and employee relations are based on the principles of mutual trust and respect, which ensures that every employee is treated with the natural level of dignity. In compliance with local regulations, trade union independence, and the pluralistic organization of industrial relations, a social dialogue is conducted with employee representatives. It goes without saying that the company and its employees comply with the applicable rules on employee privacy.

Data Protection

Data is only collected and stored by PPM High Purity Metals GmbH to the extent that is necessary for the smooth running of the business, health and environmental protection, and the fulfillment of legal requirements.

The company reserves the right to make data available to external service providers if this is necessary for the provision of the services. The data provided for this purpose is reduced to a minimum.

The data collected will not be used commercially by anyone other than the company. In particular, the company excludes the forwarding of collected data to third parties for advertising purposes.

Further details on the handling of your data can be found in our Privacy Policy which is available for download here.

Prevention of Crime

When working for PPM High Purity Metals GmbH, all employees must comply with the criminal laws of the countries in which the Group operates. Employees working on behalf of the company must exercise particular care if they transfer discretionary powers to third parties (where this is permitted), ensuring that the persons appointed are well informed and are aware of their obligation to comply with applicable laws and company policies.

Employees acting on behalf of the Company shall refrain from any involvement in any alleged or actual criminal conduct. All employees must be sufficiently aware of the criminal laws and regulations applicable to their area of work so that they can identify or prevent potential risks and recognize in which cases (namely financial, environmental, or safety issues) legal advice is required. Employees of PPM High Purity Metals GmbH who have questions or doubts regarding compliance with criminal laws or regulations for a proposed activity in one of the companies should immediately contact their superiors or the management.

Bribery and Corruption

Directly or indirectly secret or undocumented payments or accounts are not permitted under any circumstances.

Direct or indirect payments and expenditures for purposes unrelated or only partially related to the supporting documents for these transactions will not be authorized or made.

Activities and transactions on behalf of PPM High Purity Metals GmbH are to be carried out in compliance with the applicable regulations and internal procedures, and must be fully, accurately, and truthfully recorded in the company's books.

Employees who record accounting data are responsible for the accuracy of the data recorded and must ensure that each entry is properly documented. All transfers of funds require employees to be particularly conscientious and vigilant with regard to the identity of the recipients and the intended use of the transfer.

Competition Violations

All employees of PPM High Purity Metals GmbH are obliged to comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning antitrust violations. This applies regardless of their validity in Germany or abroad. In connection with violations of competition law, the misconduct of a single employee may involve themselves, their direct supervisors, the management, and the company in difficult and costly administrative or legal proceedings, including injunctive relief, high fines, and, in some jurisdictions, imprisonment in the worst case.

With regard to competition law infringements, the laws and regulations are based on the principle that free competition without any collusion between competitors best serves the public interest. The participation in agreements or arrangements in violation of applicable laws and regulations, namely in the area of anti-competitive behavior, is therefore strictly prohibited.

In particular, agreements, arrangements, or procedures with the aim to:

  • fix, directly or indirectly, prices, discounts, or conditions of sale;
  • restrict or control production, technical development, or investment;
  • divide markets, customers, or sources of supply among themselves;
  • treat business partners unequally, to impose conditions on them that are contrary to commercial practice, or to refuse to do business with them for unlawful reasons.

If, in the course of their work, employees of the Company are in doubt as to whether they are complying with regulations in connection with anti-competitive behavior, they are required to contact the management immediately.

PPM High Purity Metals GmbH
Hoppenstedter Str. 6
38835 Osterwieck

Commercial Register: 34553
Registration Court: Stendal

Represented by:
Dr. Ulrich Kammer and Dr. Jan Freerks Riecken

Contact

Phone: +49 (39421) 691-0
E-mail: info@ppmhpm.com

VAT-ID

VAT identification number pursuant to Sect. 27a of the German VAT Act (Umsatzsteuergesetz): DE 3689 393 63

Responsible for Editorial Content

Dr. Ulrich Kammer and Dr. Jan Freerks Riecken

EU Settlement of Disputes

The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (OS): https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.
You can find our email address at the top of the imprint.

Consumer Dispute Resolution/Universal Arbitration Board

We are not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.