WHO ARE WE ?
THE GROUP
UMSI
UMSI is a family-owned group that has been operating in West Africa for more than a century.
The group is an international leader in the fields of transport, mining logistics and industrial processing.
Through its subsidiary UMS Africa Group in Guinea, UMSI is a leading local player: supplier of integrated logistics solutions for miners, particularly in the road and air transport sectors, EPC, importer and distributor of fuel through its historic JV with TOTAL.
UMSI is also a founding member and shareholder of SMB in Guinea (Sté Minière de Boké), the largest bauxite mining project in Africa. UMSI is also operator on this project (land transportation, EPC contracting company, etc.), SMB exported over 55 million tons of bauxite in 2024.
Finally, UMSI is also a mining operator in Guinea, with its two deposits at Missira and AMC.
RESPECT – REQUIREMENT – INNOVATION - COMMITMENT
ALTEO GARDANNE
ALTEO, cradle of bauxite refining, thanks to its recognized operational skills in the Bayer process, is part of the UMSI family.
Alteo is the world leader in specialty alumina for industry.
As the first site in the world to use the Bayer process, the Gardanne site is now celebrating 131 years of existence, with a technology that has been widely adopted throughout the world.
Alteo, a pioneer of environmental excellence in alumina refining, has been able to adapt to numerous changes (market, regulations, CSR, energy and CO2) throughout its existence.
Alteo is a strategic French and European company that brings together the know-how and skills of more than three generations of operators, technicians and engineers in all areas of alumina production.
Alteo has been part of the UMSI group since January 2021, and has invested heavily in its production facilities:
- Achievement of a successful industrial and human transformation that enabled the end of bauxite refining operations, accompanied by a move upmarket focused exclusively on specialty alumina, while reducing environmental impacts and constraints.
- Coupled with an acclaimed decarbonization plan that has cut CO2 emissions to date by 63% on a like-for-like industrial basis.
With over 80% of its market focused on exports, Alteo boasts a recognized range of specialty and semi-specialty alumina for industry, in the fields of technical ceramics, refractories, abrasives and heat dissipation products.
Other subsidiaries :
Since October 2024, Alteo Fused Alumina has joined the Alteo Group with the support of the UMSI Group, reinforcing their commitment to specialty materials and sustainable solutions for industry.
A long-standing player in the white aluminium oxide market, Alteo Fused Alumina stands out for the quality of its products and its technical expertise, particularly in high value-added segments such as laminate flooring, abrasives and advanced ceramics. Alteo Fused Alumina’s location in the Savoie region of France enables it to benefit from hydroelectric power, thus promoting an industrial activity that is more respectful of the environment and aligned with the Group’s decarbonization objectives.