Imerys Minerals Bulgaria AD (Bulgaria)

Bulgaria's sole producer of bentonite, zeolite and perlite S&B Industrial Minerals was established in 1951 and is based in the southern town of Kardzhali.
The company, previously named Bentonite, is active in the fields of mining, processing and sale of bentonite, zeolite and perlite-based products.
The firm, which was listed on the local stock exchange in 1999-2005, exports around 70% of its production to western European countries and the former Soviet republics.
The company went into private hands in 1998, when the management-employee-buyout company Bentonite 98 and Kazanlak-based textile company Katex acquired the controlling stake in the plant for BGN 19.15 million.
Greek minerals group S&B Industrial Minerals, former Silver & Baryte, bought a 97.03% stake in Bentonite on the stock exchange in December 2003.
Local media estimated the deal for the company at BGN 23.727 million.
The company's annual processing capacity stands at 150,000 cubic metres of perlite, 50,000 tonnes of zeolite and 200,000 tonnes of bentonite.
S&B Industrial Minerals owns licences on deposits of 7.3 million tonnes of bentonite, 2.8 million tonnes of zeolite and 800,000 cubic metres of perlite.