Overview
Johnson Matthey is a UK-based specialty chemicals and sustainable-technology company whose expertise in platinum group metals (PGMs), catalysis, refining and recycling underpins products for cleaner transport, energy and industrial processes. Its portfolio includes emissions-control catalysts, PGM refining and recycling services, precious-metal products, and catalyst-coated membranes for hydrogen technologies. The company’s stated purpose is “Metals that matter, for a healthier world.” [1][2][3]
For the year ended 31 March 2026, Johnson Matthey reported revenue of £12,573 million and approximately 9,500 employees, with operations across 28 countries. Its sales are geographically distributed across Europe, North America, China and other Asian markets. The company traces its origins to a London gold-assaying business founded in 1817.[4][5][6] [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Products & services
Johnson Matthey’s Clean Air products include catalysts for light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty applications such as trucks, buses and non-road equipment. Named technologies include SINOx® selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts for industrial and power-sector nitrogen-oxide control, SCRF® systems combining SCR with a diesel particulate filter, and CompactSCR® stationary NOx-control systems. The company also reports diesel oxidation catalyst technology that can reduce carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by more than 90%.[3][7][8][9][10][11]
PGM Services covers platinum-group metal refining and recycling, trading, and the supply of precious-metal, chemical, industrial and catalyst products. Its industrial products include forms such as sheets, foils, tubes, wires, crucibles and gauze; related services include metal management and material analysis. The company reports that its refineries process around 4 million ounces of PGMs annually, with a market value of around £6 billion.[3][12][13][14][15][16]
Hydrogen Technologies supplies fuel-cell and electrolyser components, including catalyst-coated membranes and membrane-electrode assemblies in three-, five- and seven-layer constructions, as well as catalysts and process technologies for hydrogen production.[3][17][18][19] In FY2026, reported sales excluding precious metals were £2,123 million for Clean Air, £420 million for PGM Services and £71 million for Hydrogen Technologies. Catalyst Technologies is excluded from the current portfolio following completion of its sale in July 2026.[20][21] [3][7][12][13][17][20][8][9][10][11][14][15][16][18][19][21]
Geographic presence
Johnson Matthey’s FY2025/26 reporting year ended 31 March 2026. The company reported approximately 9,500 employees across 28 countries, but did not disclose employee distribution by country or region. Its sales were distributed across Europe (43%), North America (28%), China (9%), the rest of Asia (16%) and the rest of the world (4%).[5]
FY2025/26 revenue from external customers was £12,573m: UK £4,514m, Germany £747m, rest of Europe £1,053m, USA £2,298m, rest of North America £710m, China including Hong Kong £1,364m, rest of Asia £1,638m, and rest of the world £249m.[22] These are revenue figures, distinct from the sales percentages above; the geographic revenue breakdown does not identify every country separately.
The company’s locations directory groups locations across Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Its related-undertakings listing includes entities or registered addresses in countries such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, Malaysia and Mexico; that listing is not a complete inventory of operating sites.[23][24] [5][22][23][24]
Business segments
Johnson Matthey’s FY2026 continuing operations are reported in three segments: **Clean Air**, **PGM Services** and **Hydrogen Technologies**. Their respective shares of continuing-operations external revenue were approximately **30.0%** (£3,778m), **69.3%** (£8,715m) and **0.6%** (£80m), calculated from total revenue of £12,573m.[25] Clean Air makes catalysts for emission-control systems in light- and heavy-duty vehicles; PGM Services provides precious-metal refining, recycling and related products; and Hydrogen Technologies supplies components for fuel cells and electrolysers, including catalyst-coated membranes and membrane electrode assemblies.[26][27][28]
The revenue mix is strongly influenced by precious-metal values. On Johnson Matthey’s alternative “sales” basis, which excludes precious-metal costs, the FY2026 segment mix was approximately **83.1% Clean Air, 14.1% PGM Services and 2.8% Hydrogen Technologies**.[25][29] **Catalyst Technologies**, focused on catalyst and licensing solutions for fuels and chemicals value chains, is treated as a discontinued operation following its sale agreement; it is not included in the continuing-segment percentages above.[30][31] [25][26][27][28][29][30][31]
Company history
Johnson Matthey traces its origins to 1817, when Percival Norton Johnson began a gold-assaying business in London. George Matthey joined the firm as an apprentice in 1838 and became a partner in 1851, when it took the name Johnson and Matthey.[32] The company later developed expertise in platinum-group metals, including patenting a process for extracting platinum from ores in 1928.[33]
In 1974, Johnson Matthey produced the first commercial batch of coated automotive catalysts, marking a major expansion into emissions-control technology.[34] It broadened its catalysis and process-technology businesses through the acquisitions of ICI’s Synetix division in 2002 and Davy Process Technology in 2006.[35] In 2015, it sold its gold and silver refining business to Asahi and its Alfa Aesar research-chemicals business to Thermo Fisher Scientific.[36][37] Subsequent portfolio changes included the sale of its Health business and Advanced Glass Technologies in 2021–22.[38][39] [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
Sources
- JOHNSON MATTHEY — Full financial report (2026 Y)
- matthey.com[6]
- matthey.com[8]
- matthey.com[9]
- matthey.com[10]
- matthey.com[11]
- matthey.com[14]
- matthey.com[15]
- matthey.com[16]
- matthey.com[18]
- matthey.com[19]
- JOHNSON MATTHEY — Presentation (2026 Y)[20]
- matthey.com[21]
- matthey.com[24]
- matthey.com[32]
- matthey.com[33]
- matthey.com[34]
- matthey.com[35]
- matthey.com[36]
- matthey.com[37]
- matthey.com[38]
- matthey.com[39]
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