Matutu Milling

What Matutu Milling does

Matutu Milling is a South African private mining and processing company that extracts and refines Attapulgite clay from a deposit near Mabeskraal in North West Province. Founded in 1996 (originally as Matutu Clay Mine, with the mining right converted in the early 2000s), it operates as part of the Metteq Group and reports more than one million tons of known, very pure Attapulgite reserves. The company runs two distinct processing lines: a Regular Volatile Matter (RVM) line producing the IndustSorb absorbent family (desiccants, growing media, bleaching earth, spill absorber), and a Low Volatile Matter (LVM) line producing the CalSorb brand via heat activation/calcining and kiln-drying, which delivers mechanical strength and dust-free output for transformer oil regeneration, fuel cleaning and pesticide carrier applications. An on-site packing line supports both LDPE and woven polypropylene bag formats.

Name

Matutu Milling

Legal name

Matutu Milling Pty Ltd

Website

https://matutu.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Matutu Milling is a South African private miner and processor of Attapulgite clay, producing industrial absorbents, specialty mineral additives and consumer cat litter for utilities, manufacturers, agricultural buyers and pet owners in South Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Absorbents and Mineral Products

NAICS

Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying (21232), Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992), Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing (3271)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290)

akta.pro primary industry

Kaolin & Industrial Clay Mining (Bentonite, Ball Clay, Fuller’s Earth) (IMAKAGAJ)

Keywords

• Attapulgite clay absorbents
• Industrial absorbent materials
• Cat litter products
• Mining and mineral processing
• Ferrochrome bonding agents

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Attapulgite Clay Products: Mining and processing of Attapulgite clay into various absorbent products. Two product ranges: Regular Volatile Matter (RVM) products ( IndustSorb) and Low Volatile Matter (LVM) products (CalSorb).
2. Specialty Industrial Products: New product range launched 2021 including Attabond bonding agent for Ferrochrome, ViscoMod viscosity modifier for fertilizers/paints/coatings, AtBleach bleaching earth for oils.
3. Consumer Pet Products: Clean Cat cat litter sold in 5kg and 10kg bags through retail channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Matutu Milling mines and processes attapulgite clay at its Mabeskraal (North West Province) operation, producing absorbent products via two processes: Regular Volatile Matter (RVM) products (IndustSorb, AttSorb) and Low Volatile Matter (LVM) heat-activated products (CalSorb). It also markets consumer pet products (Clean Cat, PetSorb, CleanBath) and specialty industrial inputs (Attabond, ViscoMod, AtBleach, SAkadama) sold in 5kg/10kg bags or bulk to industrial buyers.

Product overview

Matutu Milling produces attapulgite clay-based products through two operational processes: Regular Volatile Matter (RVM) producing IndustSorb absorbents, and Low Volatile Matter (LVM) producing CalSorb. The product portfolio spans industrial absorbents (CalSorb for transformer oil regeneration, fuel cleaning, pesticide carriers; IndustSorb for spills, desiccants, growing medium), consumer pet products (Clean Cat cat litter with 82% absorbency, PetSorb animal bedding, CleanBath chinchilla sand, AttSorb spill absorber), and specialty industrial products (Attabond bonding agent for ferrochrome, ViscoMod viscosity modifier for fertilizers/paints/coatings, AtBleach bleaching earth for oils, SAkadama bonsai growing media). Matutu Milling operates an attapulgite mine in Mabeskraal, North West Province, South Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CalSorb: Flagship Low Volatile Matter (LVM) Attapulgite product used for transformer oil regeneration, pesticide carrier medium, motor oil cleaner, jet fuel cleaner, and diesel cleaner.
• IndustSorb
• AttSorb
• Clean Cat
• PetSorb
• CleanBath
• Attabond
• ViscoMod
• AtBleach
• SAkadama

Products and services

• CalSorb Low Volatile Matter (LVM) heat-activated attapulgite product produced by calcining, combining absorptive properties with mechanical strength. Used as a pesticide carrier medium, motor oil cleaner, jet fuel cleaner, diesel cleaner, and for transformer oil regeneration.
• IndustSorb Regular Volatile Matter (RVM) attapulgite absorbent that has been dried and screened but not heat-activated. Used as desiccants, growing medium, bleaching earth, and industrial spill absorber.
• Clean Cat Cat litter produced with attapulgite clay, kiln-dried and screened for low-dust performance. Absorbs 82% of its own mass, neutralizes odors, and is available in 5kg and 10kg bags for retail consumers.
• AttSorb Super absorber containing fine attapulgite powder for cleaning up oil spills around the house, workshop, or factory. Non-toxic, absorbs dangerous fluids and locks them in for safe disposal.
• PetSorb Pet and animal bedding for large-scale applications including chicken bedding, animal breeders, and piggeries. Controls skin moisture and keeps beds dry, reducing ammonia formation.
• CleanBath Chinchilla Sand Chinchilla bathing sand produced by Matutu Milling from attapulgite clay, available in 2-liter bottles for retail consumers.
• Attabond Matutu's own attapulgite-based bonding agent used in the manufacturing of Ferrochrome.
• ViscoMod Attapulgite-based viscosity and rheology modifier used in the manufacturing of fertilizers, paints, and coatings.
• AtBleach Natural unactivated attapulgite bleaching earth suited for bleaching of palm, coconut, and corn oils.
• SAkadama Low Volatile Matter attapulgite product used as growing media for bonsai trees, promoting moisture retention and drainage while being lightweight. Typically mixed with pumice, pine bark, and perlite.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clean Cat absorbs 82% of its own mass vs competitors at 50-77%
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MetteQ GroupcoreOthersMatutu Milling forms part of the MetteQ family. MetteQ Holdings is the parent/group company. Gerbrand Haasbroek serves as Group CEO of Metteq Holdings and is a MetteQ Founder and Director on Matutu's board.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Imerys: Imerys is a global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions including clays (kaolin, bentonite), serving absorbents, ceramics, paints, and coatings. Broad incumbent: comparable industrial mineral feedstock (clay mining/processing) and overlapping applications in filtration, rheology modification, and absorbents, but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Minerals Technologies Inc. MTI is a US-listed specialty minerals producer with operations in bentonite, perlite, and processed mineral products for industrial and consumer uses. Broad incumbent: similar industrial minerals processing model, comparable bentonite-based absorbent and pet litter products, but a much larger global footprint and broader product portfolio.
• Clariant: Clariant is a major Swiss specialty chemicals company that supplies bleaching earth ( Tonsil), rheology modifiers, and adsorbents to oil refining, paints, and industrial customers. Broad incumbent: directly competes with Matutu's AtBleach and ViscoMod lines, with global scale and established distribution Matutu lacks.
• Sud-Chemie (Clariant Adsorbents): Sud-Chemie's former adsorbents and specialty additives business, now part of Clariant, historically produced Tonsil bleaching earth and related functional mineral adsorbents for edible oils and industrial applications. Broad incumbent: directly competes with Matutu's AtBleach bleaching earth line and the broader industrial adsorbent category CalSorb serves.

Direct peers

• EP Minerals (U.S. Silica): EP Minerals, part of U.S. Silica Holdings, produces diatomaceous earth, perlite, and clay-based absorbents for industrial filtration, functional additives, and cat litter. Direct peer: vertically integrated industrial mineral miner with overlapping absorbent and pet product lines, comparable kiln/heat processing technology, and similar B2B-and-B2C dual go-to-market.
• Tolsa Group: Tolsa is a Spanish specialty clays producer with a leading position in attapulgite and sepiolite-based absorbents, including cat litter and industrial absorbent products. Direct peer: same attapulgite mineral base, overlapping industrial absorbent and pet litter product categories, similar mining-and-processing business model.
• Oil-Dri Corporation of America: Oil-Dri is a US-listed producer of absorbent mineral products, best known for its Cat's Pride and Fresh Step co-branded cat litters, plus industrial absorbents. Direct peer: vertically integrated clay miner with both industrial absorbent and branded consumer pet litter lines, mirroring Matutu's CalSorb/IndustSorb and Clean Cat portfolio split.

Others

• Sun Silicates (MetteQ Group affiliate): Sun Silicates shares Matutu Milling's Germiston head office address and is the parent group's platform, indicating shared infrastructure and group-level synergies. Others: intra-group affiliate rather than external peer, but material for understanding Matutu's operating context within the MetteQ group structure.

Emerging players

• Ashapura Group: Ashapura is an Indian industrial minerals group active in bentonite and attapulgite mining with global exports to absorbent and cat litter markets. Emerging player: same attapulgite/bentonite feedstock and similar industrial absorbent + pet litter end markets, with comparable cost-position emerging-market producer profile.
• Geohellas: Geohellas is a Greek producer of bentonite and related industrial clay minerals serving absorbents, civil engineering, and agricultural markets. Emerging player: directly comparable clay mining and processing operation with overlapping absorbent/agricultural use cases, smaller scale than global incumbents but with regional European focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookweb.facebook.com/MatutuMilling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matutu-absorbents/?viewAsMember=true

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Matutu Milling