Ulba Metallurgical Plant

What Ulba Metallurgical Plant does

Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC (UMP) is a Kazakhstan-based metallurgical enterprise founded in 1949 and headquartered in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Since 1997 it has operated as an affiliate of NAC Kazatomprom JSC, Kazakhstan's national atomic company and the world's largest uranium producer. UMP produces uranium, beryllium, tantalum, and niobium products through a full-cycle metallurgical operation and hosts the IAEA Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Bank on its premises. The company is one of only three enterprises globally with a complete beryllium production cycle from ore concentrate to finished products, with proprietary hydrostatic and gasostatic pressing capabilities for isotropic material properties.

UMP's uranium operations produce natural U3O8, nuclear-grade UO2 powders, fuel pellets, and—through its Ulba-FA subsidiary opened in 2021—complete fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants at 200 tons/year capacity. Its beryllium line manufactures copper-beryllium, aluminium-beryllium, and nickel-beryllium master alloys serving aerospace, defense electronics, telecommunications, and nuclear research applications. The company has developed certified technology for AFA 3G fuel pellet production. Tantalum and niobium products include ingots, rolled products, alloying additives, and powders, with the tantalum line certified as conflict-free.

UMP operates as a B2B industrial supplier through dedicated marketing departments per product line and a network of exclusive regional distributors covering the US (IBC Advanced Alloys), Europe (Tropag), China and Southeast Asia (ULBA-CHINA), and Turkey (TH Kazakatom). Major customers include CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel for fuel pellets, IBC Advanced Alloys for beryllium master alloys, and various national nuclear research centers. The company is expanding nuclear fuel production with a new automated inspection line launched in December 2025 and participates in Kazakhstan's $1 billion critical minerals financing program through its parent Kazatomprom.

Name

Ulba Metallurgical Plant

Legal name

Ulba Metallurgical Plant Joint-Stock Company

Website

https://ulba.kz

Company type

Public

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP JSC) is a Kazakhstan-based metallurgical producer of uranium, beryllium, tantalum, and niobium products, serving nuclear power, aerospace, defense, and electronics industries as a subsidiary of NAC Kazatomprom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Metallurgy / Nuclear and Rare Metals Manufacturing

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141), Other Metal Ore Mining (212290), Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251)

SIC

Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330), Miscellaneous Metal Ores (1090), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Fuel Fabrication (UO2 Fuel Pellets, Rods & Assemblies) (EUAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Uranium Mining & Milling (Yellowcake/U3O8 Production) (EUAKACAB), Fuel Cycle Support Services (Engineering, licensing support, conversion/enrichment contracting) (EUAKACAL)

Keywords

• Uranium fuel production
• Beryllium alloys
• Tantalum niobium processing
• Nuclear fuel assemblies
• Specialty metallurgy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ust'-kamenogorsk

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Uranium Products: Production and sale of uranium products including natural U3O8, UO2 nuclear-grade powders, fuel pellets for nuclear power plants, and fuel assemblies through Ulba-FA LLP. Uranium fuel assemblies listed among Kazakhstan's top-10 export commodities.
2. Beryllium Products: Sale of beryllium metal ingots, copper-beryllium, aluminium-beryllium, and nickel-beryllium master alloys, and metal-ceramic beryllium products. One of three global enterprises with full beryllium production cycle. Sold via regional distributors and direct marketing department.
3. Tantalum and Niobium Products: Production and sale of tantalum ingots, round-rolled and flat-rolled products, alloying additives, powders, and articles. Conflict-free tantalum certified. Niobium products including NbTi alloy ingots.
4. Services and Scientific Research: Scientific Center with uranium, beryllium, tantalum, and innovation laboratories. Testing Center, Ulba Design Institute providing engineering and R&D services to the nuclear and metallurgical industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP JSC) is a Kazakhstan-based metallurgical producer that processes ore concentrates into finished uranium, beryllium, tantalum, and niobium products. Its uranium division supplies natural U3O8, UO2 nuclear-grade powders, fuel pellets, and full fuel assemblies via the Ulba-FA subsidiary. Its beryllium, tantalum, and niobium divisions produce metals, master alloys, rolled products, powders, and articles for nuclear, aerospace, defense electronics, and specialty industrial customers. The company also provides R&D, testing, and engineering services through its Scientific Center, Testing Center, and Ulba Design Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Natural Uranium Oxide (U3O8) Natural uranium oxide concentrate (U3O8 / "yellowcake") produced as the first commercial uranium product in UMP's uranium division. Sold to nuclear fuel cycle participants and downstream processors for conversion to nuclear-grade materials.
• Uranium Dioxide Powders (Nuclear-Grade) Nuclear ceramic-grade uranium dioxide (UO2) powders manufactured for nuclear fuel fabrication, supplied to fuel pellet and fuel assembly producers worldwide.
• Uranium Fuel Pellets Ceramic uranium oxide fuel pellets produced from UO2 powders for use in nuclear fuel assemblies, including AFA 3G. Manufactured under contract with Chinese nuclear fuel manufacturer CNNC Jianzhong and supplied to the Ulba-FA fuel assembly line.
• Nuclear Fuel Assemblies Complete nuclear fuel assemblies produced by subsidiary Ulba-FA LLP for nuclear power plants, with 200 tons of fuel per year production capacity. Listed among Kazakhstan's top-10 export commodities.
• Difficult-to-Open Uranium Material Processing Services Toll processing services for hard-to-open uranium-containing raw materials, leveraging UMP's full-cycle uranium processing capability to convert diverse uranium-bearing feedstocks into usable uranium products.
• Technical Beryllium Metal Technical-grade metallic beryllium produced as part of UMP's full beryllium production cycle (one of only three globally). Sold via regional distributors and direct B2B sales to aerospace, nuclear, and electronics customers worldwide.
• Copper-Beryllium Master Alloys Copper-beryllium master alloys supplied for further processing by aerospace and defense manufacturers (largest US purchaser: IBC Advanced Alloys). Used for electrical contacts, springs, bearings, and structural components.
• Aluminum-Beryllium Master Alloys Aluminum-beryllium master alloys supplied for aerospace and defense applications, including as feedstock for IBC Advanced Alloys in North America.
• Nickel-Beryllium Master Alloys Nickel-beryllium master alloys for specialty industrial and metallurgical applications requiring high-strength, corrosion-resistant alloys.
• Copper-Beryllium Alloys Finished copper-beryllium alloy products (blocks, plugs, shanks, structural components) sold to nuclear research centers and industrial customers including the Polish Nuclear Research Center and the Kurchatov Nuclear Research Center.
• Beryllium Billets, Articles and Components Semi-finished beryllium billets and finished beryllium-based components for nuclear research reactors, X-ray equipment, aerospace, and defense electronics applications.
• Tantalum Ingots Tantalum ingots manufactured using UMP's proprietary extraction, arc and electron-beam refining process (USSR State Prize-winning technology). Conflict-free certified for downstream electronics capacitor production.
• Tantalum Round-Rolled Products Round-rolled tantalum products (bars, rods, wire) supplied to electronics, chemical processing equipment, and medical implant manufacturers.
• Tantalum Flat-Rolled Products Flat-rolled tantalum sheets and plates for chemical processing, electronics, and specialty industrial applications.
• Tantalum Alloying Additives Tantalum-based alloying additives used in specialty metallurgy and superalloy production for aerospace and industrial applications.
• Tantalum Powders Capacitor-grade and other tantalum powders for electronics capacitor production, with conflict-free certification.
• Tantalum Articles and Components Finished tantalum articles for chemical processing equipment, electronics, and medical applications.
• Niobium Ingots Niobium metal ingots produced by UMP for specialty industrial applications including superconducting materials.
• NbTi Alloy Ingots Niobium-titanium (NbTi) alloy ingots used in superconducting materials production (USSR State Prize-winning technology).
• Niobium Flat-Rolled Products Flat-rolled niobium sheets and plates for chemical processing, superconducting, and specialty industrial applications.
• Niobium Round-Rolled Products Round-rolled niobium bars, rods, and wire for specialty industrial applications.
• Niobium Powders Niobium powders for electronics, capacitors, and specialty metallurgy applications.
• Niobium Alloying Additives Niobium-based alloying additives for specialty metallurgy and superalloy production.
• Niobium Articles and Components Finished niobium articles for chemical processing, electronics, and specialty industrial applications.
• Industrial By-Products (Technical Gases, Magnesium Fluoride, Quartz-Fluorspar Ore, Fluorspar Concentrate, Hydrofluoric Acid) Secondary industrial products derived from UMP's core metallurgical operations, including technical gases, magnesium fluoride, quartz-fluorspar ore (CaF2 10-20%), FF-95A grade fluorspar concentrate, and hydrofluoric acid. Sold to industrial customers.
• Testing Center Services Independent materials testing and quality assurance services provided through UMP's Testing Center for the nuclear and metallurgical industries.
• Ulba Design Institute Services Engineering, design, and R&D services provided through Ulba Design Institute to the nuclear and metallurgical industries.
• Scientific Center R&D Services Scientific research and laboratory services covering uranium, beryllium, tantalum, and innovation R&D across dedicated laboratories within UMP's Scientific Center, supporting both internal production development and external industry clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1747 tons annual beryllium product capacity (2016 results)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• NAC Kazatomprom JSCflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026UMP JSC is an affiliate/subsidiary of NAC Kazatomprom JSC (since 1997). Kazatomprom is Kazakhstan's national atomic company and the world's largest uranium producer. UMP is integrated into Kazatomprom's nuclear fuel cycle operations and benefits from government-backed critical minerals programs including the $470 million exploration initiative and $1 billion financing program.
• Ulba-FA LLPflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Subsidiary/affiliate established for fuel assembly production for nuclear power plants. Construction launched 2016, solemn opening November 10, 2021. Capacity of 200 tons of fuel per year, enabling Kazakhstan to join China, USA, France, and Russia as nuclear fuel producers.
• Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) — US Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2019International cooperation on nuclear material transportation security. DTRA presented UMP with a custom escort railcar for safe transportation of nuclear materials through Kazakhstan and Russia, replacing aging escort equipment.
• ULBA-CHINA Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Exclusive distributor for China and Southeast Asia markets for UMP's beryllium products. Established in 2009 (15 years as of 2024). Markets high-purity technical grade beryllium under long-term supply agreement.
• Tropag Oscar H. Ritter nachf. GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Exclusive European market distributor for UMP's beryllium products including copper-beryllium and aluminium-beryllium master alloys.
• TH KazakatomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Turkish market distributor for UMP's beryllium products.
• IBC Advanced Alloys CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Largest US purchaser of UMP beryllium products. Canada-based IBC processes and further manufactures UMP's copper-beryllium and aluminium-beryllium master alloys for aerospace and defense applications.
• IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017UMP JSC hosts the IAEA LEU (Low-Enriched Uranium) Bank established on Kazakhstan's initiative under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and NAC Kazatomprom JSC. Project reflects Kazakhstan's contribution to nuclear disarmament and international security.
• CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2010Chinese nuclear fuel manufacturer and customer. UMP produces fuel pellets under contract with Chinese party representatives conducting in-process quality control. UMP inspectors performed acceptance control at CNNC Jianzhong facilities in China.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Westinghouse Electric Company: Major nuclear fuel fabrication and reactor services provider. Comparable as a producer of AFA-style fuel assemblies and pellets for nuclear power plants, the same product line UMP produces at Ulba-FA.
• BWX Technologies: US-based nuclear components and fuel manufacturer with capabilities in specialty nuclear materials including beryllium components for defense and research reactors. Comparable as a peer in nuclear-grade specialty materials manufacturing.
• Cameco Corporation: One of the world's largest uranium producers with diversified fuel cycle operations including fuel fabrication. Comparable as a uranium fuel cycle peer with both mining and downstream nuclear fuel products.
• Orano (formerly Areva): France-based integrated nuclear fuel cycle company covering uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, and fuel assembly fabrication. Comparable as a vertically integrated nuclear fuel producer with similar downstream value-chain activities to UMP.
• Rosatom (TVEL Fuel Company): Russian state nuclear corporation's fuel division, a global leader in uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication. Comparable as a peer in nuclear fuel assembly production (UMP supplies Russian research reactors with beryllium components).

Regional players

• China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC): China's state nuclear corporation and a customer of UMP for fuel pellets (via subsidiary CNNC Jianzhong Nuclear Fuel). Comparable as a nuclear fuel cycle operator with both upstream and downstream capabilities, primarily serving the Chinese market.

Direct peers

• H.C. Starck (now part of Masan High-Tech Materials): Major global producer of refractory metals including tantalum and niobium products. Comparable as a peer in UMP's tantalum and niobium product lines serving electronics, aerospace, and chemical processing markets.
• Global Advanced Metals: One of the world's largest producers of tantalum products including capacitor-grade powders and ingots. Comparable as a direct peer in UMP's tantalum product line with overlapping customer base in electronics.
• NAC Kazatomprom JSC: Parent company and the world's largest uranium producer; directly comparable as the upstream uranium mining and primary processing operation that feeds UMP's downstream fuel fabrication activities. Together they form an integrated Kazakh nuclear fuel cycle.
• Materion Corporation: The primary Western producer of beryllium and beryllium alloys. UMP is the only other enterprise globally with a comparable full beryllium production cycle, making Materion the closest direct peer in beryllium products for aerospace, defense, and electronics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ulbakz
• Instagraminstagram.com/ao_umz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ulba-metallurgical-plant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Ulba Metallurgical Plant