MetteQ Holdings

What MetteQ Holdings does

MetteQ Holdings is a privately held, owner-managed South African industrial group that develops, manufactures, and supplies processed mineral and chemical products for the chemical, metallurgical, construction, and agricultural sectors. Its operations are organized through three core subsidiaries: Sun Silicates (Pty) Ltd, which produces potassium and sodium silicate-based products and exfoliated perlite and vermiculite; Matutu Milling, which mines, dries, calcines, and screens attapulgite clay into specialized absorbent and filtration grades; and Metflux, which manufactures cover flux and flux coatings for the aluminium and foundry industries. The group sells an eleven-brand product portfolio spanning horticultural-grade perlite (Sunperl), construction-grade perlite and vermiculite (Sunperl-V), specialty absorbents and matting (Steristall, Sterimat), metallurgical fluxes (Metflux De-Dross 47, Metcote), and attapulgite-based products (Calsorb, Industsorb, Atsorb, Petsorb, Cleanbath).

The underlying technology is built around in-house designed and built processing equipment for mining, drying, calcining, screening, and exfoliation of industrial minerals. The company emphasizes engineering excellence, proprietary processing capabilities, and the ability to produce application-specific product grades — from filter-aid perlite for wine and edible oils, to dross-recovery fluxes for aluminium furnaces, to attapulgite-based spill cleanup and fuel filtration absorbents. Revenue is generated through direct sales of manufactured products to industrial customers, with competitive pricing enabled by the owner-managed, in-house equipment-build model. The stated go-to-market is sales-led, with marketing limited to a corporate website and direct customer relationships; the company does not disclose pricing, customer counts, or revenue figures. Its headquarters and single manufacturing facility are in South Africa, and the company targets both domestic and potentially international industrial buyers through its Sun Silicates, Matutu Milling, and Metflux subsidiaries.

Name

MetteQ Holdings

Legal name

MetteQ Holdings

Website

https://metteq.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MetteQ Holdings is a privately held, owner-managed South African industrial minerals manufacturer producing perlite, vermiculite, attapulgite clay, silicates, and metallurgical fluxes through three subsidiaries (Sun Silicates, Matutu Milling, Metflux) for chemical, metallurgical, construction, and agricultural customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Minerals Manufacturing

NAICS

Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (327), Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (2123), Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing (3271)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Minerals Trading (Phosphate, Potash, Sulfur, Borates, Barite, Talc) (IMAKAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Contract Crushing, Screening & Materials Handling (In-Pit/ROM, Conveying, Stockpiling) (IMAKAKAH)

Keywords

• Industrial mineral processing
• Perlite manufacturing
• Vermiculite processing
• Metallurgical flux products
• Attapulgite clay mining

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Minerals Manufacturing and Sales: The company generates revenue through manufacturing and distributing perlite, vermiculite, attapulgite clay products, and flux products for industrial applications. Revenue is derived from product sales to chemical, metallurgical, construction and agricultural industries. Being owner-managed with in-house manufacturing capabilities allows for competitive pricing while maintaining quality.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

MetteQ Holdings is a South African owner-managed manufacturing group that develops, processes, and supplies industrial mineral and specialty chemical products including perlite, vermiculite, attapulgite clay, and metallurgical fluxes. The company designs and builds most of its own processing equipment for mining, drying, calcining, screening, and exfoliation operations. Products are sold under brands such as Sunperl, Sunperl-V, Steristall, Sterimat, Metflux, Metcote, Calsorb, Industsorb, Atsorb, Petsorb, and Cleanbath to industrial customers in chemical, metallurgical, construction, and agricultural sectors.

Product overview

MetteQ Holdings is a multi-subsidiary manufacturing facility that produces and supplies high-tech mineral and chemical products across four product lines: Perlite products (Sunperl brand for horticulture, construction, and filtration applications), Vermiculite products (Sunperl-V for insulation and growing media), Specialty products (Steristall and Sterimat for bedding and floor applications), and Flux products (Metflux De-Dross 47 and Metcote for metallurgical aluminium recovery). The group also includes subsidiary companies Sun Silicates (potassium and sodium silicate-based products), Matutu Milling (attapulgite clay processing including Calsorb, Industsorb, Atsorb, Petsorb, and Cleanbath), and Metflux (aluminium and foundry flux coatings). The company operates as a unified manufacturing platform serving chemical, metallurgical, construction, and agricultural industries with a focus on in-house core technical competencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sunperl: Horticultural Grade Perlite for soil-less growing medium, hydroponics, and potting soils; Construction grade Perlite for light-weight concrete and fireproof insulation materials; Filter-Aid for filtration of wine, fruit juices, metal solutions and edible oils.
• Sunperl-V
• Steristall
• Sterimat
• Metflux
• Metcote
• Metflux De-Dross 47
• Calsorb
• Industsorb
• Atsorb
• Petsorb
• Cleanbath

Products and services

• Sunperl Perlite (Horticultural Grade) Perlite for soil-less growing media, hydroponics, and potting soils used in horticultural applications.
• Sunperl Construction Grade Perlite Light-weight concrete aggregate and fireproof insulation material for the construction industry.
• Sunperl Filter-Aid Perlite-based filter aid used for filtration of wine, fruit juices, metal solutions, and edible oils.
• Sunperl-V Vermiculite Exfoliated vermiculite used as growing medium, ceiling and cavity wall insulation, low density screeds, gunning mixes, insulating castables, and fireproof insulation materials.
• Steristall Specialty absorbent product used for horse stable and chicken bedding, and as an absorbent for water, oil, and chemicals.
• Sterimat Rubber mat product used on floors of stables, horse boxes, trailers, bakkie load beds, and cattle ramps.
• Metflux De-Dross 47 Cover flux product that recovers aluminium from dross, improves drainage of metal from dross, reduces oxidisation, and prevents thermiting in aluminium and foundry operations.
• Metcote Flux coating used for drying dross in reverb furnaces, accelerating recovery from metal furnaces, increasing metal recovery, reducing oxidisation, coating steel furnace tools, explosion prevention, and acting as a release agent.
• Calsorb Attapulgite-based product used as a chemical carrier and for aviation fuel filtration, diesel filtration, and transformer oil filtration.
• Industsorb Attapulgite-based desiccant absorbent and chemical carrier product.
• Atsorb Attapulgite-based absorbent product used for cleanup of aqueous and hydrocarbon spills.
• Petsorb Attapulgite-based cat litter product.
• Cleanbath Attapulgite-based chinchilla washing sand product.
• Potassium and Sodium Silicate-based Products Silicate-based products manufactured and distributed by Sun Silicates (Pty) Ltd for the chemical, metallurgical, and agricultural industries.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sun Silicates (Pty) LtdcoreOthersPart of the MetteQ Group of businesses. Sun Silicates focuses on supplying high-tech consumable products including potassium and sodium silicate-based products, exfoliated perlite and vermiculite to chemical, metallurgical and agricultural industries. It operates as a manufacturer and distributor within the group.
• Matutu MillingcoreOthersPart of the MetteQ Group. Matutu Milling mines, dries, calcines and screens Attapulgite clay into different product grades for various absorbent and filtration applications including hydrocarbon spills, cat litter, desiccant applications, and filtration of transformer oil, diesel and aviation fuel.
• MetfluxcoreOthersPart of the MetteQ Group. Metflux is a manufacturer of cover flux and flux coatings for the aluminium and foundry industries, producing products like Metflux De-Dross 47 and Metcote for metal recovery and furnace operations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Calderys (Imerys): Refractory products manufacturer serving steel, aluminium, and foundry industries. Comparable to MetteQ's Metflux flux coatings and Metcote products in metallurgical furnace applications.

Broad incumbents

• Imerys: Global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions including perlite, vermiculite, and refractory products. Operates much larger perlite and vermiculite businesses worldwide and is the most direct scale competitor to MetteQ's Sunperl and Sunperl-V product lines.
• Minerals Technologies Inc. Specialty mineral producer serving construction, filtration, and metallurgical markets. Overlaps with MetteQ's industrial minerals portfolio and competes in talc, bentonite, and refractory-related applications.
• Sibelco: Global industrial minerals group with perlite, vermiculite, and specialty clays. Comparable to MetteQ in product breadth across construction, horticulture, and filtration end markets, with significantly larger international footprint.

Direct peers

• Dicaperl Minerals: US-based perlite producer focused on filtration, construction, and horticultural grades. Closely comparable to MetteQ's perlite product range and end-market mix.
• EP Minerals (U.S. Silica): Major producer of perlite and diatomaceous earth filter aids for food, beverage, and industrial filtration. Directly competes with MetteQ's Sunperl Filter-Aid product range in wine, juice, and edible oil filtration applications.
• Schundler Company: US perlite and vermiculite producer offering horticultural, construction, and filtration grades. Closely comparable niche specialty mineral producer to MetteQ's perlite and vermiculite product lines.

Regional players

• Palabora Mining Company: South African mining and minerals company producing vermiculite, copper, and magnetite. Regionally comparable to MetteQ as a South African industrial mineral operator with overlapping vermiculite market exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metteq-holdings-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 MetteQ Holdings