W.C. Heraeus GmbH provides fabrication of precious metals and their alloys as well as special metals such as tantalum, niobium and beryllium for industrial and medical applications. It produces precious metal semi-products, laboratory equipment, glass fibre bushings, catalyst gauzes, writing utensil products, bonding wires, precision stamped parts (frames) for smart cards, hybrids, general compontents and sensors. It deals with metals such as gold, silver, platinum and the platinum group metals palladium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium and rhodium as well as special metals like rhenium, tantalum, niobium and beryllium. It also manufactures ceramic colours for decorating porcelain, bone china, stoneware, ceramics and glass. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Hanau, Germany.