MKS (Switzerland)

MKS (Switzerland) SA is a trader of precious metals. Based in Geneva, the group employs approximately 600 workers and turns over an estimated US$70 million. MKS is an associate of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), and its subsidiary PAMP has been on the LBMA’s Gold List,[1] widely recognised in the financial services industry as the indicator of quality,[2] since 1987.

MKS (Switzerland) SA
Privately held
IndustryFinancial services
Founded1979
Headquarters
Geneva
,
Switzerland
Key people
M Shakarchi (CEO)
ProductsRefined precious metals
Revenuec. $70m
SubsidiariesPAMP SA
Websitewww.mks.ch

Areas of activity

As a trading house the company's clients include organisations in the financial services industry, such as banks and fund managers, commodities processors such as gold miners and jewellery manufacturers. MKS subsidiary PAMP SA (Produits Artistiques Metaux Precieux), based in Castel San Pietro in the Swiss canton of Ticino, is a refinery processing gold, silver, platinum and palladium. The refinery produces bars, coins and medallions from the precious metals it refines as well as providing semi-finished products to jewellers and watch manufacturers. It counts Harrods among its retail partners, which offers PAMP's minted products to its customers at its bank in its London flagship store.[3]

History

The company was founded in Switzerland in 1979 by Mahmoud Kassem Shakarchi, hence the name MKS.[4] His son and daughter jointly took over the running of the company in 1983, since when the company has expanded to have staff located in 15 offices in 12 countries around the world.

MKS bought PAMP SA[5] in 1981, and began to supply gold bars to jewellers, high street banks, investments banks and central banks.

PAMP
Main article: PAMP (company)

PAMP SA (Produits Artistiques Métaux Précieux) is a world leading, independently operated, precious metals refining and fabricating company, member of the MKS Group. It was established in 1977 in Ticino, Switzerland. It provides vertically integrated services in precious metals, from collection of doré from the mine, through to assaying, hedging and delivery of its bars and other products throughout the world. The company produces a complete selection of bullion bars, from 12.5 kilograms to 1 gram and leads the world market for gold bars of 50 grams or less. PAMP also operates in India through MMTC-PAMP, a joint venture between the company and MMTC Ltd.

MKS in the media

MKS is often quoted as a gold trading expert in the media. Financial media such as Bloomberg,[6] Businessweek,[7] Financial Times,[8] Reuters[9] and the San Francisco Chronicle[10] have quoted them.

References
  1. Gold List Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, London Bullion Market Association
  2. Full members' list Archived 28 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, London Bullion Market Association
  3. "Harrods to sell gold bullion for first time", The Telegraph, 15 October 2009
  4. "PAMP Refinery - Gold University - BullionStar". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. "PAMP Refinery - Gold University - BullionStar". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  6. "Gold May Advance on Inflation Concern, Sovereign-Debt Crisis in Europe", Bloomberg, 14 June 2011
  7. "Gold May Gain in New York on Inflation Concern, Debt Woes", Businessweek, 14 June 2011
  8. "Rally pushes gold past $1,40", Financial Times, 21 February 2011
  9. "Commodities-Oil up after rollercoaster ride; CRB rebounds", Reuters, 12 May 2011
  10. "Gold May Decline in New York as Stronger Dollar Cuts Demand", San Francisco Chronicle, 20 June 2011
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