Glencore is a commodity trading company and miner, and one of the largest natural resources names in the world. The Anglo-Swiss organisation is registered in Saint Helier, Jersey, employing 146,000 people globally at over 150 sites and with assets in over 50 countries. Glencore prides itself on producing and marketing resources that play an essential role in modern life.

The pre-cursor to Glencore, Marc Rich & Co, was founded in 1974, becoming Glencore via a 1994 management buyout. Glencore first traded on the London Stock Exchange in May 2011 in an initial public offering which valued it at $60bn and raised $10bn making it one of the biggest UK IPOs in years and putting it straight into the UK’s flagship UK Index 100 Index. In fact, the Glencore of today was actually formed via a merger with sector peer Xstrata in 2 May 2013. The group’s largest shareholder is the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). Glencore shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

In 2010 Glencore had a global market share of 60% in internationally tradable zinc, 50% in copper, 9% in grain and 3% in the oil market. Glencore is well known for its “opportunistic but lucrative acquisition strategy.”

Glencore operates three business segments and one marketing network. Operations include a number of production facilities across the globe including 150 mines and metallurgic sites, oil production sites and agricultural facilities providing over 90 commodities to industries ranging from automotive, power generation, steel production to food processing.

In Metals and Minerals, Glencore produces and sells a large range of metals and minerals including copper, cobalt, zinc, nickel and ferroalloys. It also markets aluminium and iron ore from third parties.

In Energy, via mines in Australia, Africa and South America, Glencore is a major producer of coal. It is also one of the leading marketers of crude oil, refined products and natural gas.

Glencore Agriculture is a global leader in the sourcing, handling, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities in which Glencore hold a 49.9% stake. Its portfolio consists of 35 crushing and processing facilities, 23 pot terminals and employs 14,000 across the globe.

The Trading/Marketing operation uses Glencore’s global supplier base to source products and commodities and sell/market them to its worldwide customer base. Since its market debut, Glencore shares remain in demand amongst institutional investors, constituting a major fund constituent.