Mint Spotlight: PAMP Suisse

PAMP Suisse
by: Ben Tseytlin - on Gold & Bullion

PAMP Suisse is one of the world’s top institutions when it comes to bullion, particularly gold bars. They were founded in 1977 and are headquartered in Switzerland. Although it is relatively young when compared to other international mints, PAMP utilizes cutting edge fabrication and refinery equipment, and their skill and attention to detail have brought them tremendous respect and profitability.

Specialties And Capabilities

PAMP Suisse is best known for its gold and silver bars, but it also produces bars in other metals such as platinum. It works with all types of shapes, purities, sizes and weight. What is less known to general consumers is that this institution also works with precious metals which are semi-finished, which are used for the production of watches and jewels.

It also strikes coins and blanks for various financial institutions and governments, provides both unallocated as well as allocated storage for prominent clients, and can refine both secondary or primary materials which are precious metals bearing. Over the years this organization has developed a number of commemorative coins as well as other proprietary products. PAMP Suisse is associated with MKS PAMP Group and as such works closely with them on a variety of financial and precious metals related projects.

PAMP Suisse Achievements

In the decades that have passed since its founding, PAMP Suisse has made a number of contributions to the precious metals industry. It was the very first fabricator to successfully incorporate decorations on the reverse side of miniature bars. This can be seen in the Lady Fortuna, which is one of its most popular products. This institution was also the first to provide bales for the wearing of pendants, and it revolutionized the industry through the introduction of sealed packaging for its miniature bars.

This is important as an environment which is airtight ensures that the bar within the packaging is protected. PAMP Suisse also significantly reduced fraud, which has been a major problem among gold bars, by introducing a certificate of authenticity which is signed and a guarantee that the product was produced in one of its facilities.

Another great achievement of PAMP Suisse was developing a method to colorize pendants and bars, a feature that in the past had primarily been restricted to coins. This combined with the introduction of various security measures such as holograms have made PAMP Suisse so popular that they currently control fifty percent of the worldwide market for gold bars which weigh less than 100 grams.

PAMP Suisse is also praised for its commitment to the environment. For decades the precious metals industry in general has been targeted and criticized for the harmful impact that its operations have on air, land and water. PAMP has not only routinely met the requirements that are mandated by law, but has also surpassed them. Much of this has to do with the company’s responsible management and discipline among its employees and supervisors, along with the fact that Switzerland has some of the strictest environmental laws in Europe.