Gwinnett Honors 40-Year German Investor at Annual Dinner 

The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce honored a German investor with a 40-year history in the county at its annual dinner Feb. 7. 

With a factory in Buford since 1985, Heraeus Quartz North America LLC took home the James J. Maran International Award, which recognizes a foreign-owned company that has put down roots in the county and exhibited a history of engagement with the chamber.

Heraues Quartz North America is part of Heraeus Covantics, an operating company within the Heraeus Group, headquartered in Hanau, a town near Frankfurt. The family-owned company’s origins hearken back to a pharmacy founded in 1660.

Covantics produces components made from high-purity quartz, silica and other ceramic materials, including optical fibers used in sectors like telecommunications, medical and semiconductors.

Heraeus Quartz in 2024 installed its first solar arrays on the office building co-located with its factory in Buford, increasing the proportion of energy the site derives from renewable sources. 

Heraeus is part of an extensive German investment and cultural ecosystem laid out by German Consul General Melanie Moltmann at a recent Global Atlanta Consular Conversation featuring the country’s top diplomat for the Southeast U.S. According to chamber President and CEO Nick Masino, Gwinnett is home to 95 facilities operated by German firms. 

Heraeus Quartz North America President Tony Musa said the company was honored to be recognized and pointed to employees’ active engagement in the Gwinnett community.

“Giving Back is a core value at Heraeus, and our people have consistently shown their dedication to this principle by generously donating their time to numerous local charities serving Gwinnett County,” Mr. Musa told Global Atlanta. “We also appreciate the support we receive from the chamber and Gwinnett’s pro-business mindset, which has been instrumental in making these efforts possible.”

The chamber has engaged with Heraeus for many years, including visiting the company during a European recruitment trip in 2012.  

Other German firms have taken home the Maran award in years past, including Hettich America and Siemens in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The 2024 award went to Wales-based MoneyPenny.