Argus Media
{{short description|Global commodity markets information provider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Argus
| logo =
| type = Private
| foundation = {{Start date|1970}}
| location_city = Lacon House, 84 Theobald's Road, London, WC1X 8NL
| locations = 29 Offices Worldwide
| area_served = Worldwide
| num_employees = 1200+
| location_country = U.K
}}
Argus (formerly known as Petroleum Argus Ltd{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01642534|title=ARGUS MEDIA LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-03-09}}) is an independent provider of price information, consultancy services, conferences, market data and business intelligence for the global petroleum, natural gas, electricity, emissions, biofuels, biomass, LPG, metals, chemicals, fertilizers, agriculture and coal industries.
Overview
Argus is a privately held UK-registered company which produces price assessments and analysis of international energy and other commodity markets, and also offers consulting services and conferences.
Argus was the first price-reporting agency to apply an [https://www.iosco.org/ IOSCO] audit for its energy benchmarks.{{cite news
| title=Fixing the fix
| url=https://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21595943-european-union-wants-change-how-commodity-benchmarks-are-set-fixing-fix
| newspaper=The Economist | language=en | date=February 10, 2014 | access-date=2018-03-31
}}
Argus was owned by the family of its founder Jan Nasmyth and its senior staff, but in September 2016 a majority-stake was sold to the equity firm General Atlantic valuing the company at $1.4 billion.{{cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8646d45c-20d1-11e6-aa98-db1e01fabc0c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211181254/https://www.ft.com/content/8646d45c-20d1-11e6-aa98-db1e01fabc0c |archive-date=11 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Argus company scooped up by General Atlantic |website=Financial Times |access-date=2017-12-05 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-23/general-atlantic-agrees-to-buy-majority-stake-in-argus-media|title=General Atlantic Agrees to Buy Majority Stake in Argus |date=2016-05-23|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|access-date=2016-12-15}}
Argus's headquarters are in London, with major offices in Houston, Dubai, Singapore, Paris, Seoul, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Riga, Kyiv, Astana, Calgary, San Francisco, Mexico City, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, New York, São Paulo, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, Sydney, Granada, Brussels, Lagos, and Cape Town.{{Cite web |title=Contact Us {{!}} Argus Media |url=https://www.argusmedia.com/en/contact-us |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=www.argusmedia.com}}
Prices assessed by Argus for energy, fertilizer, metals, petrochemicals and agriculture markets are widely used as benchmarks to settle futures contracts and as indexes for short or long term physical supply contracts.
History
Argus was established in 1970 by former Daily Telegraph journalist Jan Nasmyth.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/jan-nasmyth-nonconformist-oil-industry-journalist-jrngwx0t58q|title=Jan Nasmyth: nonconformist oil industry journalist|date=2008-09-26|work=The Times|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/privateequity/12103655/Family-owners-of-Argus-Media-in-line-for-500m-payout-from-sale.html|title=Family owners of Argus in line for £500m payout from sale|newspaper=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2016-12-15}} In 1979, Argus became the first reporting agency to quote crude oil prices{{Cite book|title=The Handbook of Maritime Economics and Business|last=Grammenos|first=Costas|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=2010|isbn=9781135134136|location=London}} and published the first ever daily crude market wire.{{Cite book|title=Oil Trading Manual : a comprehensive guide to the oil markets.|last=Long.|first=David|date=1995|publisher=Woodhead Pub|isbn=9781855738522|location=Cambridge|oclc=437172329}}
In 2011, Argus bought FMB Consultants Ltd (FMB) - a price reporting agency for international fertilizer markets.{{Cite book|title=The Price Reporters : A Guide to PRAs and Commodity Benchmarks|last=Johnson|first=Owain|isbn=9781351760553|edition=1st|oclc=1001389267|date = 2017-08-09}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/the-top-50-rising-stars-of-2011-1654783/|title=Top 50 Rising Stars: The UK's most exciting fast-growth businesses|date=2011-09-13|work=Growth Business|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-GB}} FMB was founded in 1982 and focused on nitrogen, phosphate, sulphur, potash and ammonia.
In 2012, Argus also acquired US petrochemical market intelligence, pricing and consulting firm DeWitt & Co,{{Cite news|url=https://www.wthr.com/article/argus-buys-dewitt-to-expand-energy-data-reporting|title=Argus buys DeWitt to expand energy data-reporting|date=2012-07-16|work=13 WTHR Indianapolis|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20120723/NEWS/307239973/argus-media-buys-consulting-firm-dewitt-co|title=Argus buys consulting firm DeWitt & Co. - Plastics News|website=www.plasticsnews.com|date=29 December 2012|access-date=2018-03-12}} and European power and gas fundamental data provider Fundalytics.{{cite web|url=http://www.mediamergers.co.uk/argus-today-announced-the-acquisition-of-fundalytics/|title=Argus today announced the acquisition of Fundalytics {{!}} Media Mergers|website=www.mediamergers.co.uk|date=8 February 2012|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-12}} In 2013, Argus bought petrochemical market specialists TABrewer Consulting{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalrefining.com/news/1001670,Argus_acquires_TABrewer_Consulting__expands_presence_in_petrochemical_consulting.html#.WqZsBOzFLX4|title=Argus acquires TABrewer Consulting, expands presence in petrochemical consulting|website=www.digitalrefining.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-12}} and Jim Jordan & Associates.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=241147270|title=Jim Jordan & Associates, LP: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-03-12}}
Argus launched coverage of the global iron ore market with daily report Argus Steel Feedstocks in February 2013.{{cite web|url=https://steelguru.com/steel/argus-introduces-global-iron-ore-price-assessments/312220|title=Argus introduces global iron ore price assessments|website=SteelGuru India|language=en|access-date=2018-03-12}} Argus expanded its metals coverage further in 2015, after acquiring MetalPrices.com{{Cite news|url=http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/argus-media-11/|title=Argus - Fast Track|last=TWK|work=Fast Track|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-GB}} - a specialist pricing, news and analysis service focusing on speciality metals, rare earths and ferro-alloys.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=237725076|title=Metalprices.com, Inc.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-03-12}}
In 2018, Argus purchased Integer Research a London-based market intelligence, conference and consulting firm.
In 2019, Argus acquired German oil reporting specialist [https://omr.de/ O.M.R.]{{Cite web|url=https://www.argusmedia.com/en/press-releases/2019/argus-buys-german-oil-reporting-specialist-omr?backToResults=true|title=Argus buys German oil reporting specialist O.M.R. | Argus Media}}
In 2020, Argus bought French agricultural intelligence company [https://www.agritel.com/fr/ Agritel].{{Cite web|url=https://www.argusmedia.com/en/press-releases/2020/argus-acquires-agricultural-specialist-agritel?backToResults=true|title = Argus acquires agricultural specialist Agritel | Argus Media}}
In 2021, Argus acquired the renewable chemicals specialist Oleochem Analytics.
In 2022, Argus acquired Pipe Logix, a US-based provider of pipe and tube market information.
In 2023, Argus acquired Mercaris, a US-based provider of organic and non-GMO commodity prices.
Awards
Argus won the Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) in the UK in 2002,{{Cite journal|date=21 April 2002|title=The Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2002: International Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Development|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56544/supplement/1|journal=The London Gazette|volume=56544, Supplement No. 1|page=1|via=The Gazette}} 2009{{cite web|url=http://queensawardsmagazine.com/award/international-trade/page/2/|title=International Trade « Award Category «|website=queensawardsmagazine.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-12}}{{Cite journal|date=April 2009|title=The Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2009|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59039/supplement/1/data.pdf|journal=The London Gazette|volume=59039, Supplement No. 1|page=1|via=The Gazette}} and 2015.{{Cite journal|date=April 2015|title=2015 Press Book|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/422927/PN116_TOP_BRITISH_BUSINESSES_RECEIVE_QUEEN_S_AWARDS_FOR_ENTERPRISE_-_Pressbook_2015.pdf|journal=The Queen's Award for Enterprise|via=Gov.uk}}{{Cite journal|date=April 2015|title=The Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2015|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/61204/supplement/3|journal=The London Gazette|volume=61204, Supplement No. 1|page=3|via=The Gazette}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.argusmedia.com/}}
Category:Mass media companies based in London