For the past century, Tinfos NIZI has built a reputation as "A Name to Trust" for customers, suppliers, and business partners throughout the world. From its location in Luxembourg, a multi-linguistic country in the center of Europe, which played an important role in building up the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 from which the basis of the European Union was later formed, Tinfos NIZI has served the growing European steel and foundry industry with raw materials for 100 years. Tinfos NIZI has contributed in building up cross boarder relations between the French, German and English speaking industrial cultures in Europe.

During this period, substantial structural changes have taken place in the steel and foundry industries as well as among the producers and suppliers of raw materials to these industries. Tinfos NIZI met the challenge by establishing new supply sources and distributing new products.

From its beginning as an independent private company, Tinfos NIZI is today 100% owned by Tinfos Jernverk A/S, Norway, a world leading producer of silico manganese, titanium slag, and pig iron.

Tinfos NIZI's philosophy has always been that of being an efficient distributor of raw materials to end users, a role that began in 1898 and which will continue into the next century.

Nicolas Zimmer was born in 1873. He was a self educated man, and at an early stage, he developed his interest in trading. He married Anna Maroldt, and in 1898 they established a company under the name N. Zimmer-Maroldt.

Mr. Zimmer was a very capable and well informed international business man. His worldwide contacts led to his appointment as Spain's Vice Consul to Luxembourg. He combined his special interests in old civilizations and foreign cultures with trade, and developed very early an international orientated company.

Mr. Zimmer was involved in the social development of Luxembourg, especially through his contribution to a foundation for old and ill people in Kopstal.

Nicolas Zimmer died in Luxembourg in 1941 at the age of 68.