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Century Aluminum Company (CENX) is a global industrial producer specializing in bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminum products. The company operates bauxite mining and alumina refining facilities, which feed its network of aluminum reduction smelters located in the United States and Iceland. It delivers both standard-grade and value-added primary aluminum, including its distinctive low-carbon Natur-Al™ aluminum, serving diverse manufacturing needs.
The company was established in 1995, building upon assets from Ravenswood to quickly become a significant supplier within the primary aluminum sector. This foundation allowed Century Aluminum to strategically position itself as a key domestic producer, focusing on the large-scale production of essential industrial metals.
CENX supplies its aluminum products to major customer markets across North America and Europe. The company's vision centers on maintaining its role as a critical producer of high-purity aluminum and advancing sustainable production methods, evidenced by its low-carbon offerings. It continues to focus on meeting the evolving demands of global industries reliant on primary aluminum.
CENX has raised $22.5M across 2 funding rounds.
CENX has raised $22.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
CENX was a technology company that developed network and service operations software for the telecommunications industry. It provided a suite of solutions that ingested network data across multiple domains and infrastructures, using big data analytics to deliver real-time visualization of network topology, inventory, faults, and performance through a unified interface.[1][2] Serving major service providers like mobile, wireline, cable, and cloud operators, CENX addressed the challenge of managing complex, scaling networks by enabling automation, service orchestration, and faster fault resolution—reducing provisioning times from weeks to minutes.[1][3] Founded in 2009 in Ottawa, Ontario, with later U.S. operations in New Jersey, it raised $22M before being acquired by Ericsson in September 2018, integrating its cloud-native capabilities into Ericsson's portfolio.[1][4]
CENX was founded in 2009 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, initially focusing on transforming how telecom service providers visualize and manage their networks.[1][3] Specific founders are not detailed in available records, but the company emerged amid the rise of big data and network virtualization needs in telecom, targeting operators struggling with siloed data across physical and virtual infrastructures.[2] Early traction came from its innovative analytics platform, attracting investors like Ericsson, Cross Creek, BDC Venture Capital, Mesirow Financial, and Highland Capital Partners, culminating in $22M raised.[1][3] A pivotal moment was its 2018 acquisition by Ericsson, which brought approximately 185 employees into the fold and boosted Ericsson's network automation capabilities.[1][4]
CENX rode the telecom industry's shift toward network virtualization, 5G, and automation in the 2010s, where exploding data volumes and hybrid physical-virtual networks demanded unified analytics to avoid operational silos.[1][2] Its timing aligned with big data's maturity and the push for service orchestration, helping carriers reduce costs and accelerate service delivery amid rising IoT and cloud demands.[3] Market forces like spectrum auctions and 5G rollouts favored CENX's tools, influencing the ecosystem by pioneering real-time assurance that competitors like Consistec (cybersecurity-focused) or Viewtinet (enterprise analytics) later emulated in niches.[1] Post-acquisition, its tech amplified Ericsson's dominance in telecom software, accelerating industry-wide adoption of AI-driven operations.
Since its 2018 acquisition, CENX operates as an integrated part of Ericsson, enhancing global network automation rather than as a standalone entity—its innovations now underpin Ericsson's service assurance for 5G and beyond.[1][4] Looking ahead, trends like 6G, edge computing, and AI-orchestrated networks will shape its legacy, with Ericsson likely evolving CENX's platform for zero-touch automation amid surging data traffic. Its influence may grow through Ericsson's partnerships, solidifying a foundation for scalable telecom ops that once promised to "fundamentally change" the sector.[2]
CENX has raised $22.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
CENX's investors include BDC Venture Capital, Openview Venture Partners, Cross Creek Advisors, DCM, Ericsson, Highland Capital Partners, Mesirow Financial, Mistral Venture Partners, Verizon Ventures, VMware, Thomas E. Galuhn, Daniel Keoppel.
CENX has raised $22.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $13.0M Series D in August 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2015 | $13.0M Series D | BDC Venture Capital, Openview Venture Partners, Cross Creek Advisors, DCM, Ericsson, Highland Capital Partners, Mesirow Financial, Mistral Venture Partners, Verizon Ventures, VMware | |
| Jun 25, 2012 | $9.5M Other Equity | Thomas E. Galuhn, Daniel Keoppel |
