Foseco was founded in Birmingham in 1932 to supply Flux Products to Non-Ferrous foundries. Sales grew rapidly during the Second World War with the increase in demand for high quality Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys to make aircraft and armaments. This products-plus-technical service approach was then successfully extended to ferrous foundries and subsequently to new product ranges for steelmill applications.

By 1949, Foseco was exporting to over 25 countries and the first local Foseco operations were established in France and North America, to be followed by a global network across the industrialised world. Foseco International was set up in the mid-1950s to manage international operations and lead innovation programmes. Foseco floated on the Stock Exchange in 1964 and, during the 1960s and 1970s, it diversified into different areas of the chemicals sector.

In 1969, Foseco merged with Minerals Separation Limited to form Foseco Minsep, which was acquired by Burmah Castrol in 1990, with the main Foseco businesses becoming Burmah Castrol's Metallurgical Chemicals Division. Having been acquired by BP plc in 2000, Burmah Castrol sold the Metallurgical Chemicals business together with its Releasant Chemicals business in 2001 to Foseco (Jersey) Limited, a new company controlled by funds managed by Cinven, the private equity firm. During 2003-4, the non-core businesses were divested, permitting management and resources to be fully focused on the key Foundry and Steel activities.

In 2005, Foseco once again floated on the London Stock Exchange and Foseco plc was formed.