Schnee Dust Company

The Schnee Dust Company (シュニー・ダスト・カンパニー, Shūnī Dasuto Kanpanī), also referred to as the SDC, is a corporation owned by the Schnee family, and is one of the largest producers and exporters of Dust in the world of Tales of RWBY. Whitley Schnee is the heir to the Schnee Dust Company, which was founded by his grandfather.

As seen in the "Black" Trailer, the Dust is transported by railway lines after being mined and refined at quarries. According to Blake Belladonna, the company is known for its "controversial labor forces and questionable business partners", implying a bad reputation and/or criminal undertakings. The company has a history of bloodshed with the White Fang. However, the reasons behind this conflict are currently unknown.

It is headquartered in the Kingdom of Atlas and collaborates with the military under General James Ironwood on weapons such as the Atlesian Paladin-290. The company also has operations in Vacuo, which may have contributed to the environmental deterioration of that Kingdom.

"The finest of them all."
 * —Advertisement on the back of select magazines.

Background
The Schnee Dust Company was founded by Nicholas Schnee, in the aftermath of the Great War, in Mantle. Nicholas Schnee personally led numerous expeditions around the world to find Dust veins, earning him praise and respect throughout the Kingdoms, while also greatly expanding his company. However, as time passed Nicholas began to grow weary. His family missed him and his health was failing. He decided to let his son-in-law, Jacques Schnee, inherit the company. Under Jacques' leadership, the Schnee Dust Company's profits grew exponentially, albeit through less-than-ethical practices, such as the use of cheap labor, allowing dangerous working conditions and having shady business partners.

The Schnee Dust Company's controversial labor forces, mentioned by Blake in "The Shining Beacon", are evidently Faunus. In "Black and White", Blake mentions that the White Fang hijack cargo from the companies that use Faunus labor, which is the exact event that took place in the "Black" Trailer. Weiss confirms this in "Mountain Glenn", saying that her father's business practices are no longer progressive in terms of labor rights and Faunus treatment. Upon inheriting the company, she wishes to find a way to change that.

In "Remembrance", it's revealed that James Ironwood had previously placed an embargo on Dust trade until the threat of war passes. Jacques Schnee took great exception to this and its consequences for his company, though he tried to pass it off as being concerned for the Kingdom.

Head CEO

 * Jacques Schnee: The current head of the company.

Known SSchnee Dust Company Staff

 * Whitley Schnee: Jacques' son and current heir to the Schnee Dust Company.

Former Members

 * Nicholas Schnee: The founder of the Schnee Dust Company.
 * Blizzard Schnee: Winter and Weiss' father and former head of the company. Possiply quitted revoked her claim as head upon choosing to he a Huntsmen and Huntsmen mentor.
 * Winter Schnee: Weiss' elder sister, likely revoked her claim as heiress upon joining the Atlesian Military.
 * Weiss Schnee: Former heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Disinherited for her outburst and actions at the SDC Charity Ball, and for challenging her father afterward.

Notes & Trivia

 * The company is seen advertising Dust on the back of the "Weapons Magazine" paperback that Ruby is reading during the Dust Shop Robbery in "Ruby Rose". The same ad is also on the back of an X-Ray and Vav comic book being read by Jaune in "Welcome to Beacon".
 * The advertisement says "The finest of them all.", possibly reflecting the fact that Weiss is based on Snow White. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"
 * Nora Valkyrie is holding a tube of toothpaste with the Schnee Dust Company's logo in "The First Step", implying that Dust is not the company's only product. The name of the toothpaste brand is revealed in "The Badge and The Burden" as "Shi-nee" when a tube falls from Blake's bag.
 * During the food fight of "Best Day Ever", a soda can with the Schnee Dust Company logo can be seen. This soda was labeled Ol' King Cold, a reference to the nursery rhyme Old King Cole.