Specialty chemicals producer Clariant opened a new R&D laboratory for catalysts for the chemical and oil and gas industries. The lab is located in Suzano, Brazil, the company’s largest manufacturing plant in Latin America.
Brazilian gas supplies are expected to soar and domestic production will triple from current level of 65 million cubic meters per day to around 180 million cubic meters per day in 2020.
In addition, tightening of fuel specifications in South America and the necessity of processing more challenging feedstocks are driving hydrogen catalyst demand. Clariant’s catalysts business unit produces hydrogen catalysts.
Clariant established the R&D lab after it acquired catalysts assets of Oxiteno in mid-2012, which included patents and research labs. With the transfer of assets to the Suzano industrial park and the installation of the new unit, Clariant has invested additional resources to improve its infrastructure and the services offered to its customers, as well as identify opportunities to develop tailor-made solutions for the regional market.
For more information, visit www.clariant.com.
