Clariant: New catalyst for propane dehydrogenation

Swiss specialty chemicals group Clariant announced the market launch of its “Catofin 1000” catalyst for use in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) at the end of April.

According to the press release, this is a new-generation PDH catalyst. Building on the success of the established “Catofin 310” series, the new catalyst offers improvements in both selectivity and productivity, as well as a longer service life. In addition, a reduction of up to 20 percent in the formation of tar precursor substances leads to significantly lower fouling, thereby minimizing downtime and maintenance requirements.

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For operators of PDH plants, this means greater operational reliability and improved economic efficiency. In addition, Clariant customers can further improve catalyst-related plant performance through modern visualization, analysis and monitoring tools available via the Clarity digital service portal.

Clariant manager Jace Wang said: “With the launch of Catofin 1000, we are once again pushing the boundaries of catalyst innovation. These latest improvements underscore our steadfast commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers in the propylene industry to achieve superior performance. The significant reduction in tar precursors and fouling, combined with improved selectivity and higher productivity, represents a major advance in PDH technology.”

Catofin catalysts are used in the production of olefins such as propylene, isobutylene and butadiene through propane dehydrogenation. In the Catofin process, Clariant’s tailored catalysts and heat-generating material (HGM) are used together with the leading PDH process technology of US company Lummus. Since 2017, the Catofin process has been selected for more than 40 new PDH projects worldwide.

Based in Muttenz near Basel, Clariant generated EBITDA of CHF 158 million (EUR 173 million) in the first three months of the 2026 financial year, on total sales of CHF 918 million (EUR 1.003 billion).

More information: www.clariant.com

Clariant, Muttenz, Switzerland

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