Heraeus in catalyst reprocessing acquisition
29 Mar 2000
German precious metals specialist Heraeus has acquired an aluminium oxide catalyst regeneration business from Degussa-Huls, extending its spread of catalyst regeneration businesses.
Heraeus already operates machinery for catalyst regeneration, which have a capacity of over 1000tpa and can handle metals to a value of DM100million per year. These same machines can also handle the soluble aluminium oxide catalysts, which contain the precious metals platinum, palladium, iridium and rhenium. These are widely used - albeit in small volumes - in the oil processing industries for high-octane fuel production and several industrially-important reactions.
`Over the years Heraeus has built up extensive knowledge of the reprocessing of these catalysts and works very closely with the top names in the petrochemical industry,' the company says.
Although non-core to Degussa-Huls, this business is of considerable interest to Heraeus. `Through the takeover of this business, we have established ourselves as the leading refiner of soluble aluminium oxide catalysts.'
