Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com), a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, today announced that it received two awards at the 2025 Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards. The company won “Best Catalyst Technology” for its chromium-free HySat catalyst platform for hydrogenation processes and shared the “Best Petrochemical Technology” prize with its partner Linde for their jointly developed EDHOX Technology. Moreover, Clariant was selected as a finalist for its StyroMax UL-100 catalysts and VIVAZ services in the categories “Best Catalyst Technology” and “Best Health, Safety or Environmental Contribution (Upstream),” respectively. The award ceremony was held at a gala event on October 16, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
Jens Cuntze, President of Clariant Catalysts commented, “We are truly honored to have received this valued recognition amongst more than 500 submissions from highly respected peers. We owe this incredible achievement to the dedication of our teams. It is also a testament to Clariant’s commitment to developing innovative, sustainable catalyst solutions that address critical industry challenges. Both Cr-free HySat catalysts and EDHOX Technology demonstrate how cutting-edge chemistry can simultaneously improve performance, contribute to sustainability and create commercial value for our customers.”
The HySat Cr-free catalyst platform is a major innovation, eliminating hazardous hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), a Substance of Very High Concern under REACH regulations. Matching or exceeding the performance of conventional catalysts, it is effective across multiple applications such as oxo-alcohol and fatty alcohol production, SMPO processes and more. The catalyst’s reliability has been confirmed by commercial use and repeated sales, while formats like tablets and powders allow easy integration into existing systems without equipment changes. HySat Cr-free catalysts deliver enhanced safety, regulatory compliance, and sustainable high-quality performance in hydrogenation processes.
Co-developed by Clariant and Linde, EDHOX Technology uses OxyMax™ E, a proprietary heterogeneous catalyst, to convert ethane and oxygen into polymer-grade ethylene and glacial acetic acid in a single step process. The process operates at temperatures below 400°C under mild pressure conditions and is electrified by design. Heat from the reaction is efficiently removed via molten salt in a multi-tubular reactor, enabling high selectivity and energy efficiency. Regarding Scope 1 CO2 emissions, process CO2 is upgraded into a purified CO2 stream ready for downstream use in other applications. Even if vented, the process reduces Scope 1 CO₂ emissions by at least 60% and requires up to 70% less energy than conventional ethylene production processes. EDHOX™ offers CAPEX and OPEX advantages over conventional methods and up to 5% greater carbon efficiency, while enhancing safety and minimizing equipment wear. Commercially validated, EDHOX is suitable for greenfield projects, retrofits, and downstream integration, especially for VAM, PTA, and EVA production. The innovation sets a new benchmark in sustainable, efficient petrochemical manufacturing.