Clariant’s sustainability-driven innovations earn global recognition at Gulf Energy Information Excellence awards 2025
Q&A with Marvin Estenfelder, Head of R&D at Clariant Catalysts
In an era where chemical producers face mounting pressure to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing operational efficiency, two groundbreaking technologies from Clariant Catalysts are proving that sustainability and performance can go hand-in-hand. The Chromium-Free HySat™ catalyst platform and EDHOX™ technology (jointly developed with Linde) recently won in two major categories at the Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards 2025, demonstrating how innovative catalyst technology can revolutionize established chemical processes.
We sat down with Marvin Estenfelder, Head of R&D at Clariant Catalysts, to explore the journey behind these award-winning innovations and what they mean for plant managers, process engineers, and decision-makers looking to future-proof their operations.
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Let's talk about the Chromium-free HySat catalyst. What was the R&D journey like?
The journey spans several decades, beginning when Süd-Chemie, which later became part of Clariant, first explored chromium-free alternatives for hydrogenation processes. What started as an initial spark evolved into a comprehensive research program at our Heufeld facility in Germany.
The breakthrough came when we launched a dedicated chromium-free program that ultimately led to successful industrial validation. Our approach combined computational modeling, academic collaboration, and rigorous testing protocols across laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales.
How has the HySat Cr-free catalyst performed in industrial applications?
The performance has been outstanding across a broad range of hydrogenation processes. The catalyst is already in the recurring loading stage in commercial settings, showing consistent operational reliability and remarkable stability across multiple loading cycles during long-term industrial use. Another key advantage is HySat Cr-free catalyst’s availability in flexible formats to suit a wide range of setup requirements, making it adaptable to diverse customer needs and process configurations.
Moving to EDHOX technology – what was the development journey like?
EDHOX, developed at our Heufeld R&D center in collaboration with Linde, represents a paradigm shift in chemical production. Our teams conducted extensive catalyst testing and long-term operation at Linde's pilot plant, developing a sophisticated multi-step production process for the OxyMax E catalyst. Through iterative testing and refinement, we achieved a catalyst system that enables the simultaneous production of polymer-grade ethylene, glacial acetic acid, and purified carbon dioxide. We achieved commercial readiness in 2024 with our ton-scale production of the OxyMax E catalyst.
What makes these technologies so innovative?
The HySat Cr-free catalyst eliminates hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), replacing it with a proprietary copper/aluminum formulation. What truly sets it apart is its outstanding performance in a growing number of hydrogenation processes – it's not just a safer, more environmentally-friendly alternative but delivers excellent results across various applications.
EDHOX utilizes oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to create both ethylene and acetic acid simultaneously. Unlike traditional steam cracking that requires temperatures exceeding 850°C, our process operates below 400°C. It can reduce Scope 1 CO₂ emissions by at least 60% up to full net zero, consumes approximately 70% less energy than conventional methods, and improves carbon efficiency by up to 5%.
What role did Clariant's R&D facilities play in these developments?
Both these award-winning technologies were primarily developed at our Heufeld facility in Germany. This center of excellence has been instrumental in advancing our catalyst technologies through its specialized equipment and the exceptional expertise of our research teams. We also leveraged insights from our global R&D network, including our High-Throughput Center in Palo Alto and our facilities in Shanghai and Toyama, but Heufeld served as the central hub where these innovations came to life.
How do these innovations align with sustainability goals?
The Chromium-Free HySat catalyst eliminates hazardous materials from production processes, simplifies spent catalyst management, and enables efficient copper recovery through recycling partnerships.
EDHOX fundamentally reimagines ethylene production to drastically reduce energy consumption and eliminate direct CO₂ emissions. Together, these innovations establish new benchmarks for sustainable chemical processing while demonstrating that environmental benefits can align perfectly with economic advantages.
»These awards validate our approach of combining scientific excellence with customer-focused development and sustainability principles. They recognize not just the technologies themselves but the dedication of our R&D teams who persevered through countless challenges to create breakthrough solutions that address the chemical industry's most pressing environmental and operational challenges.«
Marvin Estenfelder,
Head of R&D at Clariant Catalysts
What's next for Clariant Catalysts' R&D team?
We're continuing to focus on sustainability-driven innovation across all our research programs. Our teams are exploring new applications for existing technologies while developing next-generation catalysts for emerging needs, such as power-to-X technologies.
These award-winning innovations embody Clariant's guiding principle of "Greater chemistry – between people and planet." By developing solutions that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible, we're demonstrating that the future of chemistry lies in creating value that benefits both industry and our shared environment.
