10-03-2014

Haldor Topsøe A/S expands its Frederikssund catalyst plant

Haldor Topsøe A/S is today officially opening a large extension of the company's catalyst plant in Frederikssund, Denmark. This plant and a plant in Houston, Texas, constitute the company's two primary facilities globally. The extension, representing an investment in excess of DKK 300 million, consists of the addition of a new production unit called "P6", which will focus on production of catalysts used by refineries worldwide for converting crude oil into diesel with low sulphur content for reduced environmental impact.

Ground-breaking for P6 took place in October 2012 and by May last year, the 2,400 sq.m. new premises were completed.  Following the installation of new production equipment, the plant is now ready for commissioning.

”The expansion at Frederikssund ties in closely with our growth strategy and is based on our projections for increased demand. Worldwide, refineries are using our catalysts for producing fuels that are cleaner and result in reduced emissions of sulphur and other environmentally harmful substances. In fact, almost 40% of the world's total production of green diesel is produced with the aid of Topsøe technology. In many emerging markets, there is now growing interest in the environmental benefits offered by cleaner fuels," says Bjerne S. Clausen, CEO, Haldor Topsøe.

The recent expansion will create 27 new jobs at the Frederikssund plant, bringing the total workforce up to 700 employees. Topsøe is the town's largest private employer and almost half of the employees are local residents of Frederikssund Municipality. And according to the CEO, expanding production in Denmark continues to make good sense for Topsøe.

”Catalyst production is complex, so it's important for production to be closely linked to our research activities, which are the foundation for our business. Plus, here in Denmark, we have a well-qualified workforce at every stage of production. That is a distinct strength for us," says the CEO. 
However, expansion of the Frederikssund plant does not mean that Topsøe is limiting itself to production in Denmark alone.

”For us, it's not a question of choosing one over the other, but going for both. In countries such as China or Brazil, localised production is one of the conditions for achieving success in the market, which is why we are also intent on growing our presence in those locations. As a result, over the past year, we commenced construction of a large plant in Tianjin in China, and have also extended our capacity significantly in Houston, Texas".

For more information, please visit www.topsoe.com