MALVERN, Pa., Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Zeolyst International, an Ecovyst Inc. (NYSE: ECVT) joint venture that is a leading producer of zeolites (“Zeolyst”), is proud to announce the launch of its branded product portfolio. With a four-decade legacy in zeolite development and manufacturing, Zeolyst continues to innovate sustainable solutions to meet the evolving needs of numerous industries, including renewable fuels, refining, automotive and advanced recycling.

Key highlights of the product portfolio brands include:

1. Opal Renew™: A range of zeolite products that enable renewable fuels production, through catalytic dewaxing essential to the production of renewable diesel and oligomerization of alcohols, a key enabler to produce sustainable aviation fuels.
2. Opal Infinity™: Customized zeolite technologies that enable efficient catalyzed pyrolysis for the emerging advanced recycling of mixed plastic wastes.
3. Opal Pure™: Zeolites designed to enable clean air applications, including emission control for diesel vehicle pollutants via catalytic reduction of NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and adsorption of volatile organic compounds.
4. Opal Blue™: Leveraging Zeolyst’s innovative and rapid scale up capabilities to tailor the properties of zeolites, these products provide new and innovative solutions enabling clean water technologies.

“Our Opal brands showcase Zeolyst’s commitment to driving advancements across zeolite catalysis and adsorption for a greener, more sustainable future.” said Lucy Innes, Commercial VP & General Manager. “Together with our customers, we continuously innovate to deliver solutions that address the pressing challenges and opportunities of our time. We look forward to further partnering with customers and industry stakeholders to make a difference,” Ms. Innes said.

About Ecovyst Inc. and Zeolyst International:

Ecovyst Inc. and subsidiaries is a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts and services. We support customers globally through our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. We believe that our products, which are predominantly inorganic, and services contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.

We have two uniquely positioned specialty businesses: Ecoservices provides sulfuric acid recycling to the North American refining industry for the production of alkylate and provides on-purpose virgin sulfuric acid for water treatment, mining, and industrial applications; and Catalyst Technologies provides finished silica catalysts and catalyst supports necessary to produce high strength and high stiffness plastics and, through its Zeolyst joint venture (a 50/50 joint venture with Shell Catalysts & Technologies), supplies zeolites used to manufacture catalysts used across applications including petrochemical refining, sustainable fuel production, emission control systems and plastic circularity. For more information, see the Ecovyst website at https://www.ecovyst.com and the Zeolyst website at https://www.zeolyst.com.

Ecovyst Investor Contact:
Gene Shiels (484) 617-1225
Gene.Shiels@ecovyst.com

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Source: Ecovyst Inc.

Released October 11, 2023

MALVERN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ecovyst Inc. (NYSE: ECVT) (“Ecovyst” or the “Company”), a leading integrated and innovative provider of specialty catalysts and services, today announced plans to expand silica catalyst production capability at its manufacturing facility in Kansas City, KS.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230913474490/en

The company expects that growing consumer demand for plastics will continue to drive the global expansion of polyethylene production over the coming years. Silica supported catalysts play a crucial role in the production of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear-low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The Kansas City expansion is expected to increase the site’s silica catalyst production capability by approximately 50% and is anticipated to start late 2025.

“Our material expertise and customer intimacy enables us to design, develop and manufacture advanced silicas and catalysts to help improve our customers’ product and process performance,” said Kurt J. Bitting, Ecovyst’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is carried out through long standing technical and commercial relationships with our key customers. The expansion of our Kansas City production facility is supported by additional long term customer commitments further enabling Ecovyst and its valued customers to benefit from the rising demand for polyethylene products.”

Paul Whittleston, President of the Catalyst Technologies segment of Ecovyst, added: “We are delighted to have strong long-term partnerships with our key polyethylene customers that leverage our deep material science R&D and manufacturing capabilities. This is a very exciting time for our Ecovyst team as we invest and expand.”

The Kansas City, KS site is part of Ecovyst’s strategically located global production network. This latest expansion comes on the heels of an investment that already increased silica catalyst production capacity at the site in 2021.

ABOUT ECOVYST

Ecovyst Inc. and subsidiaries is a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts and services. We support customers globally through our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. We believe that our products, which are predominantly inorganic, and services contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.

We have two uniquely positioned specialty businesses: Ecoservices provides sulfuric acid recycling to the North American refining industry for the production of alkylate and provides on-purpose virgin sulfuric acid for water treatment, mining, and industrial applications; and Catalyst Technologies provides finished silica catalysts and catalyst supports necessary to produce high strength and high stiffness plastics and, through its Zeolyst joint venture, supplies zeolites used for catalysts that remove nitrogen oxides from diesel engine emissions as well as sulfur from fuels during the refining process. For more information, see our website at https://www.ecovyst.com.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information contained in this press release constitutes “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects” and similar references to future periods. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our product and service offerings and the capacity expansion plans described herein. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We caution you, therefore, against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Ecovyst, Inc. P.O. Box 834, Valley Forge, PA 19482 • Phone: +1 (484) 617-1200 • Website: ecovyst.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230913474490/en/

For further information:
Gene Shiels (484) 617-1225
Gene.Shiels@ecovyst.com

Source: Ecovyst Inc.

Released September 13, 2023

MALVERN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ecovyst Inc. (NYSE: ECVT) (“Ecovyst”), a global provider of specialty catalysts and services, announces that it has achieved a Gold sustainability rating from EcoVadis. This accreditation recognizes Ecovyst’s ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future and its progress in integrating the principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility into its business practices and management systems. Our Gold Medal rating score places us in the 97^th percentile of companies EcoVadis rated in our peer group.

“Through our dedication to continuous improvement, Ecovyst strives to advance and promote sustainable technologies and business practices for the benefit of all of our stakeholders, including our customers, suppliers, employees and our investors. Our commitment to recycling sulfuric acid, producing catalysts that enable the production of clean and renewable fuels and reduced vehicle emissions, as well as our active and responsible involvement with our surrounding communities, demonstrates Ecovyst’s long-term commitment to sustainability,” said Kurt J. Bitting, Ecovyst’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud that the sustainability efforts of all of our Ecovyst colleagues have been recognized with the achievement of the EcoVadis’ Gold rating.”

Since its founding in 2007, EcoVadis has grown to become the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, creating a global network of more than 100,000+ rated companies. The EcoVadis sustainability assessment methodology evaluates how well a company has integrated the principles of Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility into its business and management systems. The methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000. The Sustainability Scorecard is focused on performance across 21 indicators in four themes: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.

ABOUT ECOVYST INC.

Ecovyst Inc. and subsidiaries is a leading integrated and innovative global provider of specialty catalysts and services. We support customers globally through our strategically located network of manufacturing facilities. We believe that our products, which are predominantly inorganic, and services contribute to improving the sustainability of the environment.

We have two uniquely positioned specialty businesses: Ecoservices provides sulfuric acid recycling to the North American refining industry for the production of alkylate and provides on-purpose virgin sulfuric acid for water treatment, mining, and industrial applications; and Catalyst Technologies provides finished silica catalysts and catalyst supports necessary to produce high strength and high stiffness plastics and, through its Zeolyst joint venture, supplies zeolites used for catalysts that remove nitrogen oxides from diesel engine emissions as well as sulfur from fuels during the refining process. For more information, see our website at https://www.ecovyst.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230117005287/en/

Investor:
Gene Shiels (484) 617-1225
Gene.Shiels@ecovyst.com

Source: Ecovyst Inc.

Released January 17, 2023

New CEO Kurt Bitting aims to supercharge growth heading into the energy transition. Ecovyst focuses on both ends of the fuels spectrum – petroleum and renewables.

Ecovyst’s new CEO expects demand to remain resilient for its sulphuric acid and catalysts, which are used to make petroleum based-fuels and polyethylene (PE) as well as renewable fuels and mining metals needed to make lithium-ion batteries and copper wiring.

The company’s new CEO, Kurt Bitting, has been with Ecovyst since 2006, when he joined the Ecoservices business when it was part of Rhodia. During his time in Ecoservices, the business became part of PQ. In 2021, PQ changed its name to Ecovyst, and it sold its Performance Chemicals business for $1.1bn.

It kept its Ecoservices business, its catalyst business and a 50% stake in the Zeolyst joint venture with Shell. That same year, Ecovyst agreed to pay $44m to acquire Chem32, a company that sulphides and activates catalysts and absorbents used in refining and petrochemical production. The acquisitions and divestments gave Ecovyst an easy-to-understand and coherent portfolio of businesses.

“We put the company in fighting shape,” Bitting said in an interview with ICIS. “Our mission now is to supercharge the growth in those sectors where our businesses are exposed to.”

Future acquisitions would complement Ecovyst’s existing businesses.

OPEN TO DEALS IN CATALYSTS

The Catalyst Technologies segment makes silica-based catalysts used to make high density PE (HDPE) and linear low density PE (LLDPE). The segment includes Ecovyst’s stake in the Zeolyst joint venture. Zeoyst produces catalysts used to make renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as well as petroleum-based fuels made in refinery hydrocrackers.

The Ecoservices segment makes virgin sulphuric acid. It also regenerates sulphuric acid that is used as a catalyst in the alkylation units of refineries. Its virgin sulphuric acid is used in mining copper, lithium and boron as well as producing phosphate-based fertilizers.

The catalysts industry is technology driven, so Ecovyst could consider acquisitions that would provide it with adjacent and complementary technologies, Bitting said. The sulphuric acid business is service oriented, so Ecovyst could consider businesses that provide sulphur technologies or services to petrochemical plants and refineries.

He highlighted the Chem32 acquisition as an example of the type of deals that Ecovyst would consider. Chem32 has a technology and service component. Ecovyst is not considering any divestments, Bitting said.

FUELS OUTLOOK

Ecovyst’s refining customers had had a busy season, with average utilisation rates running at nearly 94% from the start of June through to mid-August, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Over the past decade, that rate is near the high end of the range.

These refiners will need to conduct maintenance, which will include regenerating alkylate catalysts and swapping out hydrocracker catalysts.

US gasoline production will remain below pre-pandemic levels in part due to refinery shutdowns. Nonetheless, production will continue recovering, according to the EIA.

Ecovyst serves a subset of the US gasoline market, since it regenerates sulphuric acid used as a catalyst in alkylation units.

Refiners have long called alkylate liquid gold because it is made with propylene and isobutane. Separately, neither one is blended into gasoline. But when they’re combined to form alkylate, the resulting blendstock increases octane while lowering the sulphur concentration and vapour pressure of the finished fuel.

The US and other developed economies have adopted stricter regulations that limit the sulphur content of gasoline. Emerging economies are adopting similar sulphur restrictions, according to Stratas Advisors, a consultancy. That should further increase demand for alkylate.

While all of Ecovyst’s alkylate catalyst regeneration is in the US, the company still has exposure to foreign markets because the US exports significant amounts of finished gasoline. According to the EIA, gasoline exports exceeded 27m bbl in May 2022, the highest level ever for that month.

If fuel efficiency standards continue rising, automobile producers could design models with smaller, more efficient turbocharged engines, Bitting said. These engines require higher octane fuels, which would raise demand for alkylate.

Ecovyst estimates that alkylate makes up 35-45% of premium blends of gasoline, which have octane ratings of 91-94. That compares with a 12% alkylate content in regular gasoline, which usually has an octane rating of 87.

“We view that overall, refining utilisation will be strong, which is good for the North American refining complex,” he said. “Specifically for alkylation, the underlying growth factors are strong independent of that.”

Like US demand for gasoline, that for diesel and jet fuel should continue recovering in the next couple of years.

Renewable diesel and SAF A growing share of diesel and jet-fuel production will come from renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

RENEWABLE DIESEL AND SAF

A growing share of diesel and jet-fuel production will come from renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Zeolyst International (a subsidiary of Ecovyst, Inc.) was recently recognized and honored with a Quality Award by a leading Asian Emission Control Catalyst Company. Zeolyst International was selected for the award due to consistent high-quality service and products where factors such as packaging, customer service, on-time delivery and quality control were evaluated across their supply base. Zeolyst International is exceptionally proud to receive this award for the second consecutive year.

Congratulations to the entire team. Ecovyst Leadership team is very proud of the immense contributions in achieving this reward.

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Ecovyst, which has long made catalysts for hydrocrackers in oil refineries and polyethylene (PE) plants in chemical complexes, has found a new market in renewable fuels and chemical recycling.

• Growth in renewable diesel and other fuels opens prospect of double-digit sales growth insector
• Ecovyst could commercialise chemical-recycling catalysts in the second half of the decade
• Ecovyst will continue innovating refining and polyolefin catalysts

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Sustainability is one ofthe biggest opportunities for Ecovyst and for the catalyst industry as a whole, said TomSchneberger, president of the company’s Catalyst Technologies segment. He made his comments in aninterview with ICIS.

The company commercialised a renewable-fuels product line in 2019, said Ecovyst CEO Belgacem Chariag during an earnings conference call. By 2021, Ecovyst’s renewable fuels sales had tripled year on year.

Companies and refiners are adding new renewable diesel capacity through conversions and newplants. The result has increased US production of the fuel, as shown in the following chart. Figures are in thousands of bbl/day.

Ecovyst expects sales of its renewable-fuels products will grow by a compounded annual growth rate in the mid 20% range through at least the mid-decade, Chariag said.

Chemically recycling plastics could become another source of growth for the company’s catalysts. Ecovystis aligned with two of the companies that are in the lead in developing pyrolysis-based chemical recycling, Chariag said.

By 2024-2025, Ecovyst could have a full commercial line a catalysts for chemical recycling, he said. “It will be a pretty important business for us.”

Another potential market is renewable jet fuel, also known as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

It can be made by a similar process as renewable diesel, but the market is still nascent in its development as the economy improves, Schneberger said. Regulations for SAF are still evolving, and the economics are currently less favourable when compared with traditional jet fuel.

Still, if the airline industry wants to transition its fleet to a less carbon-intensive fuel, it will need a sustainable drop-in substitute for traditional jet fuel.
So far, airlines have started making maiden voyages with aircraft using SAF, Schnebergersaid.

SPEED OF TRANSITION

The US is the furthest along in developing renewable diesel because of incentives and regulations, Schneberger said.

A big driver has been California’s low carbon fuels standard (LCFS). The standard calls for a gradual reduction of the carbon intensity of gasoline, diesel and their substitutes. By 2030, the carbon intensity of these fuel pools should decline by 20% from 2010.

Oregon also has implemented an LCFS, and several other states are in the process of considering a similar standard.

Outside of the US, Canada has implemented its Clean Fuel Standard, which calls for the gradual reduction ofthe carbon intensity of fuels.

Schneberger said Europe is closely behind in renewable diesel. There is some adoption evenin Asia.

Ecovyst is focusing on western economies because the regulations and subsidies are already in place. The US already has renewable diesel plants, and companies are building more.

For now, renewable diesel producers should not have any problems finding vegetable oils, animal fats and waste greases for their plants, Schneberger said. Renewable diesel producers have learned a lot from the food-versus-fuel debates that the ethanol industry struggled with during the last decade.

That is why the industry is placing so much focus on waste greases. It is also why catalysts and process technology are so important. They can allow plants to use a wider variety of feed stocks while improving the quality of the fuel and the yields of the plants.

Renewable diesel production is not expected tobe limited by feedstock constraints until at least 2024-2026, Schneberger said. Moreover, the industry is working on innovations to prevent those constraints from occurring.

“Folks are working to innovate so those limitations don’t materialise,” he said.

One variable that is hard to measure is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war underscores the importance of having diverse sources of energy. That could increase interestin renewable diesel and other alternative sources of energy.

On the other hand, the war has disrupted supplies of sunflower oil, the third most traded vegetable oil after palm and soybean oil. The disruption tightened overall supplies of vegetable oils.

Given all of the variables of the war, it is too early to determine how it could affect renewable diesel.

For Ecovyst, the war has not threatened the raw materials it needs to make its catalysts for hydrocrackers, renewable diesel and pyrolysis, Schneberger said.

WORLD STILL NEEDS PETROLEUM

The Russian invasion illustrates that the world still needs fossil fuels. Once markets began factoring in the war’s supply disruptions, prices for crude and oil products spiked.

The energy transition has several years to playout, so the world will continue to need fossil fuels.

With that in mind, Ecovyst is continuing to improve its traditional products that serve fossil fuels, such those used in hydrocracking catalysts and emission control, he said.

Similarly, it sells catalysts to make polyolefins and it is developing catalysts to chemically recycle them.

Ecovyst can serve both ends of the markets while the energy transition unfolds.

“We feel very secure as a company that we can support the industry transition,” Schneberger said.

Additional reporting by Helen Yan and LucasHall

By Al Greenwood