24 Sep 2025

Clariant SynDane^™ catalyst achieves performance milestones at Wanhua maleic anhydride plant

Clariant's SynDane catalysts show impressive results at Wanhua Chemical's world-scale 200 KTA maleic anhydride plant in Yantai, China
SynDane 3142 LA delivers high yield with low byproduct formation and reduced energy consumption leading to significant OPEX savings
Clariant’s complete range of technical service and state-of-the-art digital platform - CLARITY^™ strengthen the strategic partnership between the companies

MUNICH, September 24, 2025 - Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, today announced the solid performance of its SynDane 3142 LA catalyst at Wanhua Chemical's maleic anhydride plant in Yantai, Shandong province, China. The catalyst, which started up in 2024, has demonstrated very good operational results, delivering on its promise of efficiency and sustainability benefits.

The SynDane catalyst is now achieving excellent performance metrics, with notably high yields and significantly reduced byproduct formation at the Yantai facility, one of the world's largest maleic anhydride units with a production capacity of 200,000 tons per year. SynDane's innovative design continues to drive sustainability through reduced pressure drop and lowered energy consumption.

“We are pleased with the strong performance of our SynDane catalyst at Wanhua's facility. The high selectivity and yield achievements demonstrate how our innovative solutions deliver long-term value. This is a special project for us, as we can showcase how our broad portfolio offers a complete spectrum of sustainable solutions that increase efficient energy utilization and enhance productivity,” remarked Nora Schiefenhoevel, Vice President and Head of Clariant Specialty Catalysts.

Wanhua Chemical Group is one of the largest chemical producers in China and ranks among the top 20 globally. The company is based in Yantai, Shandong province, China.

Clariant's Applied Catalyst Technology team based in Panjin, China has provided comprehensive technical service throughout the project. Their expertise and dedication have been one of the key factors in achieving the current strong operational results. The recent implementation of Clariant's state-of-the-art digital platform - CLARITY has further enhanced collaboration, enabling efficient data exchange and analysis to continuously optimize plant performance.

SynDane 3142 LA is a selective oxidation catalyst featuring Clariant's proprietary doublealpha shape, which provides physical and chemical properties that maximize selectivity for maleic anhydride production while significantly reducing pressure drop compared to conventional ring-shaped catalysts. This patented doublealpha design gives producers a distinct advantage with higher productivity at lower process and energy costs. SynDane also enables very good maleic anhydride quality by minimizing the formation of undesired by-products, greatly reducing plant downtime. Thanks to its operating stability, SynDane offers a long lifecycle of more than 5 years. The proprietary doublealpha shape represents a significant innovation that differentiates SynDane 3142 from conventional ring-shaped catalystst.

Learn more about Clariant’s SynDane series catalysts.

^™ ARE TRADEMARKS OF CLARIANT.

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Notes for editors

www.clariant.com

Clariant is a focused specialty chemical company led by the overarching purpose of “Greater chemistry – between people and planet.” By connecting customer focus, innovation, and people, the company creates solutions to foster sustainability in different industries. On 31 December 2024, Clariant totaled a staff number of 10 465 and recorded sales of CHF 4.152 billion in the fiscal year for its continuing businesses. Since January 2023, the Group conducts its business through the three Business Units Care Chemicals, Catalysts, and Adsorbents & Additives. Clariant is based in Switzerland.

www.clariant.com/catalysts

Building on a 165-year history, Clariant Catalysts is a global and independent manufacturer of energy-efficient catalyst technologies shaping a sustainable future for the chemical industry. We create greater chemistry – between people and planet – by helping to decarbonize our customers’ production processes and scaling up the transition toward zero-emission chemicals and fuels. Through our exceptional R&D and established expertise, our broad portfolio of catalysts and adsorbents provides innovative solutions that range from the oil and gas to the plastic sectors. With more than 2 000 employees at 31 locations, our high-performing teams collaborate with partners and customers across our global footprint.

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