The Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (PRTC) said work on
the HTSC catalyst officially began following the signing of a cooperation
agreement and the launch of a kick-off meeting with Iranian knowledge-based
company Nadin Azar Shimi.
The catalyst, which has domestic demand of about 300 metric tons a
year, is used by major petrochemical producers including Razi, Kermanshah,
Khorasan, Pardis, Lordegan, Hengam and Masjed Soleyman, as well as by
refineries.
The project combines technical development by PRTC's catalyst research
group in Tehran with commercial production at Nadin Azar Shimi's manufacturing
facility in the Maku Free Trade Zone near Urmia.
Nadin Azar Shimi was initially recognized as a Type II knowledge-based
company in 2021 and was upgraded to "innovative knowledge-based"
status earlier this month after expanding its technological capabilities.
The company's production plant entered operation in April 2024 with
annual capacity of 100 metric tons before increasing output to 300 metric tons
by December of the same year. The facility also has annual production capacity
of 600 metric tons for adsorbent materials using precipitation technology.
PRTC said domestic production of the catalyst is expected to improve
competition among local manufacturers while reducing imports of a strategic
industrial material.
The company added that replacing imported HTSC catalyst with domestic
production could prevent millions of dollars in foreign currency outflows each
year as consumption continues across Iran's petrochemical and refining sectors.