• Clariant has been awarded a contract by ZPC to supply its Catofin catalyst and HGM for the world's largest licensed PDH unit, with a capacity of 1.2 million metric tons per annum in China.
• The propylene produced at the new unit will feed into the production of high-value petrochemical derivatives.
• Catofin, is a joint offering from Clariant and Lummus
  

September, 17, 2026 - Clariant has announced it has been awarded a contract by Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co., Ltd. (ZPC) to supply its Catofin catalyst and Heat Generating Material (HGM) for a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in Zhejiang Province, China. With a nameplate capacity of 1.2 million metric tons per annum, the unit will be the world's largest licensed PDH unit, the company says.

"The award of the largest PDH unit is a defining moment. ZPC’s decision to select Catofin for this flagship investment is a strong reflection of the performance and reliability our catalyst technology has demonstrated across the industry,” said Jace Wang, Vice President and Head of Propylene, Business Unit Catalysts, Clariant.

The choice by ZPC shows how the industry approaches large-scale PDH development. At the heart of this technology is a close collaboration between Lummus, who brings the process expertise, and Clariant, who supplies the catalyst innovation. The result is a seamlessly unified offering that gives operators strong propylene output, high performance, and competitive costs, Clariant claims.

The propylene produced at the new unit will feed into the production of high-value petrochemical derivatives, supported by additional propane feedstock made available through ZPC's ongoing upstream refinery expansions.

“ZPC’s decision to entrust Lummus with the largest PDH unit ever built speaks to the proven performance of Catofin technology and the depth of our partnership,” said Romain Lemoine, Chief Business Officer, Lummus Technology. “As customers pursue increasingly large-scale projects to meet growing propylene demand, Catofin's track record of meeting or exceeding design capacity demonstrates its technical reliability and reinforces its strong position as a trusted solution for PDH operators worldwide.”

Since 2017, Catofin has been selected for several new PDH awards globally, representing more than 40 projects around the world, Clariant says. The technology has been in the market for more than 60 years.