The_Catalyst_Review_January_2024 - 8

SPECIAL FEATURE
representative examples of supports which are all solid materials with a high surface area. The most popular supports are MgCl2
, one of
the reactant species of ZN catalyst system, and micro-porous spheres of amorphous silica. For linear polyethylene (HDPE and LLDPE)
and polypropylene, catalyst productivities range from about 5-8 tons polymer/kg catalyst for some chromium oxide catalysts, to 80-100
tons/kg for the most active ZN and metallocene systems.
All the products mentioned before (pro-catalysts, co-catalysts/activators, supports, external and internal donors, ligands/metals for
SSC) are produced by catalyst and chemical components producers and supplied to the PO polyolefin producers. The 2022 global
catalyst market value related to linear PE and PP polymer types was evaluated as about US$2.440 billion (TCGR, 2023). Listed in
Table 3 are the major commercial suppliers of the specific PO catalyst system components (pro-catalyst types, co-catalyst activators,
stereo regulators and supports). The PO catalyst and technology providers generally belong to the following two groups: a) integrated
polymer manufacturers, process technology and catalyst providers; and b) independent catalyst and/or technology suppliers that do
not manufacture polymers. The first group includes LyondellBasell, Dow/Univation, Ineos, Borealis, Mitsui Chemicals, and Sinopec.
Ineos and Borealis are not active in the merchant process technology licensing market but limit the license of their process technologies
and related catalyst supply to their numerous joint ventures (JVs) around the world. Grace and Lummus-Novolen are both PP process
technology providers and catalyst suppliers but not PO manufacturers; Lummus-Novolen produces its own PP catalyst series and has
a long-term agreement with Clariant for the PP catalyst global supply. Toho, PQ, and Chinese Yingkou Xiangyang and Renqiu Lihe
Technology are the major fully independent PO catalyst suppliers.
In Figure 3, the 2022 market shares of major
linear PE (HDPE and LLDPE) and PP merchant
catalyst suppliers are presented. From these
estimates, the major global polyolefin catalyst
merchant suppliers are Grace, LyondellBasell,
Dow/Univation, Sinopec, Ineos, Mitsui
Chemicals, Clariant and Toho. Other suppliers
include PQ, the Chinese Yingkou Xiangyang,
Renqiu Lihe Technology, Borealis and Sumitomo,
which sell catalysts to their numerous JVs, and
some new entrants in polyolefin catalysts such as
Designed Chemistry and Dorf Ketal.
Table 3. Suppliers of polyolefin catalysts & components.
Source: Author
In addition to the polyolefin catalyst merchant
market value, a value estimation of the major
components of the PO catalyst systems not
included in the catalyst itself (co-catalysts
and external donors) and of the nonmerchant
catalysts was made to have a more
comprehensive market value of the PE/PP
catalyst system. We must consider non-merchant
some self-produced PE/PP catalyst for captive
use only including:
a) Unipol PP catalysts self-produced for captive
use by Reliance and Sabic;
b) Homogeneous ZN and metallocene PE
catalysts used by Dow and Nova in their
solution PE process (catalyst recipes prepared
in situ at the PE plant sites); and
c) Older Hostalen HDPE plants licensed by
LyondellBasell including a suitable catalyst
plant installed close to the PE plant and small
volumes of older PE/PP catalyst generations
used in old slurry process plants.
Figure 3. PE/PP Catalysts 2022 global merchant market shares (USD %).
Source: Author
Figure 4 provides a value estimation of the
major components of the PO catalyst systems
not included in the catalyst itself and of the
non-merchant catalysts. Substantially, the 2022
total market value of polyolefin catalyst system is
evaluated close to US$3.550 billion.
8
The Catalyst Review
January 2024

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