Clariant announced the successful operation of its FAMAX formaldehyde catalysts at two world-scale production facilities operated by Yihua Group in China.

Yihua Group's formaldehyde plant in Inner Mongolia. (Source: Yihua Group)

The advanced catalyst technology, integrated with process technology from engineering partner Wuxi Xiyuan Engineering Technology, is delivering exceptional performance at both the major 100 kt/a formaldehyde plant in Inner Mongolia and the 120 kt/a formaldehyde plant in Hubei province.

The Inner Mongolia facility successfully started up in March 2026, while the Hubei unit was commissioned in November 2025. Both large-scale iron-molybdenum formaldehyde plants supply high-quality feedstock to downstream the world-scale pentaerythritol production units, reinforcing Yihua Group's position as a leading global pentaerythritol producer.

Clariant's FAMAX catalysts enable both facilities to achieve superior operational efficiency through significantly reduced energy consumption, higher plant productivity, and improved product quality.

The catalyst's innovative design delivers 10-15% reduced pressure drop, while the advanced chemical composition improves low temperature activity, resulting in higher formaldehyde yields and extended catalyst lifetime.

“The technology has enabled us to achieve our ambitious production targets efficiently while maintaining high-quality formaldehyde feedstock essential for our pentaerythritol manufacturing,” commented Lulu Zhu, Project Manager from Yihua Group.

Clariant's expertise in catalysts

Clariant's FAMAX catalysts are designed specifically for iron-molybdenum formaldehyde production. The catalyst's special shape design reduces pressure drop and enables potential capital cost reduction through optimized reactor configurations.

The advanced chemical composition provides improved low temperature activity, allowing operation at reduced cooling medium temperatures while maintaining lower hotspot temperatures. This contributes to higher reaction selectivity and reduced by-product formation, supporting improved formaldehyde quality.

Building on decades of experience in formaldehyde catalyst technology, Clariant continues to advance iron-molybdenum based formaldehyde production throughout the region.

Clariant’s high-performance EnviCat emission control catalyst was also selected for the off-gas treatment of the two formaldehyde plants.

The catalyst effectively removes harmful VOCs with an exceptional conversion efficiency of up to 99% and even beyond, while operating up to 400°C low temperatures. This greatly reduces fuel consumption and stress on equipment, resulting in significant economic, operational and safety advantages for producers.