The Catalyst Group Revenue and Competitors

The market outlook for refinery and other commodity catalysts is relatively flat while new opportunities in specialty catalysts - particularly for the fine chemicals sector - are starting to kick in, analysts say. In refining and chemical catalysts markets there will be a mixed bag with growth from 2003-2005 followed by a decline by 2007-2008, according to The Catalyst Group (Spring House, PA) president and CEO Clyde Payn. "In polymer, fine chemicals/pharmaceuticals and environmental catalysts we see an average annual growth rate of 4%-8%," he says. One of the positive shifts, in the past few years, has been the growth of the fine chemical, intermediate and pharmaceutical catalyst markets. "This market is worth $1.1 billion in catalysts each year - not all of it merchant but a growing proportion of it is," says Payn. "Until five years ago the catalysts industry did not recognize the fine chemicals area as a potential market. However, in the past two years major shifts have occurred from the catalyst industry community - particularly from Engelhard, Johnson Matthey and Synetix. They have recognized that there is a major new growth market for them," says Payn.