Technological watch

Sulzer Chemtech has finalized an agreement with Encina Development Group, LLC. Sulzer Chemtech will provide technology to recover high purity circular aromatics from cracked oil products derived from Encina’s mixed-plastics-to-aromatics catalytic conversion platform. Encina’s 1000 tons per day waste plastics recycling facility will be located in Northeast United States, and is expected to be operational in 2024.

Encina has developed a catalytic platform wherein the cracked products selectively contain high levels of circular aromatics as well as other valuable by-products. Sulzer Chemtech will provide its hydrotreating and aromatics extraction technology (SuRe™ BTX) to recover high purity circular benzene and toluene.

Sulzer Chemtech’s flagship aromatic extraction technology (GT-BTX®) has been deployed worldwide for aromatics recovery from reformate and naphtha cracked pyrolysis with more than 70 licenses sold. This is the first commercial application of this technology where waste plastics is used as feedstock within a circular chemical solution to help resolve a global environmental issue.

Carlo Badiola, Senior VP of Engineering and Technology at Encina, comments: “We selected Sulzer Chemtech and its SuRe™ BTX technology due to the company’s leading expertise in aromatic extraction. Sulzer Chemtech’s technology will allow us to produce high-quality circular aromatics from catalytically converted oil products derived from plastic waste. This collaboration will drive-up sustainable practices in industry.”

Sander van Donk, Head Global Technology Business at Sulzer Chemtech, concludes: “We are pleased to support Encina’s mission of enabling circularity in plastics recycling by providing our SuRe™ BTX technology downstream of their catalytic conversion process. This novel value chain builds on Sulzer Chemtech’s commitment to circularity and opens up an entirely new market for ultra-pure circular benzene and toluene produced from waste plastics.”






About SulzerSulzer is a global leader in fluid engineering. We specialize in pumping, agitation, mixing, separation and application technologies for fluids of all types. Our customers benefit from our commitment to innovation, performance and quality and from our responsive network of 180 world-class manufacturing facilities and service centers across the globe. Sulzer has been headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, since 1834. In 2020, our 15’000 employees delivered revenues of CHF 3.3 billion. Our shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: SUN).

The Chemtech division is the global market leader in innovative mass transfer, static mixing and polymer solutions for petrochemicals, refining and LNG. Chemtech is also leading the way in ecological solutions such as biopolymers as well as textile and plastic recycling, contributing to a circular economy. Our product offering ranges from technology licensing to process components all the way to complete separation process plants. Customer support ranges from engineering and field services to tray and packing installation, tower maintenance, welding and plant turnaround projects – ensuring minimal downtime.?

About Encina Development GroupEncina Development Group produces circular chemicals from waste plastics. Encina’s basic circular chemical products provide the building blocks for customers to meet their renewable content goals and enable the cyclical production and reproduction of products across a broad spectrum of ubiquitous goods, including consumer products and packaging, pharmaceuticals, construction, and much more.