Clariant Reported 12% YoY Growth Driven by Clean Energy Demand

Clariant Reported

Swiss speciality chemicals group Clariant reported 12% year-on-year expansion in its catalyst business segment, well ahead of market expectations and underscoring the speeding-up transition to cleaner energy technologies among industrial sectors globally. The expansion occurs in the face of tough macroeconomic conditions facing wide sections of the chemical industry, which underscores the strategic merits of Clariant's repositioning towards sustainability-oriented solutions. The catalyst business, now accounting for some 28% of Clariant's group turnover, reported sales of CHF 452 million ($497 million) during the first quarter of 2025, its most recent set of financial reports.

•  "Our catalyst business has become a cornerstone of Clariant's growth strategy," said Conrad Keijzer, CEO of Clariant. "The double-digit expansion we're experiencing reflects both our technological leadership and the accelerating global transition toward more sustainable industrial processes. As regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, particularly in Europe, North America, and increasingly in Asia, we anticipate continued strong momentum in this segment."
• Most of the company’s recent growth has resulted from partnerships with renewable energy firms and process innovation chemists. All these partnerships are inclined towards projects such as ammonia cracking, methanol-to-hydrogen technologies, and CO₂-to-methanol recycling systems, which demand highly innovative catalysts. More than 40% of its R&D investment in catalysts is presently spent on clean energy applications, as mentioned in Clariant's 2024 sustainability report, with a clear transition toward future markets.
• In accordance with figures supplied by the International Energy Agency, global investment in clean energy technology reached $1.8 trillion in 2024, catalytic processes playing a major role in efficiency improvements and emissions reductions across industries. Clariant has strategically positioned itself to take advantage of this trend through organic growth and targeted acquisitions.
• The firm's 2023 purchase of India-based Catalytic Technologies Ltd. has been especially useful, increasing Clariant reported finding traction in the fast-expanding Asian market for emissions control catalysts. This market recorded the highest growth rate at 18% year-on-year, while North America reached 14% and Europe achieved 9%.
• Clariant's production units for catalyst manufacturing are running at close to capacity utilisation, leading the company to declare a CHF 110 million ($121 million) expansion of its capacity in Louisville, Kentucky, and Panjin, China. The investments will raise capacity by around 25% when the capacity expansion is finished in late 2026 and will be mainly in catalysts for renewable fuels and chemical recycling markets.
• The company has also made substantive progress in digitalisation in its catalyst development and production processes.
• In spite of the robust performance in catalysts, Clariant reported still has headwinds in its care chemicals business, which fell 3% due to ongoing consumer spending weakness in core markets. Nonetheless, the firm held on to its full-year outlook, forecasting overall organic growth of 5-7%, supported by the catalyst segment's robust trend.
• Overall, the market for catalysts is being radically transformed, with sustainability needs redefining industrial processes. It has been estimated in a recent McKinsey report that specialty clean energy catalysts may be a $12 billion opportunity by the year 2030, expanding at a pace of about three times that of conventional catalyst uses.
• Clariant's strategic emphasis on this high-growth segment captures larger industry trends, whereby chemical companies continue to shift resources toward efforts that align with global decarbonization initiatives. The company has pledged to invest more than 65% of its R&D budget in sustainability-driven innovations, with catalysis continuing to be a key focus area.