History

The KNT Group is the largest company producing and supplying zeolites in Russia. It consists of two manufacturing centres:

• Sterlitamak Catalyst Plant (SCP)
• Ishimbay Specialised Chemical Plant of Catalysts (ISCPC)

The history of the company began with them.

In 1936, within the territory of the modern-day Ishimbay Specialised Chemical Plant of Catalysts, the first oil processing plant not only in Bashkiria, but in the entire Eastern part of the country was built. 

On 4 January 1975 a decree was passed by the Ministry of the Petrochemical Industry of the USSR approving the construction of a catalyst production plant on the territory of the Ishimbay Oil Processing Plant. It was to consist of:

1st stage - production of zeolites and adsorbents
2nd stage - production of catalysts for hydrogenation processes
3rd stage - production of catalysts for petroleum chemistry

On 31 December 1985 the first stage of zeolite production was put into operation at the Ishimbay Specialised Chemical Plant of Catalysts.

In 1992 within the framework of a state programme of a “turnkey” construction project for the production of modern synthetic zeolites (molecular sieves), adsorbents, as well as catalysts for catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, and hydrocracking, technological and laboratory equipment began to arrive from Japan and Denmark at the ISCPC. In particular, the Japanese company, JGC Corporation, and the Danish company, Haldor Topsoe, supplied two complete lines for the production of microspherical catalysts for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydrocracking. With such high class equipment the factory produces catalysts of no less a standard than global producers such as Haldor Topsoe, Axens and UOP.

 In 2004 KNT began to build lines for the production of catalysts for hydrogenation processes at the Sterlitamak Catalyst Plant. At the moment of construction, the catalyst production technology was modernised to ensure successful competition with leading companies in the field of the manufacturing of catalysts for hydrogenation processes. This allowed for the production of catalysts not only of equivalent standards and characteristics to those of other global companies, but even exceeding them.

In 2005 the ISCPC became part of the KNT Group.

In 2007 the ISCPC underwent a programme of modernisation of the main production facilities, with the installation of Japanese equipment and addition of a line for the production of microspherical catalysts for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC).

The KNT Group constantly undertakes research activities with its own laboratory equipped with technology of the highest class, and is in constant contact with the institutions of the RF and the CIS. At present, and thanks to the studies undertaken by the research centre, the quality of the catalysts produced by the KNT Group exceeds that of catalysts produced by the majority of producers.