Meet the Company: Heraeus Precious Metals

Ahead of the European Refining Technology Conference (ERTC), we caught up with one of our sponsors, Heraeus Precious Metals, to give you more insight into their company and their involvement in ERTC 2024.

What are you and your company doing for the industry?

Heraeus Precious Metals has specialist expertise in precious metal catalyst recycling. One of its core competencies is the refining of spent precious metal catalysts, which occur as waste products in oil refining processes such as reforming, isomerization, and hydrogenation. Apart from the platinum group metals these catalysts may also contain rhenium. In the petrochemical, industry precious metal containing catalysts are used in various processes. These contain platinum, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium. Furthermore, silver containing catalysts are widely used in the production of ethylene oxide. Globally, Heraeus has significant capacity available for the pretreating, sampling, and recycling of spent catalysts. Heraeus also offers bridge leases to petrochemical refineries so that they can commence manufacturing of the replacement catalyst before the change-out takes place. The metal can be deposited in metal accounts or supplied in a solution form to the catalyst manufacturer. Shipments of waste materials containing precious metals are subject to specific local, national, and international regulations. Heraeus will provide you with the expert advice and assistance you need to navigate these complex and challenging requirements. Extensive experience in international door-to-door logistics, transportation, and pick-up services ensures that valuable material will be handled correctly and safely.

What's keeping you up at night (professionally)?

As a one-stop shop covering the entire value chain from trading to innovative precious metals products, refining, and recycling, we are constantly focused on one key question that keeps us awake at night: how can we make life easier for our customers? Our primary aim is to ensure that our customers can concentrate on their core business, knowing that they can rely on us to provide comprehensive support across the value chain. We are committed to crafting seamless and user-friendly solutions that streamline processes and deliver exceptional value. This dedication to our customers' success is at the heart of all our professional endeavors and is what drives us to continually innovate and optimize our offerings for the benefit of our valued partners.

What are you expecting from ERTC?

We are expecting ERTC to be an event filled with insightful talks and presentations, allowing us to gain valuable industry knowledge. We look forward to engaging with our existing customers and meeting potential ones, as these interactions are crucial for building and maintaining strong business relationships. Furthermore, we are eager to learn about the latest trends and challenges in the industry, as this will enable us to explore how we can best support our customers in addressing these pressing issues. We see ERTC as a unique opportunity to network, learn, and inspire new strategies to drive success in our business.

Looking into your crystal ball, what will we be discussing by 2030?

Looking into our crystal ball, we anticipate that the rise of the hydrogen economy will be a key focal point for discussions by 2030. As businesses seek to decarbonize and adopt sustainable practices, there will be a substantial increase in demand for precious metals, especially the scarce iridium, as part of the ramp-up for hydrogen technologies. As one of the major refiners of iridium and other platinum group metals (PGMs), Heraeus is poised to play a vital role in ensuring the secure and sufficient supply of these essential materials. Our expertise and capabilities will be instrumental in supporting the transition to a hydrogen-based energy landscape, providing businesses with access to the precious metals they need to thrive in this evolving market.