01-08-2011

ART expands manufacturing capacity through strategic relationship with Kuwait catalyst co

Advanced Refining Technologies LLC (ART), a joint venture between Chevron Products Company (Chevron) and W. R. Grace & Co, and Kuwait Catalyst Company (KCC) have agreed to expand their relationship to provide enhanced products and services to petroleum refiners in the Middle East and around the world. ART was established to develop and supply hydroprocessing catalysts and is the largest shareholder of Kuwait Catalyst Company, a privately held Kuwaiti company and a supplier of hydroprocessing catalysts for petroleum refining in the Arabian Gulf region.

The agreement provides ART with exclusive access to KCC's state of the art manufacturing capacity and highly skilled operations personnel. Additionally, KCC will have greater access to ART's premier catalyst technology and commercial resources, including technical services, to work with ART in supporting petroleum refiners in Kuwait as well as other Middle East countries. The KCC site in Shuaiba, Kuwait will be integrated into ART's global manufacturing network.

"This new agreement with KCC advances ART's strategy of expansion in emerging regions," said Scott Purnell, Managing Director for ART. "Leveraging KCC's manufacturing capabilities and customer relationships with ART's technology and service establishes a strong foundation to meet current and future petroleum refining needs in the Middle East and globally."

Woody Shiflett, Deputy Managing Director for ART, added that "ART and KCC will work jointly to ensure that refining customers receive the best technology to address their processing challenges and overcome constraints. Local production will ensure efficient lead times for refiners in Kuwait and elsewhere in the region."

Saad Akashah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of KCC added, "This agreement provides the customers of ART and KCC with excellent products and services combined with quick response and delivery. Foremost in our minds when formulating the agreements were the needs of current and future customers in the Gulf Cooperation Council."

ART is a leading global supplier of hydroprocessing catalysts which remove sulfur and other contaminants from petroleum to produce more environmentally-friendly transportation fuels, and allow refiners to process less expensive feedstocks. The use of these catalysts is growing around the world as fuel specifications are becoming more stringent. ART, Chevron, and Grace have supplied catalysts to the region for more than 40 years and Chevron has established a number of technology relationships in Kuwait and the region.

For more information, please visit www.grace.com.