Catalyst is a critical part of many industrial processes, but within the refining and petrochemical industries, catalyst is used to speed up chemical reactions to improve product yields and produce higher-quality products more efficiently and effectively. It should also be noted that catalysts help to reduce emissions and improve environmental performance.
Experienced Maintenance and Turnaround Planners know that over time, catalyst becomes contaminated or deactivated and can lead to decreased performance. To maintain catalyst efficiency, inspections and equipment maintenance must be performed on a regular and reoccurring basis.
Planning for a Turnaround
Several factors, including the number of operational units, run time and even the type of materials being produced, determine the frequency in which a refinery must perform a change out, turnaround, or a complete shutdown.
- A change out is when only a portion of a process unit needs catalyst removed.
- A turnaround is a scheduled stoppage of some—or all—process units and operations.
- A shutdown is also a scheduled stoppage but requires all process units to cease operations.
While every turnaround has its own scope and complexities, one requirement never changes—a safe and reliable storage & transfer solution for catalysts.
What to Look for in a Catalyst Packaging Partner
Choosing the right partner for your catalyst management needs is key to optimizing refinery turnarounds, so when evaluating existing or new partners, here are five questions to consider.
1. Aside from packaging, what other services does your current partner provide?
2. What on-site logistics support can they provide?
3. Has your current partner had issues providing bins due to lack of availability?
4. What costs are you incurring due to the lack of circular solutions offered by your current packaging partner?
5. How long have previous change outs, turnarounds, and shutdowns taken from start to finish?
The ideal catalyst partner should be able to deliver & pick-up bins on time and in-budget; expertly transfer, repackage, and store catalyst; and provide high-quality services—all while prioritizing safety above all else, ensuring zero incidents, zero injuries, and zero environmental releases.
Circular Solutions for Fresh, Spent, and Preactivated Catalysts
When you partner with Hoover CS for your full catalyst management needs, we not only provide you with a storage solution via our reusable Catalyst Bins, but optimize your turnarounds through on-site logistics support, transportation, etc.
Our service capabilities include:
- Catalyst repackaging, storage & transfer
- Bin reconditioning and preparation
- Central management of third-party service centers
- Transportation, including truck, rail & maritime
- On-site trained & certified personnel
- Responsible heel consolidation
- Electronic track and trace for bin rentals
- And more!
Why Choose Hoover CS as Your Preferred Catalyst Partner?
Industry Experience
Our team of catalyst experts and handlers have more than 150 years of combined experience. Plus, we’ve been in the business of providing comprehensive logistics services for over 35 years.
Scheduled Team Check-in’s
Your dedicated Account/Sales Manager will host quarterly meetings to capture changes in your forecast, learn of new packaging requirements, and more.
Collaborative Forecasting
Our proprietary Worldwide Asset Tracking System, also known as WATS, is updated in real-time, allowing us to proactively anticipate customer needs, including bin quantity, delivery, and pick-up.
Long-Term Fleet Growth
We manage one of the largest fleets in the industry and are constantly adapting our fleet size to meet the needs of our customers, ensuring bin availability.
Ready to speak with one of our catalyst experts? Contact us today for more information or to request a quote.
