Johnson Matthey to Build Plant in Russia for Emissions-Control Catalysts
27 February 2006
Johnson Matthey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the First Deputy Governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region, and the General Director of the Krastsvetmet Metal Company to secure a brown field site as the first step in a multi-million pound investment to build an autocatalyst manufacturing plant in Russia.
Over the last five years Russia has emerged as a significant player in the global automotive industry, with many international original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) investing in local manufacturing facilities. Johnson Matthey plans to build a plant to manufacture emission control catalysts for a wide range of both diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles for the local Russian market, which will see emissions legislation requiring the use of catalysts come into force this spring.
Russia, which has lagged far behind European emissions standards, last year approved (Russian Federal Government Decree 609 of October 12 2005) an accelerated implementation plan that would bring the country closer into alignment with international standards over nine years. The plan calls for the mandatory implementation of Euro-2 standards beginning in April of this year; Euro-3 in 2008; Euro-4 in 2010; and Euro-5 in 2014.
The chosen site is located within the secure perimeter of the Krastsvetmet site; however the new factory will be wholly owned and operated by Johnson Matthey. Under the terms of the MOU, the new facility will purchase precious metal salts from Krastsvetmet for use in the manufacture of autocatalysts.
The site has direct on-site access to the Trans Siberian Railway, which will provide daily logistical links to the rest of the Russian Federation. Johnson Matthey already has significant business links with Krastsvetmet and since 2002 has licensed them technologies for the production of precious metal gauzes for the chemical industry.
Since making the first catalysts to control vehicle pollution in 1974, Johnson Matthey has supplied 1 in 3 of all autocatalysts ever made. A global leader in catalytic systems for emissions control, Johnson Matthey ECT has 10 manufacturing sites and 6 technology centers around the world.
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