Ketjen

Ketjen is a leading provider of advanced catalyst solutions and technical expertise to the refining industry. The company's catalysts are designed to enhance unit performance, unlock new efficiencies, and help refiners stay competitive in fast-moving global markets. Ketjen operates through three main solution areas: Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts, Clean Fuels Technology (hydrotreating, hydrocracking, and co-processing catalysts), and Renewable Fuels & Circular Plastics solutions that help refiners process bio-based and waste-derived feedstocks to produce renewable transportation fuel and recycled monomers. Ketjen's heritage stretches back to 1835, when the founding family established the company in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on chemistry expertise and entrepreneurial vision. Originally producing sulfuric acid (vitriol oil), the company evolved over the 19th and 20th centuries, expanding into catalysts in the 1950s through a partnership with American Cyanamid. The catalyst business grew to serve oil refineries with products for desulfurization (Ketjenfine) and hydrocarbon cracking (Ketjencat). In 1962, Ketjen merged with Koninklijke Nederlandse Zoutindustrie to form Koninklijke Zout Ketjen, which later became part of AkzoNobel. The Ketjen name continues to be used for an industrial area in Amsterdam-Noord. Today, Ketjen operates as a standalone catalyst company with four strategic manufacturing sites and approximately 911 employees, serving over 100 customers worldwide. The company has offices and operations across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa, including locations in Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hanoi, and Dubai. Ketjen is committed to innovation, collaboration, and investment in technology and people to deliver market-leading solutions and services. Ketjen's leadership team brings decades of industry experience. André Lanning became Chief Executive Officer in April 2026, bringing 35 years of senior management experience, including 25 in the chemical industry. Adarsh Sukumaran serves as Chief Financial Officer, overseeing global financial operations. The company emphasizes values of respect, integrity, and ethical conduct in all business activities.

Ketjen's history began on April 1, 1835, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as a factory for vitriol oil (sulfuric acid). The initiative came from notary Bruno Tideman, who approached his nephew Jacob Jarman for technical knowledge. Together they brought in Gerard Tileman Ketjen for the commercial side of the business. Ketjen was a trader in dry goods and paints. The founding deed was formally registered on April 9, 1835, on Texel, where the partners went ashore while en route to Paris to buy a platinum kettle for evaporating sulfuric acid. The factory was established in the former copper smelter and rolling mill 'De Heus' in Amsterdam, on an open site called Trapjesschans near the current Marnixstraat. The factory met a need because the Belgian Revolution had cut off the main supplier of sulfuric acid. In 1870, the nearby site with windmill 'De Liefde' was acquired and the mill demolished. Due to city expansions, complaints about emitted vapors became increasingly serious. As early as 1856, Ketjen was forced to raise its chimney to a height of 25 meters and a diameter of 50 Dutch inches. In 1880, the factory was relocated to the Kostverlorenvaart at the end of the Overtoom. In 1888, the company was converted into the public company 'Maatschappij voor Zwavelzuurbereiding voorheen G.F. Ketjen & Co.' Two major competitors were the 'Nederlandse Chemische Fabriek' from 1865, which never flourished and eventually went bankrupt, and the 'Koninklijke Chemische Fabrieken' from 1863 in Uithoorn, founded by Mr. Mouthaan. The latter went bankrupt in 1890 after ice blocked raw material supplies; it was taken over by Ketjen in 1891 and continued until 1916. Environmental complaints arose again. When an oleum kettle leaked in 1900 and the whole neighborhood was shrouded in mist, the company had to move. Amsterdam offered a piece of marshland, but Ketjen preferred Velsen. That municipality declined after Amsterdam spread very unfavorable information about Ketjen. Thus, in 1900, Ketjen built a sulfuric acid factory on the Nieuwendammerham on the north side of the IJ. This was the beginning of the industrial area Van Hasseltkanaal-Oost, better known in Amsterdam-Noord as Ketjen. Large ships could reach here, enabling exports. In 1916, a hydrochloric acid factory was added. During World War I, much acid was used for explosives production, and acid was also indispensable for glass manufacturing. After a recession, a new sulfuric acid factory was built in 1929, producing mainly for the Mekog fertilizer factory in IJmuiden (ammonium sulfate). In 1935, two inventions led to new activities: a process was developed treating sawdust with sulfuric acid to produce activated carbon, used as a decolorizing agent in the beet sugar industry, produced by the subsidiary 'Activit'; and Du Saar invented a water softener for treating boiler feed water for steamships. In 1937, the sulfuric acid factory was greatly expanded, and new factories were built for the production of sulfite, bisulfite, and potassium permanganate. The latter was used in saccharin production. Chlorosulfonic acid was also produced, used in saccharin production. During World War II, the company was heavily damaged: the Allies bombed the storage in 1943, releasing much sulfuric acid, and the Germans destroyed cranes and transport installations in 1944. After the war, production restarted in October 1945 and expanded rapidly. The sulfur dioxide factory built in 1947 (with a laboratory) was significantly expanded in 1951. In 1953, under American license, a catalyst factory was built, called 'Ketjen Catalyst' or 'Cyanamid-Ketjen', in collaboration with the American company Cyanamid. The catalysts were intended for oil refineries, for example for desulfurization of crude oil (Ketjenfine) and cracking of hydrocarbons (Ketjencat). In 1952, a new research and company laboratory was completed. In 1959, together with the American company Cabot, a carbon black factory for the tire industry was built in the Botlek area, called 'Ketjen Carbon'. By 1970, it produced more than 50,000 tons of carbon black. Later this factory continued under the name 'Cabot'. From saccharin production came the 'Sulfoproductenfabriek', a factory for complex organic sulfur compounds that are intermediates for numerous applications. In 1960, factories were built for DPP (diphenylolpropane or bisphenol A, raw material for epoxy resins) and DOP (dioctyl phthalate, plasticizers for the plastics industry). Eventually, in 1962, Ketjen merged with Koninklijke Nederlandse Zoutindustrie to form Koninklijke Zout Ketjen, a company that later became part of AkzoNobel. The Ketjen name continues to be used for an industrial area in Amsterdam-Noord. Today, Ketjen operates as a standalone catalyst company with a global footprint, four strategic manufacturing sites, and approximately 911 employees, serving over 100 customers in the refining, petrochemical, and specialty chemicals industries.

• 2026

  André Lanning joined as Chief Executive Officer on April 15, 2026.

• 1962

  Merged with Koninklijke Nederlandse Zoutindustrie to form Koninklijke Zout Ketjen.

• 1960

  Built factories for DPP (bisphenol A) and DOP (dioctyl phthalate).

• 1959

  Built carbon black factory 'Ketjen Carbon' with Cabot in the Botlek area.

• 1953

  Built catalyst factory 'Ketjen Catalyst' or 'Cyanamid-Ketjen' in collaboration with American Cyanamid.

• 1945

  Production restarted in October after World War II.

• 1943

  Allied bombing damaged storage, releasing much sulfuric acid.

• 1937

  Greatly expanded sulfuric acid factory and built new factories for sulfite, bisulfite, and potassium permanganate.

• 1935

  Developed activated carbon process and water softener, leading to new activities.

• 1929

  Built a new sulfuric acid factory, mainly supplying the Mekog fertilizer factory.

• 1916

  Added a hydrochloric acid factory.

• 1900

  Built a sulfuric acid factory on the Nieuwendammerham, beginning the Ketjen industrial area in Amsterdam-Noord.

• 1891

  Took over the bankrupt Koninklijke Chemische Fabrieken in Uithoorn.

• 1888

  Converted into public company 'Maatschappij voor Zwavelzuurbereiding voorheen G.F. Ketjen & Co.'

• 1880

  Factory relocated to Kostverlorenvaart at the end of the Overtoom.

• 1856

  Forced to raise chimney to 25 meters due to environmental complaints.

• 1835

  Founded in Amsterdam as a factory for vitriol oil (sulfuric acid).

Leading provider of advanced catalyst solutions and technical expertise to the refining industry, focused on enhancing unit performance, unlocking efficiencies, and helping refiners stay competitive.

• FCC catalysts

  Family of Fluidized Catalytic Cracking catalysts designed to optimize refinery performance and maximize profitability.

• Clean Fuels Technology

  Portfolio of hydrotreating, hydrocracking, and co-processing catalysts designed to unlock maximum value from feedstocks and emerging fuels.

• Renewable Fuels & Circular Plastics

  Solutions that help refiners process bio-based and waste-derived feedstocks to produce renewable transportation fuel and recycled monomers.

• Ketjenfine

  Catalysts for desulfurization of crude oil.

• Ketjencat

  Catalysts for cracking of hydrocarbons.

1. 1Refining Catalysts - Ketjenketjen.com
2. 2About - Ketjenketjen.com
3. 3Our Locations - Ketjenketjen.com
4. 4Our Leadership - Ketjenketjen.com
5. 5Ketjen - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Ketjen - Wikipedia (Dutch)nl.wikipedia.org