Precious metal chemistry, catalysts and licensed process technology for automotive, chemicals and energy
Johnson Matthey Plc
London · Redwitz an der Rodach · Sulzbach · Cambridge · Sonning · Brimsdown · Swindon · Royston · Billingham · Skopje · Gliwice · Shanghai · Zhang Jia Gang · Queretaro · West Deptford · Pottstown ·New on Amplifa
About Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey is a technology company founded in 1817, listed on the London Stock Exchange and the world market leader in the platinum group metals (PGM). The company refines and recycles precious metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium, manufactures heterogeneous, homogeneous, chiral and biocatalysts, and produces components for hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells. As a licensor of process technology, JM offers technologies for methanol (PRECISION METHANOL™ with autothermal reformer), formaldehyde (FORMOX™), amines (DAVY™), 1,6-hexanediol (60,000 t/year licensed capacity), syngas, CCS-enabled hydrogen (LCH™, CLEANPACE™) as well as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis fuels (FT CANS™ with bp). Following the 2026 strategy, the business segments are divided into Core (Clean Air, PGM Services), Scaling (Clean Air Solutions, Hydrogen Technologies, PGM Products) and Emerging. Around 7,000 employees work at more than 35 sites worldwide, including the German sites Redwitz an der Rodach and Sulzbach as well as catalyst plants in Skopje and Gliwice (approx. 23,000 m²).
- Site
- EC2V 7AD London
- Processes
- PGM refining (platinum group metals), PGM recycling (world's largest PGM recycler), Manufacture of components for hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells, Catalyst manufacturing (homogeneous, heterogeneous, chiral catalysts, metal scavengers, custom, Biocatalysis: enzyme screening, enzyme engineering, process optimisation, commercial enzyme supply, Licensed methanol production process (PRECISION METHANOL™, autothermal reforming), FORMOX™ formaldehyde technology (formaldehyde from methanol), 1,6-hexanediol production (reactive distillation esterification + vapour phase hydrogenation from
- Materials
- Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium, Ruthenium, Gold, Silver, Platinum-iridium alloy (90% Pt / 10% Ir)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 9001, ISO 13485
- Founded
- 1817
- Employees
- approx. 7,000
- Industries
- Automotive and commercial vehicles, Chemical industry, Petrochemicals / refineries, Energy and hydrogen, Aviation (SAF), Pharmaceuticals and life sciences
- 01
PGM refining
- 02
PGM recycling
- 03
Catalyst manufacturing (homogeneous, heterogeneous, chiral, biocatalytic)
- 04
Licensing of process technology (methanol, formaldehyde, amines, SAF, etc.)
- 05
Emission control catalysts (assembly)
- 06
Technical support / project management
Materials & Processes
Platinum
Core element of PGM refining, catalysts and electrodes, among other things for fuel cells.
Palladium
Used in emission control and chemical catalysts.
Rhodium
Key component of exhaust gas catalysts for passenger and commercial vehicles.
Iridium
Used in components for hydrogen electrolysers.
Ruthenium
PGM for catalyst applications in the chemical industry.
Gold
Basis of the PRICAT™ MFC catalyst for mercury-free VCM production.
Silver
Precious metal in refining and recycling.
Platinum-iridium alloy (90/10)
Historically significant alloy, among other things for the international prototype kilogram of 1874.
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FT CANS™)
Modular process with bp for the synthesis of synthetic crude/SAF from syngas with over 90% CO conversion.
Autothermal reforming (PRECISION METHANOL™)
Long-neck ATR design with 25 reformers commissioned for methanol production.
Sites
London
GBHead office / corporate headquarters
Redwitz an der Rodach
DESite in Germany
Sulzbach
DESite in Germany
Royston
GBTechnology Centre
Skopje
MKCatalyst plant (North Macedonia's largest exporter)
- Materials
- Catalyst materials (PGM-containing)
Gliwice
PLCatalyst plant
- Materials
- Catalyst materials (PGM-containing)
Components & Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGM refining (platinum group metals)Surface | – | – | – | – | Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Iridium, Ruthenium, Gold, Silver |
| PGM recycling (world's largest PGM recycler)Surface | – | – | – | – | Platinum group metals (PGMs) |
| Manufacture of components for hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cellsEngineering | – | – | – | – | Platinum, Iridium, Platinum group metals |
| Catalyst manufacturing (homogeneous, heterogeneous, chiral catalysts, metal scavengers, customChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Precious metals, Base metals |
| Biocatalysis: enzyme screening, enzyme engineering, process optimisation, commercial enzyme supplyChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Licensed methanol production process (PRECISION METHANOL™, autothermal reforming)Chemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Natural gas, Methanol, CO₂, green hydrogen |
| FORMOX™ formaldehyde technology (formaldehyde from methanol)Chemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Methanol, Formaldehyde |
| 1,6-hexanediol production (reactive distillation esterification + vapour phase hydrogenation fromChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol |
| FT CANS™ Fischer-Tropsch technology (synthesis of synthetic crude/SAF from syngas; >90% COChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Syngas, Biomass, Municipal solid waste (MSW), CO₂, Hydrogen |
| HyCOgen™ (CO₂ + electrolysis hydrogen to syngas)Chemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | CO₂, Green hydrogen, Syngas |
| LCH™ / CLEANPACE™ hydrogen production from syngas with >95% CO₂ capture (CCS-enabled/blueChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Natural gas, Hydrogen, CO₂ |
| DAVY™ amination technology (methylamines, DMF, choline chloride; vapour phase reaction alcohol/etherChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Ammonia, Alcohols/ethers, Alumina silica catalyst |
| Other licensed chemical processes: butanediol (BDO/GBL/THF/DMS), ethyl acetate, fatty alcohols, LPChemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Ethanol, Glycerol, Maleic anhydride/succinic acid, Acetylene, Hydrogen chloride, Adipic acid |
| ADEPT™ ammonia cracking technology (ammonia to hydrogen)Chemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Ammonia, Hydrogen |
| Emission control / exhaust gas catalysts for passenger and commercial vehicles (Clean Air)Chemicals/process engineering | – | – | – | – | Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium |
| Manufacture of emission control catalysts (production plants, e.g. Skopje approx. 2009/2010,Assembly | – | – | – | – | Catalyst materials (PGM-containing) |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autothermal reformer (ATR) with 'long-neck' design and own burner (licensed technology, PRECISION | Johnson Matthey | 25 ATRs | – | – | – |
| Modular Fischer-Tropsch reactor (FT CANS™) | Johnson Matthey / bp FT CANS™ | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Johnson Matthey lists ISO certificates for individual sites on its website, including ISO 9001:2015 (among others West Whiteland, Shanghai), ISO 45001 (among others Royston, Brimsdown) and ISO 13485:2016 (Melbourne).
| Evidence | West Whiteland | Shanghai | Royston | Brimsdown | Melbourne | Maastricht |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ||||||
| ISO 14001 | ||||||
| ISO 45001 | ||||||
| ISO 13485 |
History
- 1817
Percival Norton Johnson founds a precious metal assay business in London on New Year's Day
- 1839
George Matthey joins the company
- 1851
George Matthey becomes a partner; name Johnson & Matthey; platinum electrodes for William Grove's first fuel cell demonstrations
- 1852
Appointed official Assayer and Refiner to the Bank of England
- 1874
Manufacture of the international prototype kilogram in platinum-iridium alloy
- 1918
Hiring of the first research scientist (Alan Powell)
- 1957
Start of publication of the journal Platinum Metals Review
- 1960er
Foundation of the subsidiary Johnson Matthey Bankers (JMB)
- 1984
Rescue of the insolvent Johnson Matthey Bankers by the Bank of England
- 2008
Acquisition of Argillon (catalysts) for €214 million
- 2010
Acquisition of InterCAT; opening of an emission catalyst plant in Skopje
- 2015
Sale of the gold and silver refining business to Asahi Holdings
- 2018
Start of construction of a new catalyst plant in Gliwice, Poland (approx. 23,000 m², approx. 400 new jobs)
- 2025
Agreement to sell the Catalyst Technologies business segment to Honeywell for £1.8 billion
- 2026
Completion of the acquisition of Cormetech; new strategy (Core/Scaling/Emerging) with a focus on Clean Air and PGM Services