Commercial-scale manufacturing of advanced silica supports and silica-supported chromium catalyst precursors provides polyethylene producers and catalyst manufacturers with a new source for critical catalyst components
ORANGEBURG, S.C., Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gulbrandsen today announced the commercial launch and broader global introduction of HYPORE, a portfolio of advanced silica supports and silica-supported chromium catalyst precursors for polyethylene catalyst systems.
HYPORE expands Gulbrandsen’s capabilities in the polyolefin catalyst value chain beyond its established global position in metal alkyls and provides polyethylene producers, catalyst manufacturers and process-technology companies with an additional commercial source of critical catalyst components.
HYPORE is the result of a multi-year, internally led research, product development, and commercialization program that has taken the technology from laboratory development through pilot production to commercial-scale manufacturing and customer qualification.
Rather than developing a single standardized silica product, Gulbrandsen has built a flexible silica support and catalyst-precursor platform capable of tailoring critical physical and chemical properties to specific polyethylene catalyst, process, and reactor requirements.
Commercial quantities of selected HYPORE chromium catalyst and silica grades are available today. Gulbrandsen is also working with customers to develop and qualify customized grades tailored to specific requirements for particle-size distributions, pore structure, surface characteristics, or metal-modification profiles. Customer qualification programs are ongoing across both slurry-phase and gas-phase polyethylene processes.
“HYPORE represents a significant expansion of Gulbrandsen’s capabilities within the polyolefin catalyst value chain,” said Abhishek C. Kumar, Director, Commercial Development at Gulbrandsen. “We have built the technical, analytical, and manufacturing capabilities needed to develop and produce these materials at commercial scale while retaining the flexibility to work with customers on highly specific catalyst requirements. Our objective is to provide customers with another technically capable, commercially scalable supply option and a development partner that can support both established and customized polyethylene catalyst systems.”
HYPORE products are manufactured at Gulbrandsen’s new greenfield manufacturing site. The facility is supported by dedicated process development, analytical, and quality control capabilities and is designed to provide consistent control of critical product properties, low batch-to-batch variability, and reliable commercial-scale supply.
The addition of HYPORE chromium catalysts and silica supports for polyethylene builds on Gulbrandsen’s longstanding role as a global supplier of metal alkyls and other critical materials used in polyolefin catalyst systems. Together, these capabilities enable Gulbrandsen to support customers across a broader portion of the catalyst value chain, from catalyst components and co-catalysts to customized product development and qualification programs.
About Gulbrandsen
Gulbrandsen is an American-owned global chemical manufacturing company headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina, providing specialized chemical technologies and critical raw materials to customers worldwide. With manufacturing operations in the United States and India and a global commercial and distribution network, Gulbrandsen serves the polyolefin, specialty chemical, and other industrial markets with a focus on manufacturing excellence, supply reliability, technical capability, and long-term customer partnerships. For more information about Gulbrandsen and the HYPORE chromium catalysts and silica supports for polyethylene, visit www.gulbrandsen.com or follow @Gulbrandsen on LinkedIn.
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