Johnson Matthey Adds Auto Catalysts

Johnson Matthey will build emission-control catalyst plants by 2009 to serve Europe and North America. A $70 million plant near the Macedonian capital of Skopje will have annual capacity for 4 million light-duty diesel auto catalysts and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts for heavy-duty vehicles, needed to meet new European Union emissions regulations. A $43 million plant in southwest Pennsylvania will produce 1 million heavy-duty SCR catalysts for the North American market. New U.S. heavy-duty diesel emissions standards are scheduled to come into force on Jan. 1, 2010.