Haldor Topsøe Closes Fuel-Cell Subsidiary

Danish catalyst producer Haldor Topsøe says it will close a subsidiary later this year that has been developing high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). All development activities will be halted, and select SOFC projects will be moved into the main company. About 90 of the subsidiary’s 117 employees will lose their jobs. The firm expects the closure to cost about $36 million. Haldor says it has spent about $250 million developing fuel-cell technology over 25 years. “By narrowing our focus and integrating the know-how in the two companies we can leverage the technology,” says Haldor CEO Bjerne S. Clausen.