Twenty years ago, at the dawn of the new millennium, MiRO (Karlsruhe, Germany) was the first end-user to select the new Axens Prime-G+® technology to produce ultra-low sulfur gasoline. Both companies, fully committed towards cleaner fuels production, entered as pioneers in the stringent world of Euro V standards by producing 10 ppm sulfur gasoline well ahead of mandatory regulations.
These were the first steps of a long and fruitful relationship illustrated by several catalyst repeat orders. Over time, Axens and MiRO have successfully met all challenges: processing of increasingly difficult feedstock, extension of the time on stream between two turnarounds, optimization of the cost-to-fill without compromising on performances.
An important milestone in the collaboration was the implementation by MiRO of the first licensor’s Advanced Process Control (APC) on a Prime-G+®. This resulted in a tight and proactive control of the unit operating parameters, which limited on one hand the risk of producing off-spec gasoline and on the other hand the cost associated to over quality.
Throughout the years, the relationship between the two companies has remained strong, as perfectly illustrated during the latest Prime-G+® users seminar held in 2017 where MiRO shared its precious experience with other Prime-G+® licensees.
Today, Axens Prime-G+® is by far the leading technology for cracked naphtha selective desulfurization with over 300 licensed units. This would not have been possible without the early collaboration of trusted partners, with open mindset and interest for continuous improvement like MiRO.
