technology report 04

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Motorcycle catalytic
converters for China
Heraeus sees big potential in exhaust catalysts for small engines
When people think about catalytic converters, they mainly have in mind their environmentally friendly use in automobiles,
where catalytic converters have already been mandatory for years. But even in the small engines of lawnmowers, leaf
blowers and chainsaws, small catalytic converters ensure clean exhaust emissions – and this applies not least to
motorcycles. Particularly in China, new laws to reduce emissions mean that millions of exhaust catalysts are required.
In January 2013, Beijing and other major Chinese cities
were enveloped for days in clouds of smog. As a result of
the worst air pollution to date, factories in the Chinese
capital were closed for the first time. Motor vehicles, and
particularly the motorcycles that are very popular with
businesses and as a means of transport, combined with
industry contributed to the smog with their exhaust gases.
It was therefore not without cause that a law was passed
in 2010 to reduce emissions, decreeing that motorcycles
with combustion engines will no longer be approved for
use on the roads without catalytic converter technology.
Chinese companies alone produce well over 20 million
motorcycles of up to 250cc engine capacity for the
domestic market. More than half of the motorcycles built
worldwide now come from China. The People’s Republic
is the largest motorcycle manufacturer. The demand for
high-quality catalytic converter technology for this motor
application is thus increasing. The motorcycles produced
in China have to comply with the China 3 exhaust
emission standard, which is based on the standard in
Europe. They, therefore, also require the expertise of
European companies.
Present with numerous production sites in China
Heraeus has been present with its own production and
distribution companies in the growth region of China for
many years. The first company, Heraeus Limited, was
founded in Hong Kong in 1974. With products made from
precious metals, quartz glass, sensors and specialty light
sources, the technology group has several production sites
and technology centers in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
Zhaoyuan, Changshu, Danyang, Shenyang, Sihui, and
Taicang. With over 2700 employees Heraeus is a
successful player in the Chinese market.
“At the Danyang site, for example, we produce emission
catalysts for motorcycles in China. Heraeus Catalyst was
founded in 2008 as a joint venture company, together
with partner Jiangsu Golden Changjiang Environmental
Protective Motor Muffler Co. Ltd., one of the largest
Chinese muffler manufacturers for motorcycles,” says
Dr. Uwe Endruschat, Vice President Operations for the
Business Unit Catalysts of Heraeus. In Danyang – a
relatively small city in Chinese terms, with a population
of around 900,000, located 200 kilometers northwest of
Shanghai – catalytic converters have been manufactured
and marketed since July 2009. The exhaust catalytic
38 technology report Issue 4 | 2013