hte and Kayser Technology (KTI) have entered into a collaboration agreement covering products marketed under KTI’s ACE Technology portfolio, a widely used platform for evaluating key aspects of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process.

The partnership begins with hte’s acquisition of the ACE-Model AP technology and grants the company exclusive rights to acquire additional ACE Technology products in the future.

The agreement will enable hte to manufacture ACE testing units for customers and expand its FCC catalyst testing services at its Heidelberg facilities.

ACE Technology was originally developed by KTI to provide standard ised laboratory FCC testing capable of delivering comparable and reliable data for assessing feedstocks, catalysts and process conditions.

Demand for such systems has grown as refiners seek consistent methods to evaluate catalyst performance and optim ise operations.

A key application of the ACE-Model AP is the monitoring of equilibrium catalyst performance from commercial FCC units worldwide.

Under the agreement, final ised on February 9, 2026, hte has acquired the ACE AP Technology and plans to broaden its testing and laboratory system offerings.

Following a successful technology transfer, hte is already building its first ACE-Model AP unit, incorporating enhanced automation and software integration while maintaining the performance standards of previous KTI systems.

 The new unit will join two existing ACE-Model AP systems in Heidelberg, immediately increasing hte’s testing capacity.

“hte has nearly 20 man-years operating KTI supplied Model AP units. hte is in a unique position to leverage both its operating experience and engineering of laboratory test systems knowhow to bring new ACE-Model AP units into the market,” says John Kayser, President of KTI.

“The collaboration with KTI underscores our long-term partnership and shared goal of ensuring global access to this established technology. We are proud to continue the ACE Technology story and to support our customers in the refining industry with the proven ACE-Model AP as the first offering and then other ACE products to follow,” says Stefan Altwasser CBO of hte. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service