Honeywell's UOP and Saudi Arabia's King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals to Collaborate on Petrochemical Technology Development

DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that it will collaborate with the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, for the development of catalytic processes for petrochemicals production.

Honeywell's UOP and the KFUPM have signed a five-year agreement that will allow university professors and researchers to collaborate with company scientists on catalyst development and processes for aromatics production. Aromatics are a critical raw material used in the production of petrochemicals such as plastics and detergents.

"We look forward to this collaboration, which will enhance the university's research and development capabilities, and will also support Saudi Arabia's growing aromatics industry," said Ben Christolini, vice president and chief technology officer of research and development for Honeywell's UOP. "This agreement represents UOP's ongoing commitment to our partnerships within the Kingdom's refining and petrochemical industry."

"The agreement symbolizes continued cooperation between KFUPM and UOP to strengthen the university's capabilities in catalyst and catalytic process development," said Dr. Sahel Abduljauwad, vice rector of applied research for the KFUPM.

Honeywell's UOP is the world's leading licensor of process technology for the production of aromatics and has licensed more than 725 individual process units for the production of aromatics to date.

In 2009, Honeywell opened a technical center on the KFUPM campus as part of a broader initiative to build an integrated facility for three of its businesses at the university's Dhahran Techno Valley (DTV) business cluster. In 2011, Honeywell Building Solutions, Honeywell Process Solutions and UOP will open a joint office to enhance existing relationships and partnerships with organizations such as the KFUPM, Saudi Aramco and SABIC, while keeping close geographical proximity to its many important customers in the energy industry.

The DTV business cluster was established by the KFUPM to attract the research and development centers of local and international companies and to promote new businesses. It is envisaged as a leading research and technology development nucleus with comprehensive business support.

UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell's Specialty Materials strategic business group. For more information, go to www.uop.com.

Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges.  For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

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SOURCE UOP LLC, a Honeywell company