PyroGenesis Announces First Material Produced from Fumed Silica Reactor
PyroGenesis (PYRGF) has achieved a significant milestone with its fumed silica reactor (FSR) pilot plant, successfully completing a week-long operation and producing its first batch of materials. The FSR represents a 20-fold scale-up from the lab-scale system and aims to revolutionize fumed silica production by eliminating carbon emissions through plasma-based technology.
The pilot plant, housed in a 4,000 sq ft facility, has a 50 TPY output capacity. Initial testing focused on regulating feedstock thermal profiles, with produced materials visually matching previous lab-scale results. Further independent laboratory analysis will verify structural and chemical properties.
The company plans three additional batch tests to ensure consistent production of high-surface-area fumed silica. An internal study suggests the eventual 1,000 TPY commercial configuration could achieve EBITDA margins three times higher than the industry average of 20%, with 93% lower capital investment compared to conventional plants.
PyroGenesis has announced its intent to convert its royalty rights into a 50% ownership stake in HPQ Silica Polvere. The global fumed silica market, valued at US$1.3 billion in 2022, is projected to reach US$2.1 billion by 2032, growing at a 5% CAGR.
PyroGenesis (PYRGF) ha raggiunto un traguardo significativo con il suo impianto pilota di reattore per silice fusa (FSR), completando con successo un'operazione di una settimana e producendo il suo primo lotto di materiali. L'FSR rappresenta un aumento di scala venti volte rispetto al sistema di laboratorio e mira a rivoluzionare la produzione di silice fusa eliminando le emissioni di carbonio attraverso una tecnologia basata su plasma.
L'impianto pilota, situato in una struttura di 4.000 piedi quadrati, ha una capacità di output di 50 TPY. I test iniziali si sono concentrati sulla regolazione dei profili termici delle materie prime, con i materiali prodotti che corrispondono visivamente ai risultati precedenti del laboratorio. Ulteriori analisi di laboratorio indipendenti verificheranno le proprietà strutturali e chimiche.
L'azienda prevede tre ulteriori test di lotto per garantire una produzione coerente di silice fusa ad alta area superficiale. Uno studio interno suggerisce che la futura configurazione commerciale da 1.000 TPY potrebbe raggiungere margini EBITDA tre volte superiori alla media del settore del 20%, con un investimento di capitale inferiore del 93% rispetto agli impianti convenzionali.
PyroGenesis ha annunciato la sua intenzione di convertire i suoi diritti di royalty in una partecipazione del 50% in HPQ Silica Polvere. Il mercato globale della silice fusa, valutato 1,3 miliardi di dollari nel 2022, è previsto raggiungere i 2,1 miliardi di dollari entro il 2032, crescendo a un CAGR del 5%.
PyroGenesis (PYRGF) ha alcanzado un hito significativo con su planta piloto de reactor de sílice fumed (FSR), completando con éxito una operación de una semana y produciendo su primer lote de materiales. El FSR representa un aumento de escala de 20 veces respecto al sistema de laboratorio y tiene como objetivo revolucionar la producción de sílice fumed eliminando las emisiones de carbono a través de tecnología basada en plasma.
La planta piloto, ubicada en una instalación de 4,000 pies cuadrados, tiene una capacidad de producción de 50 TPY. Las pruebas iniciales se centraron en regular los perfiles térmicos de la materia prima, con los materiales producidos que coinciden visualmente con los resultados anteriores del laboratorio. Un análisis de laboratorio independiente adicional verificará las propiedades estructurales y químicas.
La empresa planea realizar tres pruebas más para garantizar una producción constante de sílice fumed de alta área superficial. Un estudio interno sugiere que la futura configuración comercial de 1,000 TPY podría alcanzar márgenes de EBITDA tres veces más altos que el promedio de la industria del 20%, con una inversión de capital un 93% menor en comparación con las plantas convencionales.
PyroGenesis ha anunciado su intención de convertir sus derechos de regalías en una participación del 50% en HPQ Silica Polvere. El mercado global de sílice fumed, valorado en 1.3 mil millones de dólares en 2022, se proyecta que alcance los 2.1 mil millones de dólares para 2032, creciendo a un CAGR del 5%.
PyroGenesis (PYRGF)는 실리카 퓨메드 리액터(FSR) 파일럿 플랜트에서 중요한 이정표를 달성하여 일주일간의 운영을 성공적으로 완료하고 첫 번째 자재 배치를 생산했습니다. FSR은 실험실 규모 시스템에서 20배의 규모 확대를 나타내며, 플라즈마 기반 기술을 통해 탄소 배출을 없애 실리카 퓨메드 생산을 혁신하는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
파일럿 플랜트는 4,000 평방 피트의 시설에 위치하고 있으며, 연간 50톤의 생산 능력을 가지고 있습니다. 초기 테스트는 원료의 열 프로필 조절에 중점을 두었으며, 생산된 자재는 이전 실험실 결과와 시각적으로 일치합니다. 추가적인 독립 실험실 분석이 구조적 및 화학적 특성을 검증할 것입니다.
회사는 고표면적 실리카 퓨메드의 일관된 생산을 보장하기 위해 세 번의 추가 배치 테스트를 계획하고 있습니다. 내부 연구에 따르면, 향후 1,000 TPY 상업적 구성은 업계 평균 20%보다 3배 높은 EBITDA 마진을 달성할 수 있으며, 기존 공장에 비해 자본 투자 비용이 93% 낮을 것으로 예상됩니다.
PyroGenesis는 로열티 권리를 HPQ Silica Polvere의 50% 소유권으로 전환할 의사를 발표했습니다. 2022년 13억 달러로 평가된 글로벌 실리카 퓨메드 시장은 2032년까지 21억 달러에 이를 것으로 예상되며, 연평균 5% 성장할 것으로 보입니다.
PyroGenesis (PYRGF) a atteint un jalon significatif avec son usine pilote de réacteur de silice fumée (FSR), ayant réussi à opérer pendant une semaine et à produire son premier lot de matériaux. Le FSR représente une augmentation de 20 fois par rapport au système de laboratoire et vise à révolutionner la production de silice fumée en éliminant les émissions de carbone grâce à une technologie basée sur le plasma.
L'usine pilote, située dans une installation de 4 000 pieds carrés, a une capacité de production de 50 TPY. Les tests initiaux se sont concentrés sur la régulation des profils thermiques des matières premières, avec des matériaux produits visuellement conformes aux résultats précédents du laboratoire. Une analyse de laboratoire indépendante supplémentaire vérifiera les propriétés structurelles et chimiques.
L'entreprise prévoit trois tests supplémentaires pour garantir une production cohérente de silice fumée à haute surface. Une étude interne suggère que la configuration commerciale future de 1 000 TPY pourrait atteindre des marges EBITDA trois fois supérieures à la moyenne du secteur de 20 %, avec un investissement en capital 93 % inférieur par rapport aux usines conventionnelles.
PyroGenesis a annoncé son intention de convertir ses droits de redevance en une participation de 50 % dans HPQ Silica Polvere. Le marché mondial de la silice fumée, évalué à 1,3 milliard de dollars en 2022, devrait atteindre 2,1 milliards de dollars d'ici 2032, avec une croissance à un TCAC de 5 %.
PyroGenesis (PYRGF) hat einen bedeutenden Meilenstein mit seiner Pilotanlage für fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) erreicht, indem es erfolgreich eine Woche lang betrieben wurde und die erste Charge von Materialien produziert hat. Der FSR stellt eine 20-fache Skalierung im Vergleich zum Laborsystem dar und zielt darauf ab, die Produktion von fumed Silica durch die Eliminierung von Kohlenstoffemissionen mittels plasma-basierter Technologie zu revolutionieren.
Die Pilotanlage, die sich in einer 4.000 Quadratfuß großen Einrichtung befindet, hat eine Produktionskapazität von 50 TPY. Die ersten Tests konzentrierten sich auf die Regulierung der thermischen Profile des Rohmaterials, wobei die produzierten Materialien visuell mit den vorherigen Labormuster Ergebnissen übereinstimmen. Weitere unabhängige Laboranalysen werden die strukturellen und chemischen Eigenschaften verifizieren.
Das Unternehmen plant drei weitere Batch-Tests, um eine konsistente Produktion von fumed Silica mit hoher Oberfläche zu gewährleisten. Eine interne Studie deutet darauf hin, dass die zukünftige kommerzielle Konfiguration von 1.000 TPY EBITDA-Margen erzielen könnte, die dreimal höher sind als der Branchendurchschnitt von 20%, bei 93% niedrigerem Kapitalaufwand im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Anlagen.
PyroGenesis hat seine Absicht angekündigt, seine Lizenzgebührenrechte in einen 50%igen Eigentumsanteil an HPQ Silica Polvere umzuwandeln. Der globale Markt für fumed Silica, der 2022 auf 1,3 Milliarden US-Dollar geschätzt wurde, wird voraussichtlich bis 2032 auf 2,1 Milliarden US-Dollar anwachsen, mit einem CAGR von 5%.
- First successful material production from FSR pilot plant
- 20-fold scale-up achieved from lab-scale system
- Projected EBITDA margins 3x higher than industry average
- 93% lower capital investment vs conventional plants
- 50 TPY production capacity in pilot phase
- Material quality still pending independent laboratory verification
- Additional batch tests required for consistency validation
- Commercial-scale production not yet achieved
Achieves milestone production during week-long operation; optimization testing to continue
MONTREAL, Feb. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PyroGenesis Inc. (“PyroGenesis”) (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (OTCQX: PYRGF) (FRA: 8PY1), a high-tech company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes all-electric plasma processes and sustainable solutions to support heavy industry in their energy transition, emission reduction, commodity security, and waste remediation efforts, announces today that, further to HPQ Silicon Inc’s (“HPQ”) press release dated today, and PyroGenesis’ own news releases dated February 6, 2024 and March 12, 2024, the next milestone for the fumed silica reactor (“FSR”) pilot plant has been reached, with its successful week-long operation and the production of the first batch of materials. This initial test was designed to evaluate the system’s ability to precisely regulate the feedstock thermal profile, encompassing pre-heating, controlled heating rates, and stabilization at target operational parameters required for fumed silica synthesis.
The material produced was visually analyzed and confirmed to be consistent with material seen in the previous lab-scale production. Comprehensive analysis will be conducted at an independent laboratory, to verify structural and chemical properties with more quantitative data, and to validate product quality, all of which will be used for next step process optimization related to further tests. Of note, the FSR pilot plant is a 20-fold scale up of the lab-scale system. The next three batch tests will focus on achieving consistent and repeatable production of high-surface-area fumed silica, ensuring that product specifications align with or exceed those achieved at lab scale.
"Since 1944, the fumed silica industry has relied on the same conventional, fossil-fuel-intensive production methods. At PyroGenesis, we are committed to breaking that cycle through innovation," said P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis Inc. "The fumed silica reactor represents a potentially revolutionary shift – scaling up a plasma-based process that eliminates carbon emissions while maintaining superior product quality. By decarbonizing this industry, we are not just enhancing efficiency; we are aiming to a new standard for sustainable, commercially viable fumed silica production, empowering clients with a cleaner and more reliable process."
The FSR technology project is being conducted in conjunction with HPQ Silica Polvere Inc. (“HPQ Polvere”), a wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ. PyroGenesis previously announced in a press release dated May 30, 2024, its intent to exercise its right to convert its annual royalty rights into a
Fumed silica is a moisture-absorbing white microstructure powder with high surface area and low bulk density. Used most often as a thickening agent, anti-caking agent, and stabilizer to improve the texture and consistency of products, the commercial applications of fumed silica can be found in many industries across thousands of product lines, including – but not limited to – personal care, powdered food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture (food & feed), adhesives, paints, sealants, construction, batteries and automotive.
In the FSR project, PyroGenesis is the exclusive supplier of a technology capable of using quartz (SiO2) as a raw material to produce commercial-grade fumed silica in a single and eco-friendly step while eliminating the use of harmful chemicals generated by conventional methods.i The FSR pilot plant, if successful, could provide a groundbreaking contribution to the repatriation of silica production to North America.
On July 9, 2024, PyroGenesis announced that HPQ Polvere had signed a letter of intent with Evonik Corporation, a global specialty chemicals company. The objective of HPQ Polvere’s letter of intent with Evonik is to outline the basis of collaboration during the FSR pilot scale phase with the goal to validate the ability of the FSR to produce low-cost, low-carbon material acceptable to Evonik’s specifications.
The FSR pilot plant exists within a dedicated space inside PyroGenesis’ facilities, with a custom-designed infrastructure that meets the pilot plant’s unique ventilation, safety, and access requirements. A 4,000 sq ft facility with a 30-foot height allowance was allocated to house the pilot plant, which itself has an approximate layout footprint of 50ft by 30ft. The FSR pilot plant has a 50 TPY output capacity.
In addition, results announced by PyroGenesis (refer to the Company’s news release dated January 11, 2024) from an internal economic and technical study, which was carried out at the request of a third-party who requested confidentiality, confirmed the viability of, and advantages from, the eventual scale up to a 1,000 TPY commercial configuration. These advantages included potential EBIDTA margins three times higher than the industry average of
The fumed silica market, valued at US
PyroGenesis’ involvement in developing fumed silica from quartz is part of its three-vertical solution ecosystem that aligns with economic drivers that are key to global heavy industry. Metal powders are part of PyroGenesis’ Commodity Security & Optimization vertical, where the development of advanced material production techniques, and the use of technology such as plasma to recover viable metals, chemicals, and minerals from industrial waste, helps to maximize raw materials and improve the availability of critical minerals. Titanium has been identified as a critical mineral by the Canadian government. The Company’s other verticals are Energy Transition and Emission Reduction and Waste Remediation.
About PyroGenesis Inc.
PyroGenesis, a high-tech company, is a proud leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and sustainable solutions which reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and are economically attractive alternatives to conventional “dirty” processes. PyroGenesis has created proprietary, patented and advanced plasma technologies that are being vetted and adopted by multiple multibillion dollar industry leaders in four massive markets: iron ore pelletization, aluminum, waste management, and additive manufacturing. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of its Montreal office, and its 3,800 m2 and 2,940 m2 manufacturing facilities, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. The operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, having been ISO certified since 1997. PyroGenesis’ shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada (TSX: PYR), the OTCQX in the US (OTCQX: PYRGF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany (FRA: 8PY1).
About HPQ Silicon
| HPQ activities are centred around the following five (5) pillars: | |
| (1) | Becoming a green low-cost (Capex and Opex) manufacturer of Fumed Silica using the FUMED SILICA REACTOR, a proprietary technology owned by HPQ Silica Polvere Inc being developed for HSPI by PyroGenesis. |
| (2) | Becoming a producer of silicon-based anode materials for battery applications with the assistance of NOVACIUM SAS. |
| (3) | HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a low carbon, chemical based on demand and high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system. |
| (4) | HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a new process to transform black aluminium dross into a valuable resource. |
| (5) | Becoming a zero CO2 low-cost (Capex and Opex) producer of High Purity Silicon (2N+ to 4N) using our PUREVAPTM “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), a proprietary technology owned by HPQ being developed for HPQ by PyroGenesis. |
For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site.
Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “an opportunity exists”, “is positioned”, “estimates”, “intends”, “assumes”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate” or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, nor guarantees or assurances of future performance but instead represent management’s current beliefs, expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events and operating performance.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by PyroGenesis as of the date of this release, are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ, possibly materially, from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk factors identified under “Risk Factors” in PyroGenesis’ latest annual information form, and in other periodic filings that it has made and may make in the future with the securities commissions or similar regulatory authorities, all of which are available under PyroGenesis’ profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect PyroGenesis. However, such risk factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. PyroGenesis undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) nor the OTCQX Best Market accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
For further information please contact:
Rodayna Kafal, Vice President, IR/Comms. and Strategic BD
E-mail: ir@pyrogenesis.com
http://www.pyrogenesis.com
i 2012 – Executive summary: “SILICON-CHEMISTRY CARBON BALANCE, AN ASSESSMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND REDUCTIONS”, Covering the Production, Use and End-of-Life of Silicones, Siloxanes and Silane Products in Europe, North America, and Japan. [Pages 20 to 21] (Commissioned by Global Silicones Council, Centre Européen des Silicones, Silicones Environmental, Health and Safety Council of North America Silicone Industry Association of Japan).
ii Traditional Fumed Silica manufacturing involves a complex three-step process:
Step 1: Conversion of Quartz to Silicon Metal (Si), with an average Capex of around US
Step 2: Conversion of Si to Silicon Tetrachloride (SiCl4), with an average Capex of approximately US
Step 3: Burning Silicon Tetrachloride (SiCl4) with Hydrogen and Oxygen to produce Fumed Silica (SiO2), incurring an average Capex of around US
iii https://www.factmr.com/report/2301/fumed-silica-market
FAQ
What milestone did PyroGenesis (PYRGF) achieve with its fumed silica reactor?
What is the production capacity of PYRGF's fumed silica reactor pilot plant?
What are the projected financial benefits of PYRGF's commercial fumed silica plant?
What is the market size and growth projection for fumed silica through 2032?
What ownership stake will PyroGenesis have in HPQ Silica Polvere?
