Chemical giant BASF has started up what it calls the world’s first industrial-scale production plant for 3D-printed catalysts, marking a shift in how chemical processes can be optimised at scale. 

Additive manufacturing allows engineers to design internal structures not possible with conventional methods. These structures are aimed at improving how gases and liquids flow through reactors. Catalysts play a central role in chemical manufacturing, accelerating reactions used to produce fuels, fertilisers, and industrial chemicals.