BU Dhabi–based company POLYSYS Industries has made a strategic investment in MERYT Chemicals, the UAE arm of Spain-founded MERYT Catalysts and Innovation, a European specialist in advanced catalysts and adsorbents.

The partnership positions MERYT to serve GCC customers with stronger proximity, technical support, and future production capacity.

It also establishes Abu Dhabi as MERYT’s regional hub to supply GCC refineries and chemical industries with advanced catalysts and adsorbents, by bringing proximity, responsive technical support, and reliable supply from the UAE.

Building on this commercial foundation, the partners plan to expand into local research and development and production capabilities, combining MERYT’s European expertise in catalyst innovation with the UAE’s dynamic industrial ecosystem to create sustainable, high-value manufacturing capacity in the GCC region, Dr Meritxell Vila-Fontes, CEO of MERYT Chemicals, and Mohamed Al Mheiri, Founder of POLYSYS, tell OGN energy magazine in an exclusive interview.

Below are excerpts from the interview:

Why has MERYT chosen the GCC, particularly the UAE, as its base for regional growth and innovation?

Dr Vila-Fontes: For us, the GCC is one of the most exciting industrial regions in the world. We admire the pace and quality of growth across the Gulf. The region is ambitious, execution-oriented, and open to collaboration. Within this context, the UAE stands out for its clear industrial vision and pro-innovation policies, making it the natural long-term base for MERYT in the region.

Through MERYT Chemicals in Abu Dhabi, we aim to offer GCC clients faster response, stronger technical support, and localised production of advanced catalytic materials as capabilities are established. Saudi Arabia is also a key focus for us, and we are committed to supporting its industrial programs in close partnership.

What factors convinced POLYSYS to invest in MERYT Chemicals, and how does this partnership align with your industrial strategy?

The MERYT-POLYSYS partnership will shorten delivery times and reduce dependence on imports

Al Mheiri: We were impressed by MERYT’s credibility, technical depth, and global reach. They have successfully built bridges between Europe and the GCC, exactly the type of industrial partnership we want to foster in the UAE.

Our investment is not only financial, but also strategic. Together we plan to develop local manufacturing capability and contribute to the UAE’s long-term goal of becoming a regional leader in advanced materials and catalyst production.

In practical terms, what immediate benefits will GCC clients experience from this new partnership?

Dr Vila-Fontes: Three things: Local presence, technical excellence, and reliable supply.

With the support of POLYSYS, we are expanding our Abu Dhabi team to be closer to plants; reinforcing on-site technical assistance; and laying the backbone for local production.

The objective is practical. We aim to help customers improve performance and reliability through high-quality catalysts and adsorbents, consistent supply, and strong technical support.

How does this collaboration strengthen the UAE’s vision for a diversified, innovation-driven industrial base, especially in advanced materials and catalyst technologies?

Al Mheiri: It perfectly aligns with the UAE’s vision to diversify the economy and create high-tech industrial capabilities. MERYT brings decades of technical experience in catalysis, a field essential for cleaner fuels, hydrogen, and CO2 conversion technologies.

Together we can attract more innovation to the Emirates, develop talent, and supply top-quality products from within the country.

The POLYSYS-MERYT partnership will create a sustainable, high-value manufacturing capacity for catalysts in the GCC

Localisation is a key element of the UAE’s industrial agenda. How do you envision this partnership contributing to in-country value creation and developing a skilled local workforce?

Al Mheiri: This partnership aligns perfectly with the UAE’s localisation and industrial development strategy. By combining MERYT’s European expertise in catalyst and adsorbent technologies with POLYSYS’s industrial and business know-how, we are building a strong foundation for genuine in-country value (ICV) creation.

Beyond production, it’s about knowledge transfer; it’s about developing local technical talent, and manufacturing know-how in a field traditionally dominated by imports. Our vision is to create a sustainable, high-tech ecosystem that empowers UAE engineers and specialists to drive the next generation of catalyst manufacturing and applications in the country and beyond.

Building resilient supply chains has become a top industrial priority. How does this partnership enhance the UAE’s ability to locally produce and supply critical catalyst and adsorbent materials for the region’s refining and petrochemical sectors?

Al Mheiri: Resilience starts with localisation. Through this partnership, we are establishing the groundwork for a regional supply base capable of serving refineries and petrochemical plants across the GCC, coordinated from the UAE.

The goal is to shorten delivery times, reduce dependence on overseas sourcing, and ensure continuous access to critical materials such as catalysts and adsorbents.

As we advance local testing, logistics, and potential production capabilities with MERYT, the GCC will strengthen its supply chain security and build the foundation for future high-value manufacturing in advanced materials. This is a strategic step toward industrial self-reliance and long-term sustainability for the region.

MERYT’s European operations are known for integrating sustainability into catalyst design. How do you see these principles translating into your GCC operations, particularly regarding energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and waste minimisation?

Dr Vila-Fontes: From adsorbents to catalysts, sustainability has always been at the heart of how we design and select our products. In Europe, our focus has been on efficiency, selectivity, and durability: Solutions that extend operating cycles, improve yields, and reduce waste and regeneration needs. We’re now bringing those same principles to the GCC, combining European R&D know-how with the region’s industrial needs.

The goal is clear; we aim to help customers cut energy use, enhance selectivity, and lower CO2 emissions through smarter, longer-lasting materials.

For us, sustainability is not a statement; it’s proven performance in every unit we support.

Given the growing emphasis on hydrogen and circular carbon technologies, where do you see MERYT’s catalyst innovations playing a role in the region’s energy transition?

Dr Vila-Fontes: From hydrogen purification to CO2 capture and conversion, catalysts and adsorbents are at the heart of the energy transition.

At MERYT, we are combining our industrial expertise with ongoing research to develop next-generation materials that make these processes more efficient and scalable.

Some of our current projects focus on MOF-based adsorbents for selective CO2 capture, and on catalytic systems that can convert captured CO2 into valuable chemicals such as methanol.

While several of these technologies are still in the research phase, our goal is to accelerate their transition to real industrial applications through partnerships in the GCC.

This region has the vision, resources, and determination to lead in circular carbon technologies, and we aim to be part of that transformation.

MERYT has been advancing MOF-based technologies with global research partners. How will your UAE presence accelerate the transition from research to commercial applications in CO2 capture and conversion?

Dr Vila-Fontes: From MERYT, we have initiated some discussion to develop key partnership with leading research institutions to translate strong MOF research into practical industrial solutions. Our joint focus is on advancing the most promising materials for CO2 capture and CO2 conversion to alcohols, assessing their performance and economic potential under real conditions.

It’s a partnership-driven approach — test, learn, and scale — where results are compelling.

Through these intended collaborations, we aim to build local capability and provide relevant, ready-to-use solutions for our customers across the GCC.

ADIPEC 2025 places strong emphasis on decarbonisation and transition fuels. How is MERYT aligning its technologies and partnerships with these themes, and how do you plan to engage with industry leaders during the event?

Dr Vila-Fontes: ADIPEC is the right platform to connect innovation with action. Our technologies are closely aligned with the industry’s decarbonisation goals; from catalysts that improve process efficiency and reduce emissions, to advanced adsorbents that enable hydrogen purification and CO2 capture.

We are also collaborating with international research partners to develop materials supporting circular carbon routes, such as CO2-to-methanol conversion and its subsequent transformation into sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

In parallel, we are exploring partnerships with startups developing promising decarbonisation technologies to accelerate innovation and deployment.

During ADIPEC, our focus will be on strengthening cooperation with regional customers, EPCs, and R&D centres to move these solutions from the lab to the plant.

For us, decarbonisation is not just a concept; it’s about practical pathways that deliver measurable performance today while paving the way for the low-carbon fuels of tomorrow.

With this partnership, what key message would you like to share with regional and global industry stakeholders?

Dr Vila-Fontes: We are here to stay and grow. MERYT Chemicals represents our long-term commitment to the GCC region’s energy transformation.

Al Mheiri: POLYSYS is proud to be part of this journey. Together, we will make the UAE a global reference in catalyst innovation and industrial excellence.