A Century of Innovation
Solving the world’s energy challenges since 1914
For more than 100 years, Honeywell UOP has been the leading international supplier and licensor for the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production and major manufacturing industries. UOP is responsible for developing and implementing some of the most groundbreaking technologies in the world over the past century.
The Beginning
In 1914, inventor Jesse A. Dubbs commercialized the thermal cracking process, which was initially used to produce asphalt by demulsifying oil. It was only by accident that Dubbs discovered he was unknowingly cracking crude oil into gasoline with his original thermal cracking process. J. Ogdon Armour, Chicago meat-packing tycoon and owner of Standard Asphalt & Rubber Company, saw the potential of Dubbs’s discovery as an opportunity to invest in a process that would soon be integral to meeting the growing demand for gasoline from the emerging automobile industry.
Together Armour and Dubbs formed the National Hydrocarbon Company in 1914, which became Universal Oil Products Company. Over the next century and through a series of mergers, acquisitions and business transformations, UOP continued to develop breakthrough innovations that impacted the world.
Continued Innovation
In the 1930s, UOP pioneered catalytic polymerization and laid the groundwork for dozens of other new technologies. During World War II, UOP’s technologies were pooled with others in the industry, speeding the development of fluid catalytic cracking, alkylation and isomerization.
Through the 1960s, the company continued to develop even better refining methods, as well as the technologies that brought lead-free gasoline, the catalytic converter and the first biodegradable detergents. UOP later expanded its expertise to include natural gas processing, zeolites, hydroprocessing and, most recently, renewable fuels.
Today and Tomorrow
In 2005, Honeywell announced its acquisition of UOP and began new investments in UOP’s research and development capabilities. Today, UOP licenses more than 70 processes and 300 catalysts to 6,000 refineries and plants.
UOP continues to invest in research and development, operating the world’s leading centers of research for the catalytic processing of hydrocarbons. Scientists and engineers from around the world are inventing better ways to convert oil, natural gas, coal and biomass into the fuels and chemicals required to support the growth and well-being of our world, while keeping the air and water we depend on clean.
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Founding Years
UOP was founded in 1914 to commercialize 12 inventions held by Jesse Adams Dubbs.
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A Revolution in Transportation
Gasoline, which until then had been used as a solvent, had found favor as a fuel in internal combustion engines.
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The Peace of 1931
In 1931, a consortium of defendants banded together to purchase UOP for $25 million. Read more
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The Birth of Catalysis
In 1933, Ipatieff introduced solid phosphoric acid as a catalyst to stimulate even higher yields of gasoline from crude oil.
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The Next Big Thing
Having lost half of its engineers, UOP recruited the affable president of the Arkansas Natural Gas Corporation David W. Harris to run the company.
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The Conglomerate Period
UOP generated so much income that it threatened the American Chemical Society’s non-profit status. Read more
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The Answer Company
Entering the 1970s, UOP became involved in several environmental technologies. Read more
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A Friendly Acquisition
A full-fledged conglomerate by 1975, diversification had rendered UOP a slow-growth company. Read more
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A Honeywell Company
On Oct. 3, 2005, Honeywell announced its acquisition of Dow’s 50-percent stake in UOP, closing the deal on Nov. 30 for $825 million. Read more
UOP Milestones:
1914: Dubbs Cracking Process
1938: High Octane Aviation Gasoline
1949: Platforming™ Process
1953: Synthetic Zeolites
1957: Zeolites for Catalytic Cracking
1960s: Technologies for Unleaded Gasoline
1968: Biodegradable Detergents
1970s: Automotive Catalytic Converter
1970s: Parex™ Process
1990: Oleflex™ Process
2003: First National Medal of Technology
2006: Green Diesel Technology
2008: MTO, Uniflex™ and Green Jet™ Fuel
2012: Acquired Thomas Russell and Callidus
2014: UOP Celebrates 100 years
2014: Second National Medal of Technology
2016: ISOALKY™ ionic liquids alkylation
2016: Connected Performance Services
2018: Acquired Ortloff Engineers
Today: UOP licenses more than 70 processes and 300 catalysts to 6,000 refineries and plants
