As Europe's largest producer of tower packings and inert balls VFF is in a position to respond rapidly to customer requests. This saves the customer long start-up times and storage costs. VFF can respond to individual customer needs at all times (e.g. packing). VFF can guarantee the right quantities in the required packing with a call up, especially if a contract

exists with a customer. In cases where the poor quality of cheap imports has led to problems, VFF will be right there with advice and assistance, and can help at short notice by supplying DURANIT^® inert balls. This can save heavy costs, both now and in the future.

When using catalyst supports, a high degree of operational safety, provided by the stability and homogeneity of the support material, is an important factor.

The quality of DURANIT^® X500 inert balls does not just comply with all relevant international safety standards, specifications and requirements, but significantly exceeds

them. This results from the fact that DURANIT^® X500 inert balls are manufactured using a process specially developed by VFF, that give the balls a compression strength that is far superior to the current state of the art technology and hence offers the customer a maximum of operational safety. This high mechanical strength comes along with extremely low water absorption of less than 0.25% by weight.

To keep ahead of the rest VFF places a lot of emphasis on the fact that its products are "100% Made in Germany". Meeting the strict German and European safety and environmental requirements means that VFF can offer

products that are manufactured with respect for both people and nature. Of course VFF is also certified toDIN EN ISO 9001.

The right raw material is a very important factor for consistent quality. VFF is the only packings manufacturer of its kind in the world that has its own mines of different types of raw material. This ensures consistent product homogeneity. The raw materials are thoroughly tested by internal and external

labs before, during and after processing. VFF DURANIT^® X500 inert balls have a chemical composition having approx. 24% by weight of Al₂O₃ and about 70% by weight of SiO₂; they are, of course, free from catalyst poisons.

The quality of the raw materials, of the product in the course of manufacture, and of the final product is ensured through both our own test facilities and through monitoring by reputable,

independent institutes in the context of certification according toDIN EN ISO 9001.

When using catalyst supports, a high degree of operational safety through stability and homogeneity of the support material is an important factor for the customer. The specially developed manufacturing process from VFF means that the compression strength of the DURANIT^® X500 inert balls is significantly higher than that of comparable products. The mean compression strength of the 1" balls exceeds 1000 kg and provides the VFF customer with unsurpassed operational safety when filling the reactor and trouble-free operation. With the DURANIT^® X500 balls VFF have succeeded, after much intensive engineering work, to develop a catalyst support that is far superior state of the art not just for that point.

DURANIT^® inert balls, and DURANIT^® X500 balls in particular, have extremely low water absorption of less than 0.25 % by weight. This is only possible due to a manufacturing process developed by VFF and is a further safety aspect when using the material. The extremely low water absorption prevents liquids from penetrating far

inside the balls and causing expansion, e.g. due to heating, or chipping, that in turn could cause major damage in the system. DURANIT^® inert balls and DURANIT^® X500 balls rule out such risks. Of course this is provided that they are handled correctly on site.

Of course DURANIT^® X500 inert balls are all free from any type of catalyst poisons. The careful selection and the multiple internal and external checks of the raw material, as well as the on-going checks during the processing and multiple final checks, means that undesirable catalyst poisons

are ruled out. This is very important, since the catalyst poisons can reduce or eliminate the effect of the catalyst. In the case of DURANIT^® inert balls the customer can be sure that they will not be confronted with this problem.

All VFF products are produced according to the strict German safety standards for employees and the environment, and are certified according toDIN EN ISO 9001. In addition, VFF puts

itself through regular internal and external checks, and therefore exceeds the statutory specifications for worker safety and environmental standards in every point.

DURANIT^® inert balls have a very high degree of homogeneity when compared with comparable products, due to the decades of experience of VFF. The use of in-house raw materials and their careful preparation are the key to provide VFF customers with a consistently high quality. The

homogeneity of VFF products at every stage of the manufacturing process is guaranteed through the use of the latest SPS/PLC-controlled processing and monitoring technology. To be able to guarantee this also in the future VFF's motto is still: All from one source!

The unsurpassed compression strength of DURANIT^® X500 balls offers the customer a high degree of safety, to avoid problems during reactor filling for example and hence save unnecessary expenses. VFF also recommends that reactor

filling is carried out according to international specifications, to protect the product and system from unnecessary negative influences.

VFF has been certified by the German TÜV since 1994, and so meets all the standards and performs all the activities

that represent the highest levels of quality management.