Aduro Clean Technologies Provides Update on NGP Pilot Plant Progress

Rhea-AI Summary

Aduro Clean Technologies (NASDAQ: ADUR) has provided an update on its Hydrochemolytic™ Technology Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant progress. The pilot plant, designed to validate the company's waste-to-resource technology, is advancing on schedule with commissioning set to begin in September 2025.

The NGP Pilot Plant consists of three main systems: an extruder for feedstock preparation, a reactor system for plastics conversion, and a product recovery system. Two systems will begin commissioning in September 2025, with the third following in October 2025. The company has completed site preparations at its London laboratory facilities and expanded office space to accommodate the plant and personnel growth.

The plant will be crucial for validating continuous operations, establishing operating parameters, and producing samples for customer evaluation. It will also generate key data to support the design of a planned 8,000-ton per year demonstration plant.

Positive

• Site preparations and infrastructure modifications have been completed on schedule
• Factory Acceptance Testing on extruders has been successfully completed
• All major long-lead components for reactor and cooling systems have been received
• Project maintains coordination across multiple vendors including Zeton and Siemens

Negative

• Commissioning process will be staged over multiple months, potentially extending timeline to full operation
• Complex integration of three separate systems may present operational challenges

Insights

Chemical Process Engineer

Aduro's Hydrochemolytic pilot plant on schedule with commissioning beginning Q3 2025, representing critical pre-commercialization milestone.

Aduro's update on their NGP Pilot Plant represents a significant technological milestone in their commercialization pathway. The company is executing a methodical approach to validating their Hydrochemolytic™ Technology in continuous operation - a crucial step between laboratory proof-of-concept and full commercial deployment. The pilot plant's three-system architecture (feedstock preparation, reactor system, and product recovery) follows standard chemical engineering scale-up methodology, with commissioning intelligently phased between September-October 2025.

What's noteworthy is their disciplined engineering approach. The completion of Factory Acceptance Testing for extruders confirms functional performance against specifications before site integration. The modular skid fabrication by Zeton (a respected pilot plant fabricator) and Siemens' automation integration suggests proper attention to process control systems - critical for operational stability and safety in novel chemical processes.

This pilot represents the critical inflection point in their technology development journey where theoretical principles face real-world operational challenges. It will generate vital data on mass/energy balances, yields, and controllability that will determine economic viability. The planned 8,000 tons/year demonstration plant hinges entirely on successful pilot operation. Additionally, their attention to documentation, procedures and safety protocols indicates awareness of regulatory compliance requirements essential for eventual technology licensing.

While the timeline appears reasonable for this stage of development, investors should recognize that chemical process scale-up typically encounters unexpected challenges requiring design modifications, potentially affecting commercialization timelines.

LONDON, Ontario, Aug. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. (“Aduro” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ADUR) (CSE: ACT) (FSE: 9D5), a clean technology company using the power of chemistry to transform lower-value feedstocks, like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils, into resources for the 21^st century, today provides an update on the Hydrochemolytic™ Technology Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant.

The NGP Pilot Plant is a key step in the Aduro scaleup pathway, designed to validate Hydrochemolytic™ Technology in continuous operation, establish operating parameters across target feedstocks, and produce product samples and quality data for customer evaluation. It will confirm mass and energy balances, yields, and controllability, supply data to support environmental assessments and lifecycle analyses, support standard operator training and procedures, and generate the key data to inform the design basis and integration approach for the previously announced demonstration plant with an initial capacity of 8,000 tons per year.

Work on the NGP Pilot Plant is advancing on schedule under a coordinated plan with major workstreams progressing in parallel. Equipment supplied by the original equipment manufacturers, process-skid fabrication, and automation and controls integration are being readied for delivery to site for installation, system integration, and the start of the commissioning program in September 2025.

The NGP Pilot Plant comprises three main systems: (1) an extruder that prepares and delivers feedstock; (2) a reactor system that converts plastics; and (3) a product recovery system that purifies and cools the liquid product. The commissioning process is planned to occur in stages, with two systems scheduled to commence the commissioning process in September 2025, followed by the third system expected to commence commissioning in October 2025. Commissioning will follow a structured program including pre-commissioning, cold commissioning, phased systems integration, wet runs, and initial operating campaigns. The Company has planned a disciplined process in collaboration with equipment and system vendors to ensure appropriate vendor support.

Site preparations at the London laboratory facilities to host the NGP Pilot Plant have been completed. Work included modifications to HVAC and electrical infrastructure to meet applicable process and safety standards and regulatory requirements. Additionally, Aduro has expanded its office and laboratory space to accommodate the NGP Pilot Plant and the respective personnel growth. This includes recent hires in operations and engineering, supporting the team’s ability to execute upcoming phases effectively. Preparation of operating documentation and training materials is progressing, including standard operating procedures, commissioning checklists, and safety-critical procedures.

Factory Acceptance Testing on the extruders, the final long-lead items for the NGP Pilot Plant, has been completed at the original equipment manufacturer, confirming functionality against specifications and readiness for site delivery. Chief Operating Officer David Weizenbach and Chief Scientist Dr. Anil Jhawar were on site last week to witness the test. Following delivery, the extruders will enter cold-commissioning checks and site acceptance activities, including fit-up, equipment calibration, logic verification, and operator familiarization and training, before integration with other systems.

Zeton, engaged by Aduro to lead the design and fabrication efforts for the NGP Pilot Plant, has received all major long-lead components for the reactor and cooling and separation systems, and assembly of the modular process skids is well underway at its fabrication facility. Current shop activities include equipment setting and alignment, piping fit-up, instrumentation installation, and preparation for Input/Output checkout to support orderly shipment and installation at the London laboratory. As remaining systems are certified for shipment, Zeton will conduct factory acceptance tests in sequence prior to delivery to Aduro’s site.

Siemens, responsible for supplying advanced control systems and engineering services, has shipped critical long-lead automation and electrical components. Integration work on control hardware, software, and the data environment is on schedule with the project plan and is intended to support safe operation and reliable data capture during commissioning and throughout the operating campaigns.

Feedstock preparation is underway, with the Company and its previously announced partner, NexGen Polymers, securing and qualifying representative waste-plastic streams, catalyst, and other process inputs for start-up and early operating campaigns, informed by coordinated logistics, specifications, and laboratory evaluations, including Customer Engagement Program (CEP)-identified materials.

“Progress on the NGP Pilot Plant remains on schedule and reflects outstanding coordination and execution across engineering, fabrication, and site readiness. This milestone marks an important step in our commercialization pathway, as we advance Hydrochemolytic™ Technology toward continuous operation. Our goal is to produce customer-relevant samples and generate operating data that will inform the design and integration of the next scale. I want to acknowledge the contributions of our team and our partners, including Zeton, Siemens, and our suppliers, for their continued focus on safety and quality. We plan to continue construction and integration work in the weeks ahead to remain aligned with our target of initiating the commissioning program in the third quarter of 2025,” said Ofer Vicus, Chief Executive Officer.

About Aduro Clean Technologies

Aduro Clean Technologies is a developer of patented water-based technologies to chemically recycle waste plastics; convert heavy crude and bitumen into lighter, more valuable oil; and transform renewable oils into higher-value fuels or renewable chemicals. The Company’s Hydrochemolytic™ Technology relies on water as a critical agent in a chemistry platform that operates at relatively low temperatures and cost, a game-changing approach that converts low-value feedstocks into resources for the 21^st century.

For further information, please contact:

Abe Dyck, Head of Business Development and Investor Relations
ir@adurocleantech.com
+1 226 784 8889

KCSA Strategic Communications
Jack Perkins, Senior Vice President
aduro@kcsa.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected commissioning timeline and process for the NGP Pilot Plant, including phased integration and operating campaigns; the anticipated delivery, installation, and integration of equipment and systems from vendors such as Zeton and Siemens; the Company’s ability to validate Hydrochemolytic™ Technology in continuous operation and generate customer-relevant samples and operating data; the use of NGP Pilot Plant data to inform the design and integration of a future demonstration plant with an initial capacity of 8,000 tons per year; the readiness and performance of long-lead items such as extruders and control systems; the successful qualification and use of feedstock materials in collaboration with NexGen Polymers; the Company’s ability to maintain its project schedule and execute construction and integration work in the coming weeks; the effectiveness of the Company’s operating documentation, training materials, and safety procedures; and the Company’s belief in the scalability and commercial viability of Hydrochemolytic™ Technology. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include, but are not limited to, technical risks related to the commissioning, integration, or operation of pilot plant systems; equipment malfunction or incompatibility; supply chain delays or vendor performance issues; operational challenges in training, documentation, or safety implementation; variability in feedstock quality or availability; changes in environmental or regulatory requirements; market acceptance of the Company’s technology or products; economic conditions affecting funding or commercialization; and the Company’s ability to retain and coordinate qualified personnel, as well as adverse market conditions and other factors beyond the control of the parties. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e092dcc6-7a60-4642-930e-718accbe0409

FAQ

When will Aduro's NGP Pilot Plant begin commissioning?

The NGP Pilot Plant will begin commissioning in September 2025, with two systems starting first, followed by the third system in October 2025.

What is the purpose of Aduro's NGP Pilot Plant?

The pilot plant will validate Hydrochemolytic™ Technology in continuous operation, establish operating parameters, produce product samples for customer evaluation, and generate data for the planned 8,000-ton per year demonstration plant.

What are the main components of Aduro's NGP Pilot Plant?

The NGP Pilot Plant comprises three main systems: 1) an extruder for feedstock preparation, 2) a reactor system for plastics conversion, and 3) a product recovery system for purifying and cooling liquid product.

How will Aduro's NGP Pilot Plant impact its commercialization strategy?

The pilot plant represents a key step in Aduro's commercialization pathway by validating technology, generating operating data, and producing customer samples, which will inform the design of larger-scale facilities.

Who are the key partners involved in Aduro's NGP Pilot Plant project?

Key partners include Zeton for design and fabrication, Siemens for control systems and engineering services, and NexGen Polymers for feedstock preparation and qualification.