What Umicore Autocat USA makes

Umicore Autocat USA Inc. is the North American arm of Umicore's Automotive Catalysts business, the emission-control catalyst unit of the Belgian materials group Umicore. It develops and supplies catalytic coatings, the precious-metal and chemical layers that make a catalytic converter work, for cars, trucks, and off-road engines sold in the US and Canada. The product range covers three-way catalysts (TWC) and coated gasoline particulate filters (cGPF) for gasoline engines, diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), diesel particulate filters (DPF), and SCR catalysts for NOx reduction on diesel and heavy-duty applications, plus catalysts for natural-gas, motorcycle, and small-engine use. The unit's FlexMetal technology is built around balancing cost and performance across platinum, palladium, and rhodium loadings, the three metals that dominate a catalyst's bill of materials.

The Auburn Hills, Michigan site is Umicore's North American headquarters for automotive customer management and its regional technical center, where engineers design and test emission catalysts for gasoline, diesel, natural-gas, and alternative-fuel powertrains, including mild and full hybrids. Parent Umicore describes itself as one of the top three automotive-catalyst producers worldwide, running 15 catalyst plants in 13 countries and seven research and technology facilities. Because catalyst performance is validated against each engine program, this is engineering-led supply work sold to vehicle OEMs and their emission-system partners rather than off-the-shelf product.

Financial performance

Umicore Autocat USA does not publish standalone US financials. Its results roll up into Umicore's Catalysis business group, which reports publicly. For FY2025, Catalysis posted revenue of 1,668 million euros, roughly flat versus 2024, with adjusted EBIT of 383 million euros, up 6 percent, and adjusted EBITDA of 450 million euros, up 4 percent. Return on capital employed for the business group was reported above 40 percent in 2024, among the strongest in the group. Automotive Catalysts revenue held in line with the prior year despite a softer light-duty market and a peak in global internal-combustion-engine production.

At the group level, Umicore reported FY2025 revenue of 3.6 billion euros (excluding metal), up 3 percent, adjusted EBIT of 579 million euros, up 21 percent, and adjusted EBITDA of 847 million euros at a 24 percent margin. That marked a recovery from FY2024, when group adjusted EBIT fell to 478 million euros as the Energy and battery-materials side of the group absorbed a downturn. Catalysis has been the group's most consistent earnings engine through that cycle.

Ownership and history

Umicore Autocat USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Umicore SA, a materials and recycling group headquartered in Brussels and listed on Euronext Brussels under the ticker UMI. Umicore traces its corporate lineage to 1805 and took its current form and name in 2001. The automotive-catalyst business grew through the 2003 acquisition of Degussa's catalyst operations and the 2007 acquisition of Delphi's catalyst activities, which together made Umicore a global top-three player. The US entity has operated from Auburn Hills, Michigan since 1997, and the Michigan site added a vehicle emission test laboratory in the mid-2010s. Umicore's broader US footprint includes precious-metals, chemicals, and optical-materials sites in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and New Jersey, with corporate functions in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Catalysis business group is led by Jensen Verhelle, Executive Vice President since May 2024, who previously ran the group's Automotive Catalysts operations and strategic procurement.

Certifications and quality

Automotive catalyst supply to vehicle OEMs runs on the sector's standard quality architecture. Umicore's automotive-catalyst plants operate to automotive quality-management systems and validate product against customer emission programs through structured APQP and PPAP processes, the launch discipline OEMs require of directed Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. Site-specific certificate numbers for the US entity are not posted publicly; buyers should request current certificates directly. The company positions its value on meeting emission legislation at the lowest total cost of ownership, which in a catalyst means using the least precious metal to hit a given conversion target.

Known customers

Automotive-catalyst supply relationships are governed by program confidentiality, and Umicore does not name individual North American customers publicly. What is documented is the shape of the business: Umicore is one of the world's three largest automotive-catalyst producers and supplies emission catalysts to light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers globally through directed OEM programs. The Auburn Hills technical center exists specifically to support North American customer programs. Absent a named, sourced program, this profile does not assert specific customer names.

Recent news

February 2026 — Umicore reported FY2025 group revenue of 3.6 billion euros, up 3 percent, with the Catalysis business group delivering revenue of 1,668 million euros and adjusted EBIT of 383 million euros, up 6 percent, its earnings rising even as internal-combustion-engine production plateaued (company results).

February 2025 — Umicore reported that its Catalysis business group held earnings near record levels in 2024 despite an 8 percent revenue decline, citing structural efficiency measures and a strong position in light-duty gasoline catalysts (company results).

May 2024 — Umicore appointed Jensen Verhelle Executive Vice President of the Catalysis business group and a member of its management board, effective mid-May (company announcement).

Frequently asked questions

What does Umicore Autocat USA make?

Umicore Autocat USA develops and supplies automotive emission-control catalysts for the North American market. These include three-way catalysts and gasoline particulate filters for gasoline engines, diesel oxidation catalysts, diesel particulate filters, and SCR catalysts for diesel and heavy-duty engines. Its Auburn Hills site is the regional technical center that designs and tests these catalysts against customer engine programs.

Who owns Umicore Autocat USA?

Umicore Autocat USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Umicore SA, a Brussels-headquartered materials and recycling group listed on Euronext Brussels under the ticker UMI. Umicore is one of the world's top three automotive-catalyst producers, with roots dating to 1805 and its modern form established in 2001.

Where is Umicore Autocat USA located?

Umicore Autocat USA is headquartered at 2347 Commercial Drive, Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326, where it has operated since 1997. The site serves as Umicore's North American headquarters for automotive-catalyst customer management and as its regional technical and vehicle-emission testing center.

What is Umicore's automotive-catalyst revenue?

Umicore does not report a separate US figure. Its Catalysis business group, which includes Automotive Catalysts, reported revenue of 1,668 million euros in FY2025 with adjusted EBIT of 383 million euros, up 6 percent year over year. Group-wide revenue was 3.6 billion euros excluding metal.

Who are Umicore Autocat USA's customers?

Umicore supplies emission catalysts to light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers worldwide through confidential, directed OEM programs, and does not name individual North American customers publicly. Umicore is one of the three largest automotive-catalyst producers globally, and the Auburn Hills technical center supports North American customer programs.

What certifications does Umicore Autocat USA hold?

Umicore's automotive-catalyst operations run on automotive quality-management systems and validate product through APQP and PPAP program-launch processes required by vehicle OEMs. Site-specific certificate numbers for the US entity are not published; buyers should request current certificates from the company directly.

Last verified September 28, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.