Rapid, Reliable, Modular: Why Skid-Mounted Plants Are the Future of the Process Industry

Introduction: The Modular Revolution in Process Engineering

Global challenges from decarbonization to rising energy costs and supply chain instability are driving a shift in how process plants are built. Instead of traditional stick-built facilities, more industries are turning to modular, skid-mounted plants to enable rapid deployment, compact system designs, and reliable scalability.

Sulzer, a global leader in process technology and separation solutions, is at the forefront of this movement. By offering fully skid-mounted plants that are pre-engineered, factory-assembled, and performance-tested, Sulzer helps companies bring projects online faster while lowering CAPEX, reducing construction risk, and ensuring high-quality, energy-efficient performance from day one.

What Is a Skid-Mounted Plant?

A skid-mounted plant is a pre-assembled, modular unit that integrates all critical process equipment such as reactors, separators, columns, heat exchangers, pumps, and instrumentation within a compact steel skid.

These plug-and-play units are:

• Built and tested in Sulzer workshops under controlled conditions

• Fully modular with defined process scope (such as distillation, extraction, or reaction)

• Shipped to the customer site ready for rapid installation and commissioning

  
  

This approach contrasts with traditional site-built plants, where engineers and construction teams assemble systems piece by piece under variable field conditions. The result? Lower complexity, less downtime, and predictable, faster returns on investment.

Why Choose Sulzer Skid-Mounted Plants?

Sulzer is not only a market leader in separation and mass transfer technology—but also a full-scope provider of skid-mounted solutions, offering everything from process design to detail engineering, fabrication, and on-site support.

Key Benefits:

✅ Faster Project Delivery

Sulzer skid-mounted plants often deliver up to 40% faster than conventional buildouts, helping companies meet regulatory deadlines or respond to volatile market demand.

✅ Lower CAPEX and OPEX

Fewer civil works, less field labor, improved standardization, and smarter energy integration reduce the total cost of ownership.

✅ Factory-Tested Reliability

Process systems undergo FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing), including pressure, flow, automation, and safety functions—ensuring operational readiness from day one.

✅ Proven Sulzer Technology

Plants are built around Sulzer’s innovative portfolio: reactive distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, falling film evaporators, pressure swing distillation, crystallization, and static mixing.

✅ Flexibility Across IndustriesDesigned for chemical, petrochemical, bio-based, LNG, hydrogen, and carbon-capture markets.

Top Applications for Sulzer Skid-Mounted Plants

Sulzer skid-mounted plants are already used in some of the most advanced fields in process industries:

• Chemical & Petrochemical: Ethanolamines, MDEA, TIPA, solvents, dispersants

• Sustainable Power & Fuels: Bio-ethanol recovery, syngas treatment, green hydrogen purification

• Plastic & Textile Recycling: Upgrading pyrolysis oils, depolymerization reaction systems

• CO₂ Capture and Utilization: Solvent makeup & recovery units, pre/post combustion packages

• Fine and Specialty Chemicals: Glycol ethers, extractive distillation, crystallization modules

• Water Treatment & Zero-Liquid Discharge (ZLD): Mobile film evaporators, stripping units

  
  

Case Study: Sulzer Pyrolysis Oil Upgrading Skid

In a recent plastics recycling project, Sulzer designed and delivered a fully skid-mounted plant that:

• Upgraded contaminated pyrolysis oil into steam cracker-grade hydrocarbons

• Integrated hydrotreating, distillation, and BTX recovery in a single modular layout

• Operated with <1 ppm impurities, achieving premium end-product specs

• Delivered on site in just 9 months, cutting the project timeline in half

  
  

Sulzer’s End-to-End Modular Scope

Sulzer offers a full-lifecycle modular solution, which includes:

• Feasibility & basic engineering(PFD, P&ID, simulations, sizing, control philosophy)

• Detail 3D design & fabrication(Skid layout, structure, cable routing, automation, isometrics)

• Key Equipment & Integration(Catalytic reactors, absorbents, structured packing, heat exchangers)

• Factory Testing (FAT)(Performance, safety logic, control systems)

• Commissioning & Life Cycle Support(Installation supervision, operator training, debottlenecking)

  
  

Whether you’re building a greenfield plant or revamping legacy infrastructure, Sulzer’s modular engineering team delivers guaranteed performance—backed by a proven global track record.

Why Skid-Mounted Plants Are Here to Stay

The advantages of skid-mounted, modular plants aren’t just a trend—they represent a foundational transformation in the way chemical, energy, and environmental systems are delivered:

Conventional Stick-Built	Sulzer Skid-Mounted Plant
Long construction timelines	Fast installation and commissioning
High site labor costs	Majority of work done in controlled shop
Complex field integration	Plug-and-play modular skid assembly
Larger footprint & CAPEX	Compact, efficient modular layout
Challenging quality control	Factory-built to ISO-certified standards

Conclusion: Build Smarter, Move Faster with Sulzer

When time, cost, and quality are critical, Sulzer's skid-mounted plant technology offers unmatched speed, efficiency, and performance. From core separation and reaction expertise to full-scope modular design and commissioning, Sulzer delivers trusted results across every stage of your project lifecycle.