A Venture Development Holding Company that launches industrial businesses which improve how the world works
We believe the world needs to discover real, practical solutions to the industrial challenges shaping our future: energy, security, resource scarcity, and the materials that drive human progress.
At Applied Catalysts + Technologies™ (AC+T), our purpose is simple—to honor Jesus Christ and improve lives through the industrial businesses we build. By tackling complex problems with conviction and integrity, we hope that the change we make in the world is reflected in the work of our hands and the strength of our character.
Speed
Faster commercialization from an organization with decades of success instead of individual founders
Efficiency
Reduced capital burden by building where financing is available beyond traditional venture capital and bank pathways
Returns
Financial returns can be found where great need meets few solutions
Every great company begins with a conviction. For Applied Catalysts + Technologies (AC+T), that conviction has been more than fifty years in the making.
The story starts with Dr. Lane Mitchell — ceramic engineer, Georgia Tech faculty legend and founder of ceramic engineering department at Georgia Tech, and a man who believed that materials science was not merely a discipline but an economic engine for communities and industry alike. His influence shaped a generation of engineers and laid the intellectual groundwork for what would become one of the South's most enduring family enterprises in advanced materials and chemicals.
That foundation was built upon in 1967, when Applied Ceramics, Inc. (ACI) was founded in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Lane's son, Robert (Bob) Mitchell, Sr., joined Applied Ceramics in 1976 and served as CEO and Chairman through 2025. What began as a supplier of alumina and zirconia kiln furniture steadily transformed into a global enterprise — diversifying into electronics, emissions control, automotive substrates, and specialty technical ceramics across multiple manufacturing sites and joint ventures. The company's growth was never accidental. It was the product of relentless curiosity, disciplined investment in R&D, and a willingness to tackle problems that others considered unsolvable.
In the late 1990's, Applied Catalysts emerged as an incubated startup within Applied Ceramics, initially focused on air pollution control technologies. Over time, it matured into a full-spectrum catalyst company, expanding into specialty, custom, and refining applications, and establishing an ISO 9001-certified development and manufacturing platform across facilities in Laurens, South Carolina and Doraville, Georgia.
The most recent chapter began in 2025, when Applied Catalysts was renamed to ACI Catalysts and Applied Catalysts + Technologies, LLC (AC+T) was formally constituted as a venture development holding company for the family's chemical and materials innovation businesses. This reorganization was a deliberate act of strategic focus, separating the venture-building function from day-to-day operations and creating a dedicated platform to launch, scale, and steward industrial companies that improve how the world works.
Bob Mitchell, Sr., who holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and a master's in Ceramic Engineering from Clemson University, brought not only technical depth but a foundational commitment: to build businesses that honor Christ, honor people, serve customers with excellence, and operate with the kind of character that outlasts any single generation. That commitment found parallel expression in his co-founding of the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI), an organization that has since equipped thousands of business leaders worldwide to lead with integrity and purpose in the marketplace.
Today, Bobby Mitchell, Sr.'s sons continue the family legacy. Bobby Mitchell, Jr. is President of Applied Ceramics & ACI Catalysts, Lee Mitchell is President of Applied Catalysts + Technologies, and Chris Mitchell is CEO of ATL. While they operate distinct businesses, each carries that legacy forward with the same spirit of principled entrepreneurship.
AC+T exists to do something specific: build world-class industrial businesses at the intersection of chemistry, materials, and process innovation.
Our portfolio brands, ActiveSite and Recalibrate, represent the first ventures launched under this structure, each addressing a distinct and consequential industrial challenge.
A Foundation of Innovation
Before Applied Catalysts + Technologies (AC+T) existed, there was Applied Ceramics, and before Applied Ceramics became what it is today, there was the vision, persistence, and technical courage of Bob Mitchell Sr. The deals documented below are not simply a record of commercial transactions. They are the proof of concept for everything AC+T now pursues: that world-class industrial technology, developed with integrity and applied with ingenuity, can generate lasting value while making the world measurably cleaner and safer.
From the first international licensing call with Hyundai in 1986 to the activated carbon monolith now present on every passenger vehicle sold in America, this legacy spans four decades, six continents, and technology that touches billions of lives every day. In addition, Applied Ceramics developed 15 patents. It is the foundation upon which AC+T stands.
The Deals
Hyundai
1989 | Korea
The first company to reach out to Applied Ceramics, Hyundai entered into a landmark licensing agreement that granted them rights to Applied Ceramics’ technology for manufacturing automotive catalytic converter substrates. This deal established Applied Ceramics as an international technology partner and marked its first step onto the global stage — a relationship built on proprietary technology with real-world environmental impact.
Hitachi
1997 | Japan
Applied Ceramics licensed its catalytic converter technology to Hitachi in Japan. Hitachi, in turn, used that technology to develop diesel particulate filter (DPF) technology to clean exhaust emissions from diesel trucks and busses. Hitachi gave Applied Ceramics a reverse license to the DPF technology. This agreement demonstrated the scalability of Applied Ceramics’ innovations across vehicle types and geographies, as well as its ability to partner with organizations to develop and commercialize technology.
SO₂ to SO₃ Catalysts | Coal Power Fleet
Multi-Year | USA
In a sustained effort to address SOx airborne pollutants from coal-fired power generation, Applied Ceramics developed and supplied proprietary SO₂-to-SO₃ conversion catalysts deployed across 14 coal-fired power plants in the United States over a 15-year period. The program was conducted in coordination with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and, in one notable case, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) — the latter involving a reverse license from Monsanto EnviroChem. The technology proved highly effective until shifting regulatory priorities toward NOx emissions and physical plant constraints limited further adoption. This multi-site, multi-decade program stands as one of the most impactful environmental technology deployments in Applied Ceramics’ history.
Dow Chemical
Early 2000s | USA
Applied Ceramics entered a development partnership with Dow Chemical to engineer a highly specialized ceramic substrate capable of serving dual purposes: cleaning exhaust air in diesel engines and enabling water filtration applications. The project was a demonstration of Applied Ceramics’ ability to push the boundaries of ceramic material science in response to the needs of a world-class industrial partner.
General Motors
1993 | 6 Continents
General Motors made a strategic minority equity investment in Applied Ceramics with the intent to co-locate ceramic honeycomb extrusion manufacturing capacity alongside GM assembly plants around the world. As part of this agreement, licenses were extended across four continents. The partnership validated Applied Ceramics as a global manufacturing technology partner at the highest levels of industrial automotive production. In subsequent years, Applied Ceramics repurchased GM’s minority stake, retaining full ownership and independence.
Westvaco → MeadWestvaco → Ingevity
1997 | USA/Global
Applied Ceramics developed a proprietary activated carbon monolith specifically engineered to capture airborne fuel vapors in automotive evaporative emission control systems. Recognizing the commercial potential, Applied Ceramics forged a strategic partnership with Westvaco — then a leading activated carbon manufacturer and market distributor in this segment. By 2003, California’s tightening emissions standards had created the regulatory demand that made this technology essential. Those standards subsequently expanded across the entire United States and into markets worldwide, including China. Today, every new passenger vehicle sold in the country is equipped with this technology. As a direct result of this innovation, it is estimated that more than 10,000 metric tons (4 million gallons) of gasoline vapor are prevented from entering the atmosphere every single day — a compounding, enduring contribution to cleaner air for generations.
Team & Values
Kind Excellence
We pursue the highest standards while treating others with humility, kindness, and respect. We believe you don't have to choose between results and relationships.
Create Value
We make things more valuable. We move decisively, think long-term, and take full responsibility for outcomes. We steward capital and relationships with discipline and care.
Disciplined Innovation
We pursue bold ideas with focus and grit. True innovation isn't only about chasing what's new; it's about discovering what truly works. We bring imagination and resilience, and we know when to stop, simplify, or say no.
Integrity Everyday
We do the right thing even when it's hard, costly, or unseen. Trust is our currency, and we protect it through quiet consistency and principled conviction, including an unwavering commitment to safety, because integrity means putting people before shortcuts, every time.
Lee Mitchell
CEO - Applied Catalysts + Technologies (AC+T)
Lee builds teams and technologies that reach for what's possible in industrial chemistry. His career began in 1998 at Applied Ceramics, working at the intersection of catalyst technology, manufacturing, and industrial performance while leading Applied Catalysts as a DBA company of Applied Ceramics.
In 2025, Lee founded AC+T to incubate and scale next-generation industrial companies. At the core of his work is a commitment to building strong teams and strategies that create durable impact inside companies and across industries.
Lee holds a degree in Human & Organizational Development with a focus on Leadership & Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University.
Billy Barron
Vice President - Revenue, Strategy & Innovation
Billy leads the revenue generation, strategy, and innovation for the AC+T family of companies. Billy joined Applied Catalysts with over a decade of experience in the energy and chemical industries.
His background includes leadership roles in finance, marketing, and product development. In addition, Billy has held engineering and commercial roles at industry-leading chemical companies. His education includes business, engineering, and innovation from leading institutions including Harvard, MIT, and Georgia Tech and brings a deep understanding of both technical and commercial levers for growth.
Bob Gulotty
President & CTO - ActiveSite
Bob is President & CTO of ActiveSite. Bob has managed the Applied Catalysts Development Lab in Laurens, SC and provided technical leadership for catalyst technology at Applied Catalysts since 2011.
Bob holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Chicago and is an expert in Heterogeneous Catalysis. Dr. Gulotty has 13 US Patents and 17 publications. His accomplishments include the commercialization of emission control catalysts, custom catalysts and activated carbon monolith catalysts for continuous hydrogenation processes.
Kenny Erdoes
President - Recalibrate
Kenny Erdoes is President of Recalibrate, bringing over 25 years of experience leading capital-intensive chemical and bioindustrial businesses through scale-up, transformation, and commercialization.
He has led $100M–$200M infrastructure projects, held CEO and COO roles in industrial biotech, and scaled global engineering and capital programs at Kemin Industries—combining deep technical, operational, and capital deployment expertise to drive Recalibrate’s growth.
We help chemicals and materials companies take their ideas from concept to commercial drawing on deep expertise in catalysis and a hands-on commercialization ecosystem.
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Recalibrate is a sulfuric acid technology company that addresses the inefficiencies, emissions challenges, and capital and operating constraints that have defined the sulfuric acid industry for decades.
Partner With Us
We’re building world-class industrial businesses in chemistry, materials, and process innovation—and we don’t do it alone. At this stage, we’re looking for a small number of thoughtful corporate partners to help us accelerate our two ventures, ActiveSite and Recalibrate.
Partnering with us can look like:
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Piloting our new sulfuric acid technology with Recalibrate
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Co-developing new catalysts that solve hard operational or sustainability challenges
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Supporting external innovation with corporate partners
If you’re an industrial operator who sees opportunities in external innovation in catalysis, continuous processing, or new inorganic materials for the energy and chemicals value chain, we’d like to explore what we can build together.
Let’s talk about how AC+T, ActiveSite, and Recalibrate can help you unlock new margin, new capabilities, and new growth.