TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The intermediate layers are applied between the shaped support and the catalytic surface layer. The support is coated at 30-60 degrees C. The dried or calcined coated support material is reduced. The reduction is performed by passing a hydrogen-containing gas over the catalyst at 200-600 degrees C for 1-24 hours at atmospheric or higher pressures up to 25 bar. Preferred Process: In the process, oxygen is included in the reforming process. Preferred Components: The solids content of the slurry is 1-60 wt.%. The thickness of the layer containing the catalytically active metal in the dried material is 5-250 mu m. The reduced catalyst is passivated. The catalytic metal comprises: nickel, optionally with platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and gold; platinum, optionally with palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and gold, preferably platinum with rhodium; and rhodium. The particulate catalyst compound comprises an oxide, hydroxide or carbonate of the catalytically active metal, and comprises metals including nickel, copper, platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium or gold dispersed over the surface of a particulate catalyst support material. The particulate catalyst support material is alumina, titania or zirconia, zinc oxide, lanthana, magnesia, ceria and/or metal-aluminates, preferably alumina and/or stabilized zirconia. The shaped support comprises extrudates, pellets or granules. The shaped support has a length of 1-50 mm, and a cross sectional width or diameter of 1-25 mm. The shaped support units are multiholed-pellets or extrudates with a cross-section that is circular, lobed or fluted. The shaped support is a refractory oxide comprising a support oxide of alumina, ceria, magnesia, titania or zirconia, calcium aluminate and/or magnesium aluminate, preferably calcium or magnesium aluminate or alpha alumina. In the method, a polyethylene graft co-polymer is included in the slurry. The dried coated support material is calcined. EXAMPLE - Rhodium (2%), cerium, zirconium and oxygen (30%), aluminum oxide (70%) powder (470 g) were dispersed in demineralized water to make solids slurry (45%). The mixture was milled for 8 minutes at 350 revolutions per minute and a resulting D50 of 2.2 microns was obtained. The pH of washcoat (478 g) was adjusted 6.7 (natural) to 4 by addition of acetic acid and dipseral P3 alumina (21.5 g) was added followed by mixing with a high shear head on a Silverson. Kollicoat IR (RTM: Macrogol-poly(vinyl alcohol)) previously dissolved in demineralized water (150 ml) was added and the final weight of the washcoat was 705 g and the washcoat (388 g) was applied to alpha-alumina cloverleaf shaped tablets (1180 g) in a pan coater. The coating was carried out for 29 minutes, and the obtained product was worked up to give the catalyst.