Abstract: Method for the discontinuous thermal treatment of catalyst material comprising the steps (a) introducing the catalyst material into a reactor, (b) heating the catalyst material, (c) thermally treating the catalyst material in the reactor at the reactor temperature, (d) discharging the catalyst material from the reactor and (e) cooling the catalyst material, wherein the reactor temperature is kept constant during the steps (a) to (e), step (b) is carried out during and/or after step (a), step (e) is carried out during and/or after step (d), and step (c) is carried out after step (b) and before step (e). The method is used primarily for the calcination or activation of catalysts or catalyst supports which are used in polyolefin production.