Orion S.A. Launches Circular Carbon Black Production in China

Key Terms

circular carbon black technical

Circular carbon black is carbon black produced by recycling waste materials (like used tires, plastics or industrial residues) rather than from new petroleum feedstock; it serves the same roles as conventional carbon black in tires, inks, coatings and plastics. Investors watch it because it can cut raw-material costs, reduce dependence on crude oil, lower environmental compliance risks and improve a company’s sustainability profile—akin to using reclaimed wood instead of cutting new trees.

iscc plus-certified regulatory

ISCC PLUS-certified means a product, facility, or supply chain has been independently audited under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS scheme to verify that materials—such as recycled plastics, bio-based feedstocks, or chemically recycled inputs—are sustainably sourced, properly documented, and traceable from origin through processing. For investors, it functions like a trusted sustainability seal: it reduces regulatory and reputational risk, can open access to customers and markets that demand certified materials, and may support pricing advantages or contract opportunities.

tire pyrolysis oil technical

Tire pyrolysis oil is a dark, energy‑dense liquid produced by heating scrap tires in the absence of oxygen so they break down into oil, gas and solids; the oil is then collected for use as a low‑grade fuel or as a raw material for chemicals. Investors care because it links waste management and energy markets—its price and demand respond to fuel costs, recycling rules, and environmental regulations, so it can affect margins and growth prospects for firms that produce or use it.

astm grades technical

ASTM grades are standardized labels from ASTM International that specify the tested properties, composition and manufacturing requirements for materials like metals, plastics and concrete. Investors should care because these grades affect whether a material is suitable for safety, performance and regulatory use—impacting production costs, product reliability, supplier selection and legal risk. Think of them as ingredient or quality labels that buyers and regulators use to compare suppliers and avoid costly failures or recalls.

feedstocks technical

Feedstocks are the basic raw materials—such as crude oil, natural gas, agricultural crops, or recycled waste—fed into an industrial process to make products like fuels, chemicals, plastics or fertilizers. For investors, feedstock type, cost and availability act like the price of flour for a bakery: they drive production costs, profit margins, supply reliability and environmental footprint, so changes can materially affect a company’s competitiveness and value.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today it is producing circular carbon black at its ISCC PLUS-certified plant in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, China.

The facility is making three grades — ECORAX^® Circular 200, 210 and 215 — from tire pyrolysis oil (TPO). ECORAX^® 200 is a hard black suitable for tires, while the 210 and 215 grades can be used for tires and mechanical rubber goods (MRG).

“This new capability in China marks a key step in offering circular carbon black grades globally,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “The product line extension gives us greater flexibility to meet growing demand for circular products, while maintaining the performance, consistency and quality our customers expect.”

Orion was the first carbon black producer to make carbon black with 100% TPO and to commercialize multiple ISCC PLUS-certified grades from various feedstocks at plants across the world.

Last year, Orion significantly scaled up its circular capabilities in Europe, launching large volume production of ECORAX^® Circular 200 and 210 — both made from TPO — through a commercial reactor in Jasło, Poland. The ISCC PLUS certification of these products verifies transparent, traceable sourcing of sustainable raw materials.

ECORAX^® Circular 200 and 210 are hard black grades designed as full drop-in replacements for ASTM grades N326 and N330, respectively, which are made from conventional feedstocks. The circular alternatives enable tire manufacturers to incorporate sustainable materials without compromising performance.

Both facilities in China and Poland use specially designed infrastructure with dedicated oil tanks that segregate the two main feedstocks: TPO and carbon black oil. The materials are then introduced in separate streams into a reactor to make the ECORAX^® Circular grades.

“We now have the complete infrastructure to receive, store and dose TPO in our production in a completely controlled way,” said Pedro Riveros, senior vice president of Global Rubber Carbon Black at Orion. “Our technology allows us to modulate the blending ratio of TPO and carbon black oil, enabling us to have a more precise measurement of the TPO content. This is vital for quality consistency and useful for our customers to execute their circular commercial strategies.”

Riveros added, “In Europe, Orion has invested in TPO production and will be the off taker of the circular feedstock at multiple sites on the continent. We will continue to look for opportunities that will support and underpin our global strategy.”

About Orion S.A.

Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC) is a leading global supplier of carbon black, a solid form of carbon produced as powder or pellets. The material is made to customers’ exacting specifications for tires, coatings, ink, batteries, plastics and numerous other specialty, high-performance applications. Carbon black is used to tint, colorize, provide reinforcement, conduct electricity, increase durability and add UV protection. Orion has four innovation centers and produces carbon black at 15 plants worldwide, offering the most diverse variety of production processes in the industry. The company’s corporate lineage goes back more than 160 years to Germany, where it operates the world’s longest-running carbon black plant. Orion is a leading innovator, applying a deep understanding of customers’ needs to deliver sustainable solutions. For more information, please visit orioncarbons.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information, other than as required by applicable law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260604379732/en/

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
william.foreman@orioncarbons.com
Direct: +1 832-445-3305

Christopher Kapsch
Orion S.A.
Vice President of Investor Relations
christopher.kapsch@orioncarbons.com
Direct: +1 281-318-4413

Source: Orion Engineered Carbons S.A.