Orion S.A.’s Circular Carbon Black Recognized by EU’s ‘Innovation Radar’

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today the European Commission has listed the company on its “Innovation Radar” website, which identifies high-potential innovators that have done EU-funded research.

The recognition highlights Orion’s achievement as a “Key Innovator” for being the first company to produce circular carbon black from 100% pyrolysis oil from end-of-life tires. The market-ready material serves as an alternative to carbon black made from fossil oil.

“Driving circularity is part of Orion’s long-term strategy,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “Our customers are increasingly relying on us to provide solutions to meet the growing demand for circular products. We are scaling up our capabilities to process tire pyrolysis oil and have other innovations in our sustainability pipeline focused on cost-effective solutions.”

Orion developed the circular carbon black recognized by the Innovation Radar as a partner in the EU-funded BlackCycle project (Horizon 2020 program under grant agreement No: 869625).

The award-winning BlackCycle initiative was led by Michelin and included seven industrial partners and five research and technology organizations, with the objective to design pioneering processes to make new tires from end-of-life tires.

“Although the BlackCycle project has concluded, our innovation work continues with other initiatives with circular carbon black that involve reducing our carbon footprint, improving yield and throughput, and potentially lowering material costs,” said Natalia Scherbakoff, chief technology officer at Orion.

Last year, Orion launched its “Clean Carbon Black Research and Development Project,” funded with a €6.4 million grant from the German government and European Union. The project is focused on developing a climate-neutral process for producing carbon black from alternative carbon sources.

View the listing of Orion on the Innovation Radar website here: https://innovation-radar.ec.europa.eu/innovation/53664

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.

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