Author: William Foreman

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today it has launched PRINTEX^® Nature 35 – a carbon black made of 100% bio-circular feedstocks.

The new product provides the same performance as Orion’s PRINTEX^® 35 and can be used for a wide variety of printing applications, including food packaging,  books, cataloges, brochures and other printed media.

“PRINTEX^® Nature 35 is an excellent solution for the growing number of customers who want to increase the biogenic content of their ink formulations so that they can fulfill their sustainability targets,” said Thomas Weprich, director of marketing for Printing Systems at Orion “It is important to note that our bio-circular feedstocks are not used for human food or animal feed and therefore do not pose a risk to food security.”

The new product is produced at a plant in Western Europe with International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS), which verifies the traceability of sustainable raw materials in Orion’s value chain.

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.

Contact:

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
[email protected]
Direct: +1 281-889-7833

HOUSTON –At the IWCS 2024 Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum, global specialty chemicals company Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC) will showcase its high-performance conductive additive portfolio, designed for wire and cable and other conductive applications.

Orion (Booth #206) will highlight developments underway, including its latest innovation PRINTEX® kappa 60 conductive additive, designed for conductive polymer compounds and a strong choice for wire-and-cable applications. The IWCS 2024 Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum will take place Oct. 14–17, 2024, in New Providence, Rhode Island.

Orion conductive additives increase cable service life by delivering high product purity, desired conductivities, superior surface smoothness and UV protection to medium-voltage (MV) distribution and high-voltage (HV) transmission cables.

“Over time, we’ve optimized the colloidal properties of legacy conductive additives to ensure excellent dispersibility and product cleanliness in our newest grades plus those in development,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing manager for polymers and special applications.

PRINTEX kappa 60 conductive additive meets the dispersion and cleanliness requirements for wire and cable applications. In separate product developments, two new circular additives produced from end-of-life tire pyrolysis oil match the performance of regular, fossil-based specialty carbon black used in cable jacketing.

Plus, Orion’s premium, acetylene-based PRINTEX kappa 100 BEADS, launched at the IWCS 2023 Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum, offer excellent dispersibility, exceptionally high cleanliness, purity and conductivity, making them ideal for use in high-voltage (HV) electric transmission cables.

To increase acetylene black availability, Orion on April 9 broke ground on a plant in La Porte, Texas, that will be the only facility in the U.S. producing acetylene-based conductive additives for wire and cable, lithium-ion battery and other applications vital for the global shift to electrification. The facility is expected to begin operation in the second quarter of 2025.

“We look forward to providing the North American wire-and-cable industry a consistent supply of domestically produced acetylene-based conductive additives,” said Jennifer S. Stroh, Ph.D., Orion vice president of sales and marketing Americas. “We also look forward to customizing solutions for all wire-and-cable applications as we continue to develop new conductive products and travel the arc of innovation.”

At the 2024 IWCS Industry Forum, Scott Brewer, senior technical market manager, will present “Carbon black and conductivity in medium and high voltage cables” as part of the Materials technical track. He will present Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 3:15 p.m.

For more information about the Orion conductive additives portfolio, including PRINTEX kappa 100 BEADS and PRINTEX kappa 60 conductive additive, contact the Orion sales team here.

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.

Contacts:

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
[email protected]

The high-performance conductive additive improves performance of lithium-ion batteries

HOUSTON – Global specialty chemicals company Orion S.A.  (NYSE: OEC) is spotlighting at The 2024 Battery Show North America its acetylene-based PRINTEX® kappa 100 conductive additive, which improves lithium-ion battery performance. The Battery Show takes place Oct. 7-10 in Detroit, Mich. Orion will be at booth 5330.

“PRINTEX kappa 100 is helping our customers resolve their battery power challenges,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing manager for polymers, batteries and special applications. “It is exceptionally pure, highly refined and easy to process.”

PRINTEX kappa 100 enables higher electrical conductivity, leading to significantly higher power densities and longer battery life than with other carbon blacks. The high-performance conductive additive forms an excellent percolation network across the cathode surface for effective charging and discharging. It is supplied as a powder or as beads.

Orion’s acetylene black production has a very clean input material and generates a high yield, giving PRINTEX kappa 100 a low carbon footprint. The sustainable chemistry of this process reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps our customers to reduce their carbon footprint along the battery value chain.

Sole U.S. acetylene black plant

On April 9, 2024, in La Porte, Texas, Orion broke ground on a plant that will be the only facility in the U.S. producing acetylene-based conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries and other applications vital for the global shift to electrification. PRINTEX kappa 100 and other conductive additives produced at the La Porte plant will be super clean, with only one-tenth of the carbon footprint of other commonly used materials.

“Our La Porte facility will complement our acetylene-based conductive additives plant in Europe, where we are already the sole producer of acetylene black,” said Dr. Adrian Steinmetz, Orion global vice president for conductive additives. “When it goes online, which we expect in the second quarter of 2025, the new plant will quadruple Orion’s manufacturing capacity for acetylene-based conductive additives.”

Key equipment procurement and off-site fabrication are advancing steadily and field construction activities are ramping up.

Dr. Steinmetz leads a new global organization within Orion to propel the company’s conductive additives business for batteries. He noted that the La Porte plant will fortify the regional supply of conductive additives in the burgeoning U.S. battery market and will offer North American battery manufacturers domestic availability and consistent supply with the lowest possible carbon footprint for conductive additives.

To further serve the market, Orion recently opened its Battery Innovation Center in Cologne, Germany. Equipped with state-of-the-art production, testing and diagnostic capabilities, the Battery Innovation Center accelerates Orion’s product and process development in close cooperation with customers.

For more information about PRINTEX kappa 100 conductive additive, contact Milks, the marketing manager, polymers and batteries, at [email protected]. To learn more about Orion’s sustainability performance and initiatives, including Orion’s recently released 2023 Sustainability Report, visit Orion Engineered Carbons – Sustainability (orioncarbons.com).

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.

Contacts:

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
[email protected]

Among the highlights is a water-recycling project in drought-stricken South Africa  

HOUSTON – Two years ago, a severe drought hit the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality on the southern coast of South Africa. Reservoirs were nearly empty, pushing the population of 1.3 million close to “day zero” when water stops flowing from the taps.

The region is home to an Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC) facility that produces carbon black – an essential material for the country’s tire industry. The crisis inspired Orion to find a solution that would help the municipality conserve its precious water supply.

Despite significant engineering challenges, Orion built a water treatment system at its facility. The technology recycles treated effluent water from a nearby municipal sewage plant so that the water can be used in Orion’s production process.

“The potable water we once used to make our products is saved for the community,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “The treated effluent water that once got pumped into the ocean is now repurposed for an industry that makes carbon black, which enables car tires to last longer and perform better. Recycling the water will also lead to a substantial cost savings.”

The South Africa case study is featured in Orion’s “Sustainability Report 2023,” which the company released today with the theme: “Driving innovation, enabling the everyday.” The report covers a variety of highlights, including:

• Achieving an EcoVadis Platinum Medal, positioning the company in the 99^th percentile of companies evaluated.
• Opening a Battery Innovation Center to develop new products and formulations for lithium-ion batteries driving the shift to electrification.
• Investing €12.8 million – including €6.4 million in grant funding from the German government and European Union — to further develop and demonstrate a climate-neutral process for producing carbon black from alternative carbon sources.
• Leading the carbon black industry in the number of production sites with ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) PLUS certification.
• Reaching the goal of having 80% of employees receive 40 or more training hours – double the average training hours in 2022.

In a Q&A section with Painter, the CEO describes how the company developed a reputation for being a leader in developing sustainable products in its industry.

“Our history of innovation and sustainability makes us the perfect disruptor,” Painter said. “We won’t overtake our bigger competitors by playing the same game. Making sustainable products is not only the right thing to do, it is also what customers want.”

In the report, the company unveiled its water-recycling project in South Africa. Orion is the only global company in the carbon black industry that has a site in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The project began in early 2023 and involved installing a 65-meter-long pipeline from the Orion site to the municipal water treatment plant. A horizontal-boring process was used to run the pipeline 5 meters under a road.

A 7-meter-deep sump had to be built for the system. This was a major excavation challenge because the sandy soil did not provide much solid ground. It was like digging a hole in a sand dune. But the team used sandbags to stabilize the ground and keep the hole from being filled with water.

Orion now has the capacity to recover 3 million liters a day from the municipal plant and treat the effluent water so that it meets the quality level for the site’s production process.

“With this project, we’re demonstrating our commitment to our company’s core values: accountability, innovation and building enduring relationships,” Painter said. “Finding an innovative solution to conserving water is one of the best ways we can strengthen our relationship with the community and improve supply security for our customers.”

The 2023 Sustainability Report can be found on Orion’s website here.

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.

Contacts:

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
[email protected]
Direct: +1 832-445-3305

Christopher Kapsch
Orion S.A.
Vice President of Investor Relations
[email protected]
Direct: +1 281-974-0155

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals producer, is installing multiple tire pyrolysis oil tanks at its plant in Jaslo, Poland – the company’s latest move toward boosting production of circular carbon black.

The tanks will serve as reception points for TPO delivered to the plant. The TPO will be pumped from the tanks to furnace black reactors, which transform the oil into circular carbon black.

Orion is the only producer in its industry that has made carbon black from 100% TPO. The company makes a range of circular grades that are commercially available and suitable for a wide scope of applications.

The circular process addresses a major challenge for the tire industry, which has long tried to develop ways to recycle old tires and mitigate the environmental burden caused by tire waste.

Orion’s journey toward sustainable manufacturing has been a collaborative effort with other companies dedicated to advancing environmental stewardship. Central to this approach is the synergy forged with partner organizations involved in TPO production.

“Our partnership with TPO producers underscores our shared commitment to sustainability and innovation,” said Pedro Riveros, senior vice president of Global Rubber Carbon Black at Orion. “Through collective action, we are driving positive change across the industry value chain, from tire waste management to resource recovery.”

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.

Contacts:

William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications and Government Affairs
[email protected]
Direct: +1 832-445-3305

Christopher Kapsch
Orion S.A.
Vice President of Investor Relations
[email protected]
Direct: +1 281-974-0155