Category: News

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

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, today launched PRINTEX^® chroma 500 BEADS, a high-jetness carbon black designed for the engineered plastics market that demands the highest aesthetic quality.

The new product is part of Orion’s continued investment in developing higher-value grades of carbon black. The beaded furnace black is also the start of a series of new specialty grades for the polymers market.

“PRINTEX^® chroma 500 BEADS is a big breakthrough for Orion, offering an excellent balance between high jetness and dispersibility,” said Tilo Lindner, vice president of Global Marketing for Specialty at Orion. “This is a product our customers have been demanding for a long time. It’s ideal for injection-molded automative parts, household appliances, electronics and other applications with a shiny, glossy finish.

Orion can offer PRINTEX^® chroma 500 BEADS with International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS), highlighting the company’s commitment toward a circular economy. Orion leads its industry with the number of carbon black production sites with the ISCC PLUS certification.

For more information about PRINTEX^® chroma 500 BEADS, 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
[email protected]  
Direct: +1 832-445-3305

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

The plant will supply Orion with tire pyrolysis oil to produce sustainable carbon black

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today it is investing in Alpha Carbone, a French tire recycling company. The partnership will enable Alpha Carbone to scale up and produce commercial volumes of tire pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black.

The cooperation also includes a long-term supply agreement with Orion as the exclusive customer for the tire pyrolysis oil produced by Alpha Carbone. The oil will be used by Orion to manufacture circular carbon black for tire and rubber goods customers.

“This investment enables Orion to make large-scale volumes of circular grades of carbon black for our rubber customers who are seeking sustainable solutions,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “It further strengthens Orion’s position as an innovator focused on the future and accelerating the transition to a circular economy.”

An estimated 500,000 metric tons of tires are discarded annually in France. For years, Orion has been working closely with major tire companies to develop circular carbon black. Tire pyrolysis is the only proven technology to produce circular carbon black that can be used in new tires.

Alpha Carbone’s tire pyrolysis process takes the discarded end-of-life tires and exposes them to high temperatures, removing wire, mesh and other materials. The process also reduces the tires to synthetic gas, recovered carbon black and tire pyrolysis oil.

Orion is the only company that has made circular carbon black from 100% tire pyrolysis oil as a feedstock. The company has also demonstrated that its circular products can replace virgin carbon black in many applications.

Alpha Carbone’s plant is expected to start up in late 2025. Besides the pyrolysis oil supplied to Orion, Alpha Carbone will sell the recovered carbon black to its own customers primarily under long-term contracts.

“This investment will allow Alpha Carbone to bring its Dole, France, facility to the best industrial level in order to supply the growing demands for quality recovered carbon black and tire pyrolysis oil to our customers. This new step aligns with the strategy of Alpha Carbone’s main shareholder, Alpha Recyclage Franche Comté, to offer the best possible solution for recycling end-of-life tires,” said Laura Pech, CEO of Alpha Carbone.

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.

About Alpha Carbone:

Alpha Carbone is a steam-pyrolysis company, based in France, focusing for over 15 years on producing rCB and TPO from end-of-life tires. Alpha Carbone has its main plant in Dole, right next to the group‘s main facility for collection and recovery of end-of-life tires. Alpha Carbone has a joined laboratory with Ecole des Mines d’Albi for R&D purposes.

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]
+1 281-889-7833

Wendy Wilson
Orion S.A.
Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]
+1 281-974-0155

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, on Tuesday broke ground on a plant in Texas 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.

The site in the city of La Porte, southeast of Houston, will create many high-skilled jobs – both in construction and technical fields – and bring innovative technology to the American economy. The battery additives produced by Orion’s plant will be super clean, with only one-tenth of the carbon footprint of other commonly used materials.

“Orion is already the sole producer of acetylene-based conductive additives in Europe,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Our plant in La Porte will be a pivotal step toward strengthening the regional supply of conductive additives in the rapidly growing U.S. battery market.”

Every battery requires conductive additives. They enable a more efficient flow of electricity and extend the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries – the most valuable components of electric vehicles. The material also plays an essential role in high-voltage cables used for wind and solar farms.

The additives produced at the La Porte plant will be made from acetylene, a colorless gas that Orion’s production process turns into powder with exceptional purity demanded by leading battery manufacturers. The acetylene will be supplied by a neighboring site owned by Equistar Chemicals LP, a subsidiary of LyondellBasell.

At Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Kim Foley, LyondellBasell executive vice president of Global Olefins and Polyolefins, Refining and Supply Chain, said “At LYB, we see electrification as a crucial part of our plan to reduce carbon emissions across our industries. By supporting the production of key battery components, we’re contributing to solutions for a better tomorrow.”

Orion’s plant in La Porte is similar to one the company has in the city of Berre-l’Étang in southern France. The facility also uses acetylene from LyondellBasell.

With the LaPorte project, key equipment procurement and off-site fabrication are already at an advanced stage. Field construction activities are ramping up, with the facility start-up expected in the second quarter of 2025.

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]
+1 281-889-7833

Wendy Wilson
Orion S.A.
Head of Investor Relations
[email protected]
+1 281-974-0155

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today it has maintained a Gold medal rating from EcoVadis and ranks among the top 2% of the companies assessed by the organization in a wide range of sustainability areas.

Orion improved its score from the previous year, moving up from 77% to 78% by making significant gains in the areas of sustainable procurement and ethics, according to EcoVadis, one of the world’s largest providers of business sustainability ratings.

“The annual progress Orion is making in the EcoVadis assessments is just another example of how committed we are to being a trusted partner for all our stakeholders and becoming an even more sustainable company,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said.

Over the past year, Orion has achieved several sustainability milestones. The most notable achievements include the completion of a series of four projects, with a total cost of more than $300 million, that involved installing technology that is substantially reducing emissions at Orion’s U.S. plants.

The company also continues to be a leader in developing circular products and recently received €6.4 million in funding from the German government and European Union to further develop technology to improve the production of carbon black using circular feedstocks.

About Orion Engineered Carbons

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 innovation centers on three continents and 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

Director of Corporate Communications and

Government Affairs

Orion Engineered Carbons

Direct: +1 832-445-3305

Mobile: +1 281-889-7833

[email protected]

Wendy Wilson

Head of Investor Relations

Orion Engineered Carbons

Direct: +1 281-974-0155

[email protected]

HOUSTON – Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals producer, announced today it has completed upgrading its air emissions control technology at all four of its U.S. carbon black plants – the biggest sustainability-related initiative in the company’s history.

The company recently finished its final air emissions project at its plant in Belpre, Ohio. Previously, the company upgraded its Borger, Texas; Ivanhoe, Louisiana; and Orange, Texas, facilities.

The upgrades were part of an initiative from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that applied to all carbon black producers in America. The projects were especially challenging for Orion because it has more carbon black plants in the U.S. than any other company. Despite suffering from contractor issues, COVID-19 and supply-chain disruptions, Orion finished its projects ahead of some of its competitors.

“Our difficult journey to make our facilities run cleaner is now completed. Looking forward, we are entering an exciting new era as we focus more on investing in profitable growth, reducing debt and returning value to shareholders,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said.

“Central to our growth strategy, Orion will continue to invest in sustainability-linked projects,” Painter added. “This will include producing conductive materials for lithium-ion batteries and developing products for the circular economy.”

With a slower recovery in end markets and downtime as a result of Orion’s final EPA project, the company expects 2023 results to land at the lower end of its Adjusted EBITDA guidance range of $330 million to $340 million. While demand is recovering, it is building slower than expected in many markets.

“We are projecting our fourth year in a row of earnings growth in 2024 and expect the rate to be similar to 2023, which was a mid-single digit EBITDA increase,” Painter said.

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

Wendy Wilson

Orion S.A.

Head of Investor Relations

[email protected]

+1 281-974-0155