Category: News

 HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, today released its 2021 Sustainability Report, showcasing progress the company is making in implementing its sustainability strategy with initiatives focused on advancing the circular economy, renewable feedstocks and electrification. 

The report outlines how Orion is transforming its product portfolio to reflect sustainability in its business strategy. This exemplifies how companies like Orion that produce essential products are actively seeking innovative ways to realize circularity, promote electrification and reduce their carbon footprint. 

“We have incorporated environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into our management framework,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “Our strategy is designed to deliver value-adding solutions that will have a meaningful impact on our industry.” 

Orion’s key sustainability accomplishments in 2021 include: 

• Launching ECORAX Nature 105, the first product made from 100% renewable feedstock and designed for rubber applications. 
• Becoming one of the first public companies in the 
• U.S. to take out a sustainability-linked term loan, with favorable interest rates tied to the company’s success in meeting certain emissions-reduction targets at its U.S. plants. 
• Developing a roadmap — with milestones in 2025, 2030 and 2035 — for the development of sustainable solutions in the company’s portfolio, paving the way to transform into a sustainable business model. 

“We’ve recently announced our aspirations to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Our Sustainability Report shows that with our portfolio of approaches, Orion is well positioned to confront some of the most pressing challenges of our era,” Painter said. “The conductive additives we produce are vital for electric vehicles and energy storage. As one of the leading innovators in tire recycling, we are also committed to supporting the transition to a circular economy.” 

Download the 2021 Sustainability Report at: https://orioncarbons.com/sustainability_reports 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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
Director of Corporate Communications and
Government Affairs
Orion Engineered Carbons
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
Mobile: +1 281-889-7833
[email protected]

 HOUSTON — Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemicals company, announced today that it will complete its gas black expansion in Germany at plants in Dortmund and Cologne by early 2023. 

Orion is the only carbon black producer in the industry with gas black capabilities. Gas blacks, known for excellent dispersion and coloristics, are used in coatings, printing ink and other applications. 

“The expansion in Germany is core to our strategy to further strengthen our leadership in the premium specialty market,” said Sandra Niewiem, senior vice president of global specialty carbon black and the EMEA region. “As we experience continuous high demand for gas blacks, we are confident that the extra capacity will be welcomed by our customers.” 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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. 

William Foreman
Director of Corporate Communications and
Government Affairs
Orion Engineered Carbons
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
Mobile: +1 281-889-7833
[email protected]

HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemical company, today announced plans to build the only plant in the U.S. producing acetylene-based conductive additives – a critical link in the value chain for lithium-ion batteries, high-voltage cables and other products powering the global transition to electrification and renewable energy. 

Orion’s planned facility in La Porte, Texas, south of Houston, will be backed by a long-term agreement for acetylene supplied from a neighboring site owned by Equistar Chemicals LP, a subsidiary of LyondellBasell. 

Acetylene is a colorless gas widely used as a chemical building block. Orion’s production process turns acetylene into a powder, which is added to lithium-ion batteries, enhancing electrical conductivity and extending the lifetime of the most valuable component of an electric vehicle. The material plays a similar role in high-voltage cables used for wind and solar farms. 

Orion will invest between $120 million and $140 million in the facility, expected to start up in the second half of 2024. The investment should increase the company’s conductive additives capacity by approximately 12 kilotons per year. 

“With this investment, we will quadruple our effective manufacturing capacity of acetylene-based conductive additives,” said Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO. “We are already experiencing high demand for this material, so expanding capacity for it is one of our top investment priorities and a major milestone in our growth plans. This is a very big day for Orion.” 

The company, which has a similar plant in France with locally supplied acetylene gas from LyondellBasell, is the sole producer of acetylene-based conductive additives in the European Union. 

The U.S. plant will bring new technology and high-skilled jobs to the country and positively impact long-term job creation for the local community. Demand for battery additives is expected to grow rapidly amid a global boom in the construction of gigafactories making lithium-ion batteries. 

The facility, which will have a favorable environmental profile, will be subject to obtaining the routine regulatory approvals. 

“Batteries will continue to play an increasingly vital role in the world’s shift toward clean energy,” Painter said. “By being a key supplier of materials to the battery industry, we’re living up to our mission of delivering solutions for a more sustainable future.” 

Orion will hold its first quarter earnings conference call tomorrow, Friday, May 6, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) and will provide additional details of this announcement during the call. The dial-in details for the live conference call are as follows:

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers through May 12, 2022:

Photos: The attached images show Orion’s plant in Berre-l’Etang, France. The facility produces acetylene-based conductive additives. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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 Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemicals company, announced today it aspires to align its sustainability objectives with the Paris Climate Agreement and strive to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. 

The net-zero ambition demonstrates Orion’s ongoing commitment to address global climate change while meeting customers’ needs for highly engineered materials essential for tires, coatings, batteries and numerous other everyday products. 

To make its net-zero aspirations realistic, Orion developed a roadmap with near- and long-term targets. The company aspires to: 

• Launch a broad range of products using recycled materials by 2025, and during the same period position the company to enlarge its footprint in the conductive additives space, such as in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and other applications critical for the transition toward electric power. 
• Generate 30% of its adjusted EBITDA through sustainable solutions by 2030. 
• Grow the sustainable solutions’ share of adjusted EBITDA to 50% by 2035. 
• Set new aspirational, mid-term goals for greenhouse-gas emissions reduction that are aligned with science-based methodologies. 

“We know our goal is ambitious, and we want to make sure it’s meaningful. Like most companies, we can’t say we have all the answers now. But we’re determined to work hard to find sustainable solutions with collaboration, innovation and the right regulatory environment,” said Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO. 

“Our ambition to align with the Paris Climate Agreement is a natural progression in our sustainability journey. Investing in sustainability is core to our growth strategy and key to our success as a business,” Painter added. 

For more information about OEC’s sustainability performance and initiatives, visit Orion Engineered Carbons – Sustainability – Sustainability Roadmap (orioncarbons.com) . 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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
Director of Corporate Communications and
Government Affairs
Orion Engineered Carbons
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
Mobile: +1 281-889-7833
[email protected]

 HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE:OEC), a specialty chemical company, today began commercial sales from a new reactor for carbon black production in northern Italy. 

The new 25-kiloton line at the facility in Ravenna produces both specialty and technical rubber carbon blacks, primarily for the European market. 

“The new line offers customers seeking long-term solutions a unique strategic opportunity to align with a dependable plant that has been operating for more than 60 years in Europe,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. 

Additional investments at the plant include a new co-generation facility to convert waste heat into electricity, generating up to 120 MWh of electricity per year. Seventy percent of the electricity is supplied to the national grid, serving about 30,000 households. Orion is a net exporter of electricity in Europe and worldwide. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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
Director of Corporate Communications and
Government Affairs
Orion Engineered Carbons
Direct: +1 832-445-3305
Mobile: +1 281-889-7833
[email protected]

 HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, announced today that Jeffery Glajch has accepted the role of chief financial officer for Orion with a planned joining date of April 18, 2022. 

Glajch will succeed Bob Hrivnak, who currently serves in the dual role of interim CFO and chief accounting officer. Hrivnak will continue as chief accounting officer. 

Glajch has over 30 years of experience leading corporate finance and accounting control functions for both public and private companies. He joins Orion from Graham Corporation (NYSE: GHM), a leading designer and manufacturer of vacuum and heat transfer equipment for energy markets and process industries, where he has served as CFO for the past 13 years. In this role, Glajch led all aspects of finance, business development, investor relations, risk management, legal, information technology and human resources. Prior to Graham Corporation, he held senior financial roles at a number of companies. 

Glajch holds an MBA from Purdue University, a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon University. 

“Jeff is a seasoned leader with a demonstrated track record of driving company growth and providing strong strategic financial leadership,” Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO, said. “We are excited about the experience he brings and look forward to him joining the Orion leadership team.” 

Painter added, “We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Bob, who as our interim CFO has ensured a seamless transition. We look forward to Jeff and Bob working together to further strengthen our excellent finance organization.” 

The company will release its full year 2021 results after the market closes on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, to be followed by a conference call on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. (EST). Details for the call can be found on the company’s investor website. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (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 14 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
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]

• The BlackCycle consortium announced the world’s first production of sustainable carbon blacks (sCB) for tire applications. 

• An important step towards a truly circular process. 

• A major technological breakthrough made possible by the BlackCycle partners 

After its first 18 months of existence, the consortium of the BlackCycle project welcomed on the 22nd of November 2021 at Michelin’s technology center at Ladoux (France), 120 international industry leaders, academics, H2020 project coordinators, politicians, and institutional representatives from 20 countries to exchange ideas and discuss the deployment of circular economy initiatives in Europe. 

During the workshop, the BlackCycle consortium announced the world’s first production of sustainable carbon blacks (sCB) for tire applications on a conventional carbon black furnace reactor by using oils derived from an end-of-life tire pyrolysis process. This novel production of a sustainable material from end-of-life tyres represents a truly circular process. 

The usage of pyrolysis oil (supplied by Pyrum Innovations, Germany) as carbon black feedstock was successfully evaluated in the Innovation department of Orion Engineered Carbons. Orion concluded that replacing in a rubber coumpound a fossil fuel-based carbon black with a carbon black made from oil derived from the ELT pyrolysis will not change its properties. BlackCycle has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 869625. 

Therefore, even the most demanding applications will maintain a high-performance regarding properties such as durability, conductivity, rolling resistance and other characteristics. 

The processing of the rubber compounds will be unchanged according to the analysis of the green compounds. 

Hence, we can assume that sCBs are an easy drop-in solution without the need to adjust the formulations of the rubber compounds or process parameters for instance in mixing, molding, or curing. Because the carbon black content of elastomeric materials is relatively high with about 30 weight % on average, the technology applying pyrolysis oil as feedstock for CB production is a major leap towards a more sustainable rubber industry. 

This major technological breakthrough was made possible by the BlackCycle value chain driven by the stakeholders of the project. 

Orion, Sustainable Carbon Black 

About the BlackCycle project: 

BlackCycle (Grant agreement No 869625) is one of the R&D research and innovation projects funded by the European Commission under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research program to implement the concept of circular economy to the end-of-life tyres at the European level. The BlackCycle project has an upcycling ambition, targeting to create a circular economy of the end-of-life tyre (ELT) into technical applications like tyre industry by producing high technical second raw materials (SRMs) from ELTs. These SRMs will be used to develop new ranges of passenger car and truck tyres, which will be sold commercially in European and global markets. The BlackCycle project consortium is formed by 12 partners from 5 different countries (Orion, Ineris, Quantis, Icamcyl, Aliapur, CSIC, CPERI/CERTH, Sisener, Pyrum, Estato, Hera, and Axelera) and led by the French world leader in tire manufacturing Michelin, https://blackcycle-project.eu/ 

 HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, today announced its CEO has signed the U.N. Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. 

The compact calls on companies to align strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labor, anti-corruption and the environment. The pact’s mission is “to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want.” 

Orion CEO Corning Painter said, “We have long supported the compact’s principles, and they have been part of our strategy, culture and daily operations. I welcome this opportunity to formally and publicly align ourselves with our peers and further commit ourselves to advancing societal goals.” 

For more information about the compact: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ 

About the UNGC 

The U.N. Global Compact is a non-binding pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and to report on their implementation. The compact is a principle-based framework for businesses, stating 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Under the compact, companies are brought together with U.N. agencies, labor groups and civil society. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE:OEC) is a global supplier of carbon black products including high-performance specialty gas blacks, acetylene blacks, furnace blacks, lamp blacks, thermal blacks, and other carbon blacks that tint, colorize and enhance the performance of polymers, plastics, paints and coatings, inks and toners, textile fibers, adhesives and sealants, batteries, tires and mechanical rubber goods, such as automotive belts and hoses. The company has over 125 years of history providing customized solutions from a network of 14 global production sites and is dedicated to responsible business practices that emphasize reliability, innovation and sustainability. 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 Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, announced today that next year the company will invest to convert a reactor line at its plant in Ivanhoe, La., from manufacturing soft carbon black to producing hard carbon black, commonly used in tire treads. 

“With the continued onshoring of tire production to the U.S., the carbon black supply-demand balance is getting tighter, particularly for hard carbon black,” CEO Corning Painter said. 

“To help support this aspect of the automotive tire supply chain, we are going to invest in converting a reactor at our Ivanhoe plant, increasing the domestic supply of hard black by about 30,000 tons per year by mid-2022. Soft black capacity will be decreased by about the same amount,” Painter added. 

Adding carbon black to tires makes them stronger, reduces treadwear, allows tire engineers to fine tune performance and protects from the damaging effects of UV light. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE:OEC) is a global supplier of carbon black products including high-performance specialty gas blacks, acetylene blacks, furnace blacks, lamp blacks, thermal blacks, and other carbon blacks that tint, colorize and enhance the performance of polymers, plastics, paints and coatings, inks and toners, textile fibers, adhesives and sealants, batteries, tires and mechanical rubber goods, such as automotive belts and hoses. The company has over 125 years of history providing customized solutions from a network of 14 global production sites and is dedicated to responsible business practices that emphasize reliability, innovation and sustainability. 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
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]

 The company is a pioneer in ‘ethical finance’ that ties interest rates to environmental goals 

HOUSTON – Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, has become one of the first public companies in the U.S. to take out a sustainability-linked term loan. 

Often called “ethical finance,” sustainability-linked debt has interest rates that go up or down depending on whether a company meets its environmental, social or governance goals. 

The interest rates for Orion’s new $650-million term loan will be tied to the company’s targets for reducing emissions over seven years at its four U.S. plants. 

“The loan is yet another way we’re showing we’re serious about our commitment to sustainability,” said Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO. “We’re willing to risk a financial penalty to demonstrate that we can meet our environmental goals.” 

Each year, a third-party firm will audit the plants’ emissions figures and determine whether Orion achieved its targets. 

Carbon black, commonly available as powder or pellets, is a highly engineered product that must meet exacting standards for tires, coatings, lithium-ion batteries and many other high-performance and specialty goods. The material not only tints and colorizes, it also provides reinforcement, conducts electricity and adds UV protection, among many other properties. 

Under the terms of Orion’s sustainability-linked loan, during the first four years, if the company achieves its emissions targets, the interest rate will be reduced by 10 basis points – or by 0.1%. This would reduce financing costs by a total of up to $2.6 million over the four years. But if Orion misses its goals, the rate will go up by 0.1%. 

Over the final three years of the loan, the company won’t be eligible for a reduced interest rate, but it can still be penalized with a higher rate – an additional 10 basis points – if it falls short of its goal. 

“Sustainability-linked financing is seeing tremendous market growth and rapidly increasing demand from lenders,” Orion’s Head of Corporate Treasury Marcus Koppers said. “As a strongly committed company and pioneer, Orion offers meaningful and balanced conditions that also attract new lenders.” 

Over the past several years, Orion has been upgrading equipment at its U.S. plants that reduces emissions – an initiative projected to cost roughly $280 million when completed in 2023. The company has sites in Ivanhoe, La.; Belpre, Ill.; and the Texas cities of Orange and Borger. 

Goldman Sachs Bank USA was the sole bookrunner on the refinancing and served as the sole ESG structuring adviser. 

A version of this story with more financial details is available on Orion’s corporate and financial news page. 

About Orion Engineered Carbons 

Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE:OEC) is a global supplier of carbon black products including high-performance specialty gas blacks, acetylene blacks, furnace blacks, lamp blacks, thermal blacks, and other carbon blacks that tint, colorize and enhance the performance of polymers, plastics, paints and coatings, inks and toners, textile fibers, adhesives and sealants, batteries, tires and mechanical rubber goods, such as automotive belts and hoses. The company has over 125 years of history providing customized solutions from a network of 14 global production sites and is dedicated to responsible business practices that emphasize reliability, innovation and sustainability. 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
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]