Orion Engineered Carbons started building a second plant in China for specialty and high-performance carbon black today, increasing the chemical company’s production capacity in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Carbon black, which is available as powder or beads, is widely utilised in tyres, textile fibres, coatings, batteries, and a variety of other everyday products. It dyes or colours items, strengthens them, conducts electricity, and provides UV protection, among many other applications and end markets.
Orion, the world’s largest producer of carbon black, has opened its second production site in China with an initial capacity of 65-70 kilotons per year. The plant will be able to make a variety of carbon blacks for specialty and high-end rubber grades. Orion will equip the plant to convert its waste heat to steam that will be sold to the local industrial park.