Orion S.A. launches circular carbon black production in China
Orion S.A., a global supplier of carbon black, announced that it is producing circular carbon black at its ISCC PLUS-certified plant in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, China.
The facility is making three grades — ECORAX Circular 200, 210 and 215 — from tire pyrolysis oil (TPO). ECORAX 200 is a hard black suitable for tires, while the 210 and 215 grades can be used for tires and mechanical rubber goods (MRG).
ECORAX Circular 200 and 210 are hard black grades designed as full drop-in replacements for ASTM grades N326 and N330, respectively, which are made from conventional feedstocks. The circular alternatives enable tire manufacturers to incorporate sustainable materials without compromising performance.
Orion was the first carbon black producer to make carbon black with 100% TPO and to commercialize multiple ISCC PLUS-certified grades from various feedstocks at plants across the world.
Last year, Orion significantly scaled up its circular capabilities in Europe, launching large volume production of ECORAX Circular 200 and 210 — both made from TPO — through a commercial reactor in Jasło, Poland. The ISCC PLUS certification of these products verifies transparent, traceable sourcing of sustainable raw materials.
Both facilities in China and Poland use specially designed infrastructure with dedicated oil tanks that segregate the two main feedstocks: TPO and carbon black oil. The materials are then introduced in separate streams into a reactor to make the ECORAX Circular grades.
