Orion Engineered Carbons, a specialty chemicals company, has announced 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,” added Niewiem.

Orion Engineered Carbons 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.