Orion S.A. OEC has expanded its circular carbon black business by starting production at its ISCC PLUS-certified plant in Qingdao, China. The move expands the availability of the company's circular carbon black products in global markets. The broader product offering provides greater flexibility to meet rising demand for circular products worldwide.
The Qingdao facility is making three grades — ECORAX Circular 200, 210 and 215 — using tire pyrolysis oil (TPO). ECORAX Circular 200 is mainly used in tires, while ECORAX Circular 210 and 215 can be used in both tires and other rubber products.
Orion had previously expanded its circular carbon black capacity in Europe. The company launched large-volume production of ECORAX Circular 200 and 210 through a commercial reactor in Jaslo, Poland, last year. Both TPO-based grades are ISCC PLUS certified, verifying the sourcing of sustainable raw materials.
ECORAX Circular 200 and 210 can replace the ASTM grades N326 and N330, respectively. These grades help tire makers increase the use of sustainable materials while maintaining product performance.
Orion uses dedicated infrastructure in China and Poland to store and process TPO and carbon black oil separately. This setup helps the company better manage feedstock ratios and measure TPO content more accurately.
Orion was the first carbon black producer to make carbon black using 100% TPO and launch several ISCC PLUS-certified grades made from different feedstocks. The company has also invested in TPO production in Europe and continues to look for opportunities that support its global strategy.
Shares of Orion have lost 42.1% over the past year against the industry’s 1.3% growth.
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OEC’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks
OEC currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Orla Mining Ltd. ORLA, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. LYB and Franco-Nevada Corporation FNV.
While ORLA and LYB sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each at present, FNV carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ORLA’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $1.64 per share, indicating a rise of 82.2% year over year. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.16%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LYB’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $8.73 per share, implying a 413.5% year-over-year surge. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the four trailing quarters, while missing in the remaining two.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FNV’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $8.85 per share, suggesting a 58.6% year-over-year increase. Its earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.28%.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).