Orion S.A. Gains Commercial Traction With Conductive Additives Vital for Grid Modernization

Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals producer, is expanding its business providing conductive additives for high-voltage cable compounds and battery energy storage systems (BESS), the company said today.

These technologies are at the core of global efforts to modernize electricity grids, build power-hungry data centers for AI and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

“Orion is well positioned to be a key supplier of high-performance carbon materials for energy infrastructure upgrades,” the company’s CEO, Corning Painter, said.

“Most recently, another innovative producer for battery energy storage systems has qualified our PRINTEX^® kappa 100 grade of acetylene black,” Painter added. “We’re already shipping product and expect this segment to continue evolving into a meaningful business for us in 2026 and beyond.”

Grid-scale BESS – using batteries often the size of shipping containers – are indispensable for balancing renewable energy supply and demand. Wood Mackenzie, an energy consultancy, forecasts that $1.2 trillion in BESS investment will be required globally by 2034 to support the addition of more than 5,900 GW of new wind and solar capacity, helping fuel power demand growth.

Also vital to grid expansion and modernization are high- and extra high-voltage underground and submarine cables. Orion’s conductive additives have been qualified by leading suppliers in the wire and cable value chain.

“Investments in underground and subsea transmission systems, along with advanced semiconductive technologies, are enabling utilities to transport more power efficiently and reliably over long distances,” Painter said. “Growth rates addressing this end market are among our Specialty segment’s highest.”

Orion is an attractive supplier to the cable and BESS industries for several reasons, said Dr. Adrian Steinmetz, Orion’s global vice president for batteries.

“We have several decades of history in both innovation and supplying the battery industry,” Dr. Steinmetz said. “This is important in a dynamic market where customers need reliable, stable suppliers who can keep pace with new technology and scale reliably in mass production.”

Orion has a strong and versatile conductives product portfolio, including carbon black additives made by both furnace- and acetylene-based manufacturing processes. These production methods yield material that is more competitively priced than carbon nanotubes (CNTs), an alternative technology. Also notable, Orion’s acetylene-based conductive additives are super clean, with virtually no impurities and a minimal carbon footprint.

Orion’s localization strategy also appeals to customers, who are increasingly worried about tariffs and geopolitical tensions disrupting supply chains. Additionally, with acetylene black being well established in anode and cathode applications as well as in primer coatings for electrodes, partnering with Orion helps customers to reduce complexity in their supply chains.

“Local production for local consumption is vital,” Dr. Steinmetz said. “We have a fully loaded plant in France dedicated to conductive additives. We have another relevant facility in Germany and a key factory being built in the U.S. Put simply, we are where our customers are operating and where they are making future investments.”

About Orion S.A.

Orion S.A. (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 four innovation centers and produces carbon black at 15 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.

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