Page 167 - CW E-Magazine (28-5-2024)

News from Abroad

CIRCULAR CARBON BLACK
Orion invests in French tyre recycling company

Orion, a US-based speciality chemi- process takes the discarded end-of-life
cals company, is investing in Alpha tyres and exposes them to high tem-
Carbone, a French tyre recycling com- peratures, removing wire, mesh and
pany. other materials. The process also reduces
the tyres to synthetic gas, recovered
The partnership will enable Alpha carbon black and tyre pyrolysis oil.
Carbone to scale up and produce
commercial volumes of tyre pyrolysis Orion lays claim to being the only
oil and recovered carbon black. The able solutions,” said Orion’s CEO, company that has made circular car-
cooperation also includes a long-term Mr. Corning Painter. bon black from 100% tyre pyrolysis oil
supply agreement with Orion as the as a feedstock. The company has also
exclusive customer for the tyre pyrolysis An estimated 500-ktpa of tyres are demonstrated that its circular products
oil produced by Alpha Carbone. The oil discarded in France. For years, Orion can replace virgin carbon black in many
will be used by Orion to manufacture has been working closely with major applications.
circular carbon black for tyre and rub- tyre companies to develop circular
ber goods customers. carbon black. According to Orion, tyre Alpha Carbone’s plant is expec-
pyrolysis is the only proven technology ted to start up in late 2025. Besides the
“This investment enables Orion to to produce circular carbon black that pyrolysis oil supplied to Orion, Alpha
make large-scale volumes of circular can be used in new tyres. Carbone will sell the recovered carbon
grades of carbon black for our rubber black to its own customers primarily
customers who are seeking sustain- Alpha Carbone’s tyre pyrolysis under long-term contracts.

EXPANSION
Kanthal expands capacity in Japan for sustainable

heating solutions

Sweden’s Kanthal, a company of
the Alleima group specialising in in-
dustrial heating technology and resis-
tance material, is expanding its capa-
city in Sakura, Japan, an investment of
approximately SEK (Swedish Krona)
100-mn (about $9.2-mn).
tures products for electrification of in- future needs. We expect a rapidly growing
Industries such as lithium-ion bat- dustrial heating processes. demand for our heating solutions, both
tery, semiconductor and automotive are for our traditional products but also for
seeing strong demand for sustainable With the new investment, the com- our high temperature process gas heat-
heating solutions to help them achieve pany will develop a new facility near ers, as they enable industries to make the
higher efficiency and reach their decar- the current premises in Sakura. The green technology shift. The investment
bonisation targets. Kanthal is seeking expansion is expected to be fully oper- will ensure that we can capture the
to cater to this demand and to capture ational by the end of 2025, increasing demand in Asia,” said Mr. Simon Lile,
mid- and long-term market growth in the current production capacity by ap- VP and President of Business Unit Heating
Asia. proximately 60%. Systems at Kanthal. During the past year,
expansions in Walldorf, Germany; Perth,
At the Kanthal production site in “We see this investment as necessary Scotland; and Concord, USA; have been
Sakura, Japan, the company manufac- to meet our customers’ current and announced by the company.

Chemical Weekly May 28, 2024 167

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