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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 2, 2025
Orion S.A. to showcase new bio-circular carbon black and highlight sustainable performance at 37th Western Coatings Symposium and Show
New ECOLAR 50 POWDER performs comparably to traditionally produced specialty carbon blacks, enabling formulators to develop more sustainable coatings
HOUSTON – Global specialty chemicals company Orion S.A. is forging the path forward in sustainable coatings. At the 37th Western Coatings Symposium and Show (WCS) Oct. 19-22 in Las Vegas, Orion (Booth #311) will showcase ECOLAR 50 POWDER, its new bio-circular carbon black for a broad range of coatings systems. Spotlighting its sustainability strategy, Orion also will deliver a presentation on reducing carbon footprint with sustainable carbon black.
ECOLAR 50 POWDER delivers coloristic properties comparable to traditional specialty carbon blacks across many types of coatings applications. A low to medium color furnace black, ECOLAR 50 POWDER’s coloristic properties provide medium jetness in mass tone applications plus good tinting strength. Based completely on bio-circular feedstock not in competition with the food chain, ECOLAR 50 POWDER contains 100% biogenic raw material per 14C analysis.
“As a premium supplier of sustainable carbon black solutions, we recognize that investments in innovative and sustainable products and technologies enable us to introduce a broad range of products using recycled materials,” said Zack Hays, Orion S.A.’s marketing manager for coatings and printing systems in North America. “ECOLAR 50 POWDER is a major step forward in enabling our customers to produce truly sustainable products, plus contribute to a healthier planet and a more circular economy.”
Jaelene Matos, Orion technical marketing manager for coatings systems in North America, will present, “Reducing Carbon Footprint with Sustainable Carbon Black” Oct. 21, 2025, at 10:50 a.m.
She will show how Orion reduces CO2 emissions by producing carbon black with recycled or renewable feedstocks and describe advances and innovation initiatives in sustainable carbon black. In addition, she will detail the comparable coloristic performance of circular gas blacks and furnace blacks with traditionally produced carbon black in water- and solvent-borne coatings systems.
For more information about the Orion portfolio for coatings systems, contact the Orion sales team here.
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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information, other than as required by applicable law.
Orion Contacts:
William Foreman
Orion S.A.
Director of Corporate Communications
william.foreman@orioncarbons.com
+1 281-889-7833
Christopher Kapsch
Orion S.A.
Vice President of Investor Relations
christopher.kapsch@orioncarbons.com
+1 281-318-4413
Photo
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Team
Read Bio
BIOGRAPHY
Zack Hays
Marketing Manager,
Coatings and Printing Systems, North America
Orion S.A.
Zack Hays is Orion S.A.’s marketing manager for coatings and printing systems in North America. In this position, he addresses customer needs, monitors market trends and determines market strategies and product pricing for specialty carbon black applications in coatings and printing systems.
Hays has more than 20 years of experience across various management and executive roles. Prior to joining Orion in 2024, he served as the regional head of strategic marketing for the Americas at Heubach Colorants. Previously, he had been global segment manager and before that market segment manager for Clariant Pigments, which became Heubach Colorants’ coating business. (Heubach Group was acquired in 2025 by Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited.)
Hays moved into the chemical industry in 2014 when he joined the Momentive Performance Materials consumer coatings division as marketing manager. He then stepped up to senior product development manager, consumer and construction coatings at Momentive.
Hays earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in packaging engineering at Michigan State University and an MBA at the University of North Carolina.
Read Bio
BIOGRAPHY
Carlos Hernandez
Marketing Manager LATAM
Specialty Markets
Orion S.A.
Carlos Hernandez holds the new position of marketing manager, LATAM, Specialty Markets for Orion S.A. In this new role, he monitors market trends and determines market strategies for specialty carbon black applications in LATAM for specialty markets and special applications. He also is responsible for product pricing and addressing customer technical needs.
Prior to his promotion, Hernandez was marketing manager for coatings & printing systems in the Americas with similar responsibilities for specialty carbon black applications.
Hernandez joined Orion in 2017 as senior technical market manager for coatings in the Americas. As technical market manager, he developed new products and applications for customers and collaborated with them to resolve technical issues about formulation or dispersion.
Hernandez is a veteran of more than 30 years in the coatings industry, with expertise in color pigment dispersions for architectural, automotive, and industrial paints and coatings. Prior to joining Orion, he served 10 years as technical manager for coatings and additives for Elementis Specialties Inc., where he produced additives and color dispersions for automotive, marine, adhesive and sealant, architectural, industrial, furniture and UV applications.
Hernandez earned his bachelor and master of science degrees in chemical engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia.
Literature
Contact
William Foreman
Director of Corporate Communications
and Government Affairs
Orion S.A.
Direct: +1 832-445-3305 • Mobile: +1 281-889-7833