News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug.13, 2024 

Orion S.A. spotlights PRINTEX® kappa 100 at the 2024 Battery Show

The high-performance conductive additive improves performance of lithium-ion batteries 

HOUSTON – Global specialty chemicals company Orion S.A.  (NYSE: OEC) is spotlighting at The 2024 Battery Show North America its acetylene-based PRINTEX® kappa 100 conductive additive, which improves lithium-ion battery performance. The Battery Show takes place Oct. 7-10 in Detroit, Mich. Orion will be at booth 5330.

“PRINTEX kappa 100 is helping our customers resolve their battery power challenges,” said Kevin Milks, Orion marketing manager for polymers, batteries and special applications. “It is exceptionally pure, highly refined and easy to process.” 

PRINTEX kappa 100 enables higher electrical conductivity, leading to significantly higher power densities and longer battery life than with other carbon blacks. The high-performance conductive additive forms an excellent percolation network across the cathode surface for effective charging and discharging. It is supplied as a powder or as beads.

Orion’s acetylene black production has a very clean input material and generates a high yield, giving PRINTEX kappa 100 a low carbon footprint. The sustainable chemistry of this process reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps our customers to reduce their carbon footprint along the battery value chain.

Sole U.S. acetylene black plant 

On April 9, 2024, in La Porte, Texas, Orion broke ground on a plant that will be the only facility in the U.S. producing acetylene-based conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries and other applications vital for the global shift to electrification. PRINTEX kappa 100 and other conductive additives produced at the La Porte plant will be super clean, with only one-tenth of the carbon footprint of other commonly used materials.

“Our La Porte facility will complement our acetylene-based conductive additives plant in Europe, where we are already the sole producer of acetylene black,” said Dr. Adrian Steinmetz, Orion global vice president for conductive additives. “When it goes online, which we expect in the second quarter of 2025, the new plant will quadruple Orion’s manufacturing capacity for acetylene-based conductive additives.”  

Key equipment procurement and off-site fabrication are advancing steadily and field construction activities are ramping up.

Dr. Steinmetz leads a new global organization within Orion to propel the company’s conductive additives business for batteries. He noted that the La Porte plant will fortify the regional supply of conductive additives in the burgeoning U.S. battery market and will offer North American battery manufacturers domestic availability and consistent supply with the lowest possible carbon footprint for conductive additives. 

To further serve the market, Orion recently opened its Battery Innovation Center in Cologne, Germany. Equipped with state-of-the-art production, testing and diagnostic capabilities, the Battery Innovation Center accelerates Orion’s product and process development in close cooperation with customers. 

For more information about PRINTEX kappa 100 conductive additive, contact Milks, the marketing manager, polymers and batteries, at kevin.milks@orioncarbons.com. To learn more about Orion’s sustainability performance and initiatives, including Orion’s recently released 2023 Sustainability Report, visit Orion Engineered Carbons – Sustainability (orioncarbons.com).

Team