Extrusion International 4-2026-USA

30 Extrusion International 4/2026 30 INDUSTRY NEWS 100 Years of Manufacturing Excellence in Switzerland Celebrated SI Group marked a major milestone on May 28, 2026, cel - ebrating 100 years of manufacturing at its Pratteln, Switzer - land facility. The centennial celebration brought together customers, employees, and community representatives to recognize the site's enduring contribution to Swiss manu- facturing and its continued role in serving global markets. Since opening in 1926, the Pratteln facility has continuous - ly evolved to meet changing industry needs, growing from its origins as a tar processing operation into a key produc- tion site for specialty alkylphenols and alkyl-cresols, critical intermediates used in high-performance antioxidant appli- cations. Since its acquisition by SI Group in 1994, the facility has bene ted from ongoing investments that support safe, reliable, and sustainable operations while strengthening the company's leadership in specialty chemicals. "Reaching 100 years of operation is an extraordinary achievement and a reection of the generations of em - ployees whose dedication, expertise, and commitment have shaped Pratteln's success," said David Bradley, Presi - dent and CEO of SI Group. "This milestone honors our past while reinforcing our commitment to investing in the fu- ture of the site, our customers, and the community." As part of the celebration, guests toured the manufactur - ing facility and attended a reception highlighting the site's rich history and longstanding partnerships. The event con- cludedwith an employee celebration recognizing the team’s contributions that continue to drive the facility's success. To commemorate the occasion, SI Group also announced a charitable donation to Cartons du Coeur Baselland which provides food assistance to individuals and families in need throughout the area. The Pratteln centennial reects not only the history of a single manufacturing site, but also SI Group’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and long-term cus - tomer partnerships around the world. SI Group www.siigroup.com Circular Carbon Black Production Launched in China Orion, a global specialty chemicals company, announced it is producing circular carbon black at its ISCC PLUS- certi ed plant in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao, China. The facility is making three grades – ECORAX® Circular 200, 210 and 215 – from tire pyrolysis oil (TPO). ECO- RAX® 200 is a hard black suitable for tires, while the 210 and 215 grades can be used for tires and mechanical rubber goods (MRG). “This new capability in China marks a key step in offering circular carbon black grades globally,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “The product line extension gives us greater exibil - ity to meet growing demand for cir- cular products, while maintaining the performance, consistency and quality our customers expect.” Orion was the rst carbon black producer to make carbon black with 100% TPO and to commercialize mul- tiple ISCC PLUS-certi ed grades from various feedstocks at plants across the world. Last year, Orion signi cantly scaled up its circular capabilities in Europe, launching large volume production of ECORAX® Circular 200 and 210 – both made from TPO – through a commer- cial reactor in Jasło, Poland. The ISCC PLUS certi cation of these products veri es transparent, traceable sourc - ing of sustainable raw materials. ECORAX® Circular 200 and 210 are hard black grades designed as full drop-in replacements for ASTM grades N326 and N330, respectively, which are made from conventional feedstocks. The circular alternatives enable tire manufacturers to incor- porate sustainable materials without compromising performance. Both facilities in China and Poland use specially designed infrastructure with dedicated oil tanks that segre- gate the two main feedstocks: TPO and carbon black oil. The materials are then introduced in separate streams into a reactor to make the ECORAX® Circular grades. “We now have the complete infra- structure to receive, store and dose TPO in our production in a completely controlled way,” said Pedro Riveros, senior vice president of Global Rubber