Carbon black producer Orion Engineered Carbons has announced that it has begun construction of a manufacturing site in Huaibei, in the eastern province of Anhui, China.

The facility is being built to expand the company’s production capacity for specialty and high-performance carbon black in a fast-growing market. Available in powder or bead form, carbon black is utilized for reinforcing and colorization during tire manufacturing.

 Initially, a production capacity of 65-70kt per year will be targeted, and a variety of carbon blacks including high-end rubber grades will be produced.

The new site will complement Orion’s other Chinese plant, in Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong. It will be equipped to convert its waste heat to steam that will subsequently be sold to the local industrial park.

“The strongest growth in demand for carbon black in the coming years is widely projected to be in Asia,” said Corning Painter, chief executive officer at Orion. “This new site in China will enable us to better supply our customers and strengthen our position as a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black.”

Completion of the facility is scheduled for the end of 2022, with production expected to begin in 2023.