Orion breaks ground in Texas

Orion has formally broken ground on a new plant at La Porte, southeast of Houston, to make acetylene-based conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries, as well as in high-voltage cables used for wind and solar farms. It will source the acetylene from Equistar Chemicals’ nearby site. Start-up is scheduled for Q2 2025

This will be the only facility in the US to make these products. Carbon black giant Orion is already the only producer in Europe, via its site at Berre-l'Étang in southern France. It also claims that the additives it makes will have only 10% of the carbon footprint of other commonly used battery additives.