Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a global specialty chemicals company, announced today it has received a Gold medal rating from EcoVadis, an independent organization that assesses the performance of companies in a wide range of sustainability areas.

Orion improved its score from the previous year, moving up from 72 to 77 points – just one point away from receiving a Platinum medal rating. The company is now in the 99th percentile of companies assessed by EcoVadis.

“The way Orion was able to jump five points in one year and reach the top 1% of companies shows how the many improvements we have made can add up to a big change,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “We are so close to Platinum now and will continue to strive for that goal as we deliver sustainable solutions to our customers.”

EcoVadis reviews companies’ performance in the areas of environment, ethics, sustainable procurement, overall sustainability governance, labor and human rights. The organization says it assesses more than 100,000 companies in over 200 industries in more than 175 countries.

Orion’s most recent sustainability initiatives have included installing control equipment at its U.S. plants that is substantially reducing emissions. The company is producing innovative products with pyrolysis oils from end-of-life tires and bio-circular feedstocks. Orion also plans to expand production of acetylene-based conducive additives for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

About Orion Engineered Carbons
Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC) is a leading global supplier of carbon black, a solid form of carbon produced as powder or pellets.

As part of a company-wide commitment to customer service and environmental sustainability, Davis-Standard’s manufacturing facility in Fulton, N.Y., recently attained ISO 14001 certification. This certification validates processes across the board, internally and externally, and serves as a benchmark for Davis-Standard’s ongoing pursuit of operational excellence, sustainable practices and process improvement. This is the third Davis-Standard facility to become ISO 14001 certified in addition to facilities in Finland and Switzerland. All of Davis-Standard’s global facilities are slated to become ISO 14001 certified by 2025.

“ISO 14001 certification directly aligns with our sustainability efforts concerning safety, quality and productivity to address customer needs while also strengthening internal practices,” said Giovanni Spitale, Davis-Standard CEO. “Every aspect of our business at all Davis-Standard facilities must support industry-wide quality standards in order to fulfill the value proposition we offer customers. This includes focusing on equipment development and manufacturing efforts that reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and recyclability.”

At the core of ISO certification is the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. This is achieved by enhancing customer fulfillment through an effective quality management system (www.iso.org). All issues are addressed at the source to support best practices.

Davis-Standard, LLC Davis-Standard, LLC (www.davis-standard.com), headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., is a global leader in the design, development and distribution of extrusion and converting technology.

You have two more weeks to submit your Technical Paper Abstract for the 72nd annual IWCS Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum. Examples of topics range from manufacturing processes of copper and optical fiber cables, cable design, codes and standards, connectivity and assemblies, installation, materials, and more. View suggested topics and submission criteria at iwcs.org/present.

Nexans has been awarded the cable contract for PacWave South, the first U.S. grid-connected, wave energy test facility that is being jointly developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, the state of Oregon, and Oregon State University to further the research of innovative renewable technologies.

A press release said that the project is a significant step in the American sustainable energy transition and will further solidify Nexans’ position as a pure player in sustainable electrification. PacWave South consists of four berths that capture the energy generated from the movement of waves and each berth will produce up to 5MW of energy.

RT Casey LLC has selected Nexans for the design, engineering and manufacturing of the 36 kV submarine and terrestrial cables that will run across the ocean floor; Nexans will provide the four medium voltage AC (MVAC) cables that bring the energy from the berths to shore. The cable lengths total 80 km or roughly 20 km per cable. This project serves as a pilot to test an alternative form of energy generation that is renewable and minimally invasive to the environment.

“Signing the contract for PacWave South shows Nexans’ commitment to innovation and sustainable energy solutions,” said Ragnhild Katteland, executive vice president of Nexan’s Generation and Transmission Business Group. “The future of energy generation will contain a large variety of renewable sources and PacWave’s wave energy facility will give us the knowledge necessary to further develop this new and exciting form of power generation.”

The project, scheduled to be energized by 2024, was described as a significant step in the American sustainable energy transition and an important milestone in Nexans’ strategy of becoming an organization dedicated to innovation and sustainable electrification.