Orion Engineered Carbons has completed a multi-year upgrade to its carbon black plant in Qingdao, China. The project included the installation of a state-of-the-art cogeneration unit, which recovers energy from the production process to generate electricity for use internally at the plant as well as up to 5,000 homes in the district. This is the second cogen unit Orion has started up recently, following another project completed in October at its Borger, Texas plant.
December 17, 2020
December 2, 2020
USTMA raises forecast for US tire shipments in 2020
On December 1, the US Tire Manufacturers Association announced a significant revision to its forecast for US tire shipments. Even with the improved outlook, however, total shipments in 2020 are expected to fall 10.3% from 2019 levels.
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) projects U.S. tire shipments will total 298.3 million units by the end of 2020, compared to 332.7 million units in 2019. This forecast represents a significant improvement of nearly 19 million units from the 2020 volume USTMA forecasted in July, reflecting industry resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compared to 2019, Original Equipment (OE) shipments for passenger, light truck and truck tires are expected to decrease by 20.4%, 18.0% and 29.0% respectively, with a total reduction of 12.4 million units. Replacement passenger and light truck tire shipments are projected to decrease by 9.5% and 1.8% respectively, with truck tire replacement shipments showing a modest decline at 2.1%. The total unit reduction for replacement tires is projected to be 22.0 million units.
Mitsubishi invests in Monolith Materials for clean hydrogen production
Monolith Materials (Lincoln, Nebraska) has announced an investment from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America to support its innovative commercial-scale, emissions-free hydrogen manufacturing technology. The announcement is the latest in a series of recent strategic investments made by MHI in support of achieving a decarbonized world. Monolith Materials is the first U.S. manufacturer to produce a clean, industry-transforming hydrogen known as “turquoise hydrogen” on a commercial scale.
“Successfully scaling Monolith’s technology to serve a global marketplace will benefit from the kind of investment that we have from MHI,” said Rob Hanson, co-founder and CEO of Monolith Materials. “This relationship will be a model for evaluating future investment opportunities to make emissions-free hydrogen the standard around the world.”
Through an innovative and proprietary breakthrough in commercial-scale methane pyrolysis, Monolith is now manufacturing emissions-free, economically sustainable hydrogen using 100% renewable energy. Monolith’s hydrogen is classified as “turquoise hydrogen,” which meets the industry standard for the cleanest hydrogen available today.
Monolith Materials, which was founded in 2012, developed a process technology that converts natural gas into clean hydrogen and carbon black. The company is currently in the operating stage of Olive Creek 1 (OC1), its first commercial-scale emissions-free production facility designed to produce approximately 14,000 metric tons of carbon black annually along with clean hydrogen. In addition to producing carbon black and clean hydrogen, the company recently announced its plans to produce emissions-free ammonia at a second phase production facility known as Olive Creek 2 (OC2) in Hallam, Nebraska.
GM raising EV spending, predicts 40% of US lineup will be electric by 2025
General Motors is increasing its financial commitment to electric vehicles and predicts that 40% of the company’s US entries will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025.
Chairman and CEO Mary Barra revealed that the company will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade. Forty percent of the company’s U.S. entries will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025. Barra also announced an increase in GM’s financial commitment to EVs and AVs today to $27 billion through 2025 – up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Climate change is real, and we want to be part of the solution by putting everyone in an electric vehicle,” said Barra. “We are transitioning to an all-electric portfolio from a position of strength and we’re focused on growth. We can accelerate our EV plans because we are rapidly building a competitive advantage in batteries, software, vehicle integration, manufacturing and customer experience.”
GM said in the press release that it plans to launch 30 EVs around the world by 2025, and more than two-thirds will be available in North America. Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick will all be represented. More than half of GM’s capital spending and product development team will be devoted to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs.