�Cabot Canada Ltd. is a subsidiary of Cabot Corporation, a major chemical manufacturer.� In total, Cabot operates 29 plants in 18 countries.� Cabot is committed to being an industry leader in conducting our business responsibly so that we protect our employees, the public and the environment.� Our safety, health and environmental (SH&E;) commitment is a core value of the corporation and an integral part of our business activities.� Approximately 100 people are employed at the Sarnia facility.

Carbon black is a major raw material in the manufacture of black rubber such as the rubber used in automobile tires.� Carbon black was found to be an excellent reinforcing agent for rubber by a chemist in 1912.� Prior to that time, rubber tires reinforced with zinc oxide would last for only a few thousand miles of travel.� Today, new technology automobile tires reinforced with carbon black will travel 60,000 kilometers or more.� Carbon black is used in other rubber products such as industrial and automobile conveyor belts, high quality roofing materials, windshield wipers, automotive weather-stripping and moulding, fashion footwear, wet suits and even baby buggy tires.

Special carbon blacks are used as pigments in printing inks and paints.� There would be no black words or pictures on this page if it were not for carbon black.� Since carbon black absorbs ultra-violet rays, the material is valuable in extending the life of polyethylene electrical cable jackets and is also used in black plastic that is used to retain soil heat in gardens.� Almost all black plastic materials contain carbon black as a pigment or reinforcing agent.

Carbon black is manufactured by heating a heavy hydrocarbon fuel oil in a reactor to very high temperatures until the oil �cracks� into carbon and other gases.� The gases are a combustible fuel that is used for heating in other areas of our process, such as in the pellet dryer.� The carbon that emerges from the reactor is carbon black.� This carbon black powder is further processed to ease the packing and handling properties of the product.� The fully processed product is then shipped in bulk by rail car or in bags by truck to our customers.� We have pride in our product quality and our customer service and have as our mission to be the best in our business.