Sid Richardson Carbon & Energy (SRCE) operates in the black -- as in furnace carbon black, a primary non-rubber additive used in the manufacturing of tires. Its Sid Richardson Carbon subsidiary manufactures and markets carbon black at plants in Louisiana, the Texas Panhandle, and West Texas, where the plants convert diesel oil into material used to harden rubber tires. The company produces more than 970 million tons of carbon black a year. Its more than 40 grades of carbon black are also used in industrial rubber applications such as automotive sealing systems and sheet roofing, as well as for printing inks, paints, and batteries.