# Activated carbon: Production

Hundreds of makers, from Chinese coal to Sri Lankan coconut

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/production/

What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.

| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| **World capacity** | not published | Hundreds of producers worldwide; China, the US, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia are the main producers (indicative). | Indicative |
| **World output** | about 3 Mt (indicative) | Derived from market value; HS 380210 world imports were 690,807 t in Jan-Sep 2025, down from 713,870 t a year earlier (ICC). | MarketsandMarkets (2025); ICC (Dec 2025) |
| **Capacity utilisation** | 70-85% typical for stable plants; break-even about 45-55% (IMARC, India) | Coconut carbon makers were constrained in 2025 by tight shell charcoal supply (ICC). | IMARC (2026); ICC (2025) |
| **Concentration** | low to moderate; no country shares published | Kuraray (Calgon Carbon), Jacobi, Ingevity, Haycarb and Norit are the largest Western-listed names; China's many coal-based producers lead volume. | MarketsandMarkets (2025) |
| **New capacity** | not published | PFAS water rules in the US and EU drive new reactivation centres and GAC capacity (indicative); coconut carbon growth is limited by shell charcoal supply (ICC, 2025). | ICC (2025); indicative |

#### Top producing countries

- **China**: largest producer, mainly coal-based (indicative); supplied 48% of India's imports by value in 2023
- **United States**: major coal-based producer and reactivator; imported 38,552 t ($101.4 million) of coconut-based carbon in Jan-Sep 2025
- **India**: exports $306 million (2024, UN Comtrade); activated carbon is the largest coconut product export line (2025-26)
- **Sri Lanka**: exports 48,547 t, $123.3 million (Jan-Oct 2024); 46,823 t, $161.3 million (Jan-Oct 2025)
- **Philippines**: large coconut-carbon exporter; figures not found in sources used
- **Indonesia**: exports 13,339 t, $22.8 million (Jan-Oct 2025)
 TrendEconomy (2023); indicative; ICC (2025); TrendEconomy; PIB via coconut tile; Indicative

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Kuraray (Calgon Carbon)** Largest coal-based producer and reactivator in the US (indicative) | Japan / US | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets (2025)](https://www.calgoncarbon.com/) |
| **Jacobi Carbons (Osaka Gas Chemicals)** Coconut, coal and wood carbons; plants in Asia | Sweden / Japan | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets (2025)](https://www.jacobi.net/) |
| **Ingevity** Wood-based carbons for automotive canisters | US | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets (2025)](https://www.ingevity.com/) |
| **Haycarb** Coconut-shell carbon | Sri Lanka | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets (2025)](https://www.haycarb.com/) |
| **Norit** Peat, coal and wood carbons | Netherlands | not published | 2025 | [MarketsandMarkets (2025)](https://norit.com/) |
| **Carbotech and Kureha** Specialty carbons | Germany / Japan | not published | 2025 | MarketsandMarkets (2025) |
| **Puragen (CPL)** Reactivation and coconut carbon | UK | not published | 2025 | MarketsandMarkets (2025) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Global Adsorbents Pvt Ltd** Activated carbon exporter; capacity not published | India | not published | 2025 | [Aquatech exhibitor listing](https://www.aquatechtrade.com/water-tech-index/global-adsorbents-pvt-ltd) |
| **Indo German Carbons** Coconut-shell carbon producer in Kerala (indicative) | India | not published | 2025 | not published in sources used |
| **Kerala and Tamil Nadu coconut-carbon cluster** Many mid-size plants of 3,000-20,000 t/yr | India | not published | 2025 | [IMARC (2026): South India holds about 32% of India's market](https://www.imarcgroup.com/insight/activated-carbon-manufacturing-plant-setup-cost-india) |

India is a net exporter of activated carbon ($306 million exports against $77 million imports in 2024, UN Comtrade), built on coconut shells from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It imports coal-based and specialty grades, 48% from China. Company capacities are not published.

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | Largest buyer of coconut carbon (38,552 t in Jan-Sep 2025) and top destination for Indian exports; anti-dumping duties on Chinese activated carbon since 2007; PFAS rules drive demand. |
| **EU** | Imports coconut and coal carbons; drinking water directive adds PFAS limits. |
| **India** | Net exporter of coconut carbon; exposed to US demand and Sri Lankan and Indonesian competition. |
| **China** | Largest coal-based producer and exporter; faces US duties. |
| **Japan** | Kuraray, Osaka Gas Chemicals and Kureha own global producers. |
| **Middle East** | Importer for water and gas treatment. |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/activated_carbon/links/index.md)