The Top 10 Activated Carbon Companies in The Global Market (202…

Before jumping into the list of top 10 activated carbon companies in the global market, let us thoroughly understand what “activated carbon” means and what it entails in our ecosystem.

It is a type of carbon processed to enhance its porosity and surface area. It is derived from peat, coconut shell, hardwood, bituminous coal, and various specialty materials. Another name for activated carbon is charcoal. They come in multiple types that help in trapping contaminants like chlorine, heavy metals, ammonia, organic pollutants, hydrogen sulfide, etc. Most of the industries seeking activated carbon generally go for-

Wood Based Granular activated carbon

Coconut shell-based granular activated carbon

Coal-based granular & powder activated carbon

Gold recovery activated carbon

The global origin is mainly located in North America, China, Europe, India, and Southeast Asia. There are emerging and big players when it comes to activated carbon suppliers in India. Names such as Zeel Product to Suneeta Carbons come up in the list, and the marketing dynamics of these industries in India are progressing rapidly as these players are making a footprint in the international market as well.

Now that we have touched the contours of activated carbon in the industry, let us take a look into the top 10 activated carbon companies (no particular order of ranking) in the global market as of 2024 –

Kuraray- Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, was the first in the world to commercialize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber. After World War II, it progressively expanded its product range from resins and chemicals to the production and sales of activated carbon and high-performance membranes and systems for water treatment.

CPL Activated Carbon- Established in 1990 and headquartered in Wigan, Lancs; it specializes in the production of activated carbons and associated adsorption technologies.

CarboTech Gruppe- Headquartered in Essen, North-Rhine-Westphalia, specializes in carbon molecular sieves, mobile adsorbers, carbon catalysts, and biogas desulphurization along with activated carbon production.

Suneeta Carbons – Established in 1975 in India, they are pioneers in API/Bulk Drugs, Wastewater Treatment, Air Filtration, and Gold recovery through different types of activated carbons. Over the years, it has exported to 40+ countries and is now one of the leading providers of Decolourisation and purification solutions with activated carbons.

Ingevity- Headquartered in North Charleston, SC, and operating from 25 locations around the globe, it specializes in high-performance carbon materials and engineered polymers.

Cabot Corporation- Founded in 1882, it’s a leading global specialty chemical and performance materials company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Osaka Gas Chemicals Co., Ltd (Jacobi Carbons)- Founded in 1916 and becoming the world’s largest activated carbon supplier by 1984, Osaka Gas Chemicals got interested and acquired them in 2014.

Desotec- They provide unique, sustainable, mobile filtration solutions, purifying gases and liquids, and are committed to helping the planet drive a positive ecological change across all industries.

HAYCARB PLC- It’s one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of coconut shell-based activated carbon solutions.

Silcarbon Aktivkohle GmbH- Established for over 25 years in Germany, Silcarbon manufactures highly specialized activated carbons for water, air, and biogas purification.

In 2022, India exported $378 M in activated carbon and the main destinations were the USA, Germany Sri Lanka, South Korea, and Turkey. With these statistics, it is evident that there is a potential market for Activated Carbon Manufacturers in India with robust raw material support from government companies like Coal India Ltd.