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Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Alex Petridis Alex Petridis New York, United States Last Updated: July 2024 NAICS OD4484

Revenue

$445.0m

2024

$458.5m

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xm

Employees

916

Businesses

26

Wages

$XX.Xm

Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry analysis

The Activated Carbon Manufacturing industry has continued to be subject to influence from an intensified focus on environmental policy. Activated carbon is processed with oxygen to create pores between carbon atoms, increasing their surface area and enabling activated carbon to absorb contaminants as liquid or gas passes through it. Activated carbon is used primarily for water treatment and air purification. A range of downstream industrial sectors rely on activated carbon for the removal of impurities. The industry is beholden to industrial production activity as it is typically correlated with the issuance of additional contaminants and an increased need for activated carbon products.Greater international competition has caused a contraction in the domestic industry. Over the five years to 2023, industry revenue has declined at an annualized rate of 4.0% to an estimated $445.0 million, with a pitfall of 0.3% in 2023 alone. Industry profit is also estimated to fall to 4.6%, as the price of steaming coal, a key industry input, has been rising exponentially. In 2020, the pandemic restricted global economic activity, placing downward pressure on demand for activated carbon. As global productivity recovered, and downstream manufacturers increased production, demand for activated carbon was renewed. This grace period was short-lived as an appreciating US dollar and skyrocket in the price of steaming coal led to more woes for the industry in 2022.Going forward, forecast depreciation in the value of the US dollar, complemented by more foreign demand for activated carbon and a decline in the cost of coal, will lead to an increase in industry exports and weaken competition for domestic manufacturers. An anticipated increase in domestic industrial production will aid industry performance as demand for activated carbon rebounds. Activated Carbon Manufacturing industry revenue is anticipated to rise at an annualized rate of 2.9% to $512.7 million over the five years to 2028, with a rejuvenated profit reaching 5.4%.

Trends and Insights

  • Struggling industrial production activity amid work stoppages during the pandemic, and low levels of private investment in industrial equipment and machinery have siphoned away demand from the industry. Even as macroeconomic conditions have improved, skyrocketing input prices have caused manufacturers woes to persist.
  • Demand for water and air purification have been trending as regulations expand and motivate downstream industries to procure more activated carbon products. In 2020, demand from all products declined as industrial production levels and trade declined due to the pandemic.
  • The distribution of industry establishments generally follows in accordance with the nation's population distribution. Regions like the Southeast and the West benefit from access to a dense population and expansive downstream markets.
  • Due to the homogeneity of products offered in this industry, there is fierce competition based around price and quality. Trademarks and patents play a crucial role in differentiating industry enterprises as manufacturers invest in research and development to gain a competitive edge.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $445.0m in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Stagnant growth in industrial production and rising input costs have inhibited revenue

  • The industrial production index, along with investment in industrial equipment, have wavered since 2018, siphoning away much of the demand for activated carbon manufacturing.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Hikes in domestic and global downstream demand propel the industry forward

  • Demand for activated carbon will improve as the industry distances itself from the disruptions that occurred at the height of the pandemic.

Biggest companies in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2023
Revenue ($m)
2023
Profit ($m)
2023
Profit Margin (%)
2023
Kuraray Co Ltd
120.2
5.5
4.6
Cabot Corporation
53.3
2.0
3.8
Ingevity Corporation
23.7
12.2
51.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Powdered activated carbon , Granular activated carbon and Other products. Powdered activated carbon is the largest segment of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US.

Trends and Insights

Powdered activated carbon is the industry's most popular product

  • This type of carbon has been pulverized into powder and is often used in batch purification processes, such as for municipal water treatment.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in this industry manufacture activated carbon, which is a form of carbon that has been processed to make it extremely porous. Thus, activated carbon has a very large surface area available for adsorption or chemical reactions. Activated carbon is produced from carbonaceous source materials, such as nutshells, peat, wood, coir, lignite, coal and petroleum pitch and is used for a range of purposes, including gas purification and water purification.

What's included in this industry?

Manufacturing powdered activated carbonManufacturing granular activated carbonManufacturing extruded activated carbon

Companies

Kuraray Co LtdCabot CorporationIngevity Corporation

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

ACTIVATED CARBONADSORPTIONACTIVATION

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 32599 - Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Struggling industrial production activity amid work stoppages during the pandemic, and low levels of private investment in industrial equipment and machinery have siphoned awa...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Demand for water and air purification have been trending as regulations expand and motivate downstream industries to procure more activated carbon products. In 2020, demand f...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The distribution of industry establishments generally follows in accordance with the nation's population distribution. Regions like the Southeast and the West benefit from ac...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Due to the homogeneity of products offered in this industry, there is fierce competition based around price and quality. Trademarks and patents play a crucial role in differe...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

On March 1, 2022, Cabot Corporation announced that it had acquired Tokai Carbon Co. Ltd from its parent company Tokai Carbon Group in a $9.0-million deal. Tokai Carbon Co. Lt...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Kuraray Co Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Cabot Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Ingevity Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Kuraray Co Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Cabot Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Ingevity Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Industrial production activity and private investment in industrial equipment and machinery have depressed. This has had a negative effect on industry revenue, since the indu...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The price of steaming coal, a key industry input, skyrocketed following the pandemic. Soaring input costs have eaten into industry profit and driven up manufacturer purchase ...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States is $445.0m in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in 2024?

There are 26 businesses in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 4.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing market in United States are Kuraray Co Ltd, Cabot Corporation and Ingevity Corporation

What does the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US in United States include?

Manufacturing powdered activated carbon and Manufacturing granular activated carbon are part of the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Kuraray Co Ltd.

How competitive is the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Activated Carbon Manufacturing in the US industry in United States.

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Competitors

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Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

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  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

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