Carbon Black Production Capacity Exceeds 1 Million Tons Major Producers Set Sights on Europe

India's largest carbon black producer, Phillips Carbon Black Limited (PCBL), is nearing the 1 million tons production milestone and is looking to expand its global market share.

Sovan Roy, the company's Manager for Technical Services and Business Development (Rubber), stated that PCBL is actively seeking to increase its presence in the European carbon black market. He mentioned that as the "fastest-growing" supplier in the global carbon black industry, PCBL could potentially rise from its current position as the 7th largest global supplier to 6th or even 5th place within a few years.

To expand its global market share, PCBL launched a new carbon black plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, earlier this year, with an annual production capacity of 147,000 tons, bringing the company's total capacity to 770,000 tons. In an interview during the German Rubber Conference (DKT) in Nuremberg, Germany, Roy explained that with additional ongoing projects, the company’s annual carbon black production capacity could soon surpass the 1 million tons mark.

These projects include a new production line in Mundra, Gujarat, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons, expected to come online this year. The Chennai plant is set to expand by an additional 90,000 tons next year, along with other planned new and expanded projects. Roy also noted that PCBL has a research and development center and regional office in Belgium and maintains sales partnerships across various European countries. Regarding PCBL’s current carbon black exports, he said that Southeast Asia is currently the largest export destination, with Europe being the second largest.

Strategically, Roy mentioned, "If Russia is unable to supply Europe, that carbon black will start flooding Southeast Asia and China." In this case, the markets in Southeast Asia and China "will become more challenging" as more material enters these regions. Therefore, "our supply to Asia will remain steady or slightly decrease, while our supply to Europe is expected to improve or grow." When asked about the supply situation in Europe following the EU ban on Russian carbon black imports, the PCBL manager expressed confidence that there would be no shortage in the European market. He explained that sourcing channels would shift, with more products coming from India, China, or other parts of Asia.

Roy concluded by saying, "This will lead to a stable supply situation." He emphasized that the key takeaway is that "PCBL is growing, and we are here to support the European market. Europe is our strategic target."