For the Quarter Ending September 2025
North America
• In the United States, the Activated Carbon Price Index rose quarter-over-quarter in Q3 2025, driven by increased production costs.
• Activated Carbon production costs increased due to a 3.0% year-over-year CPI rise in September 2025, reflecting broader inflation.
• Producer input costs for Activated Carbon rose 2.6% year-over-year in August 2025, impacting manufacturing expenses.
• Demand for Activated Carbon strengthened in Q3 2025, propelled by stricter environmental regulations.
• Natural gas and coal feedstock costs experienced an overall uptick in Q3 2025, increasing production expenses.
• Industrial production showed a marginal 0.1% year-over-year increase in September 2025, indicating weak growth.
• Robust retail sales, up 5.42% year-over-year in September 2025, indirectly supported Activated Carbon demand.
• Manufacturing inventories continued to shrink in Q3 2025, suggesting tighter supply conditions.
Why did the price of Activated Carbon change in September 2025 in North America?
• Rising natural gas and coal feedstock costs in Q3 2025 significantly increased Activated Carbon production expenses.
• Stricter environmental regulations for industrial emissions bolstered Activated Carbon demand in Q3 2025.
• Inflationary pressures, with CPI up 3.0% in September 2025, contributed to higher operational costs.
APAC
• In China, the Activated Carbon Price Index fell, influenced by September 2025's -2.3% year-on-year PPI decline.
• Activated Carbon production costs weakened in Q3 2025, driven by declining coal feedstock costs and elevated inventories.
• Demand faced headwinds from a contracting Manufacturing Index in September 2025, reducing industrial output.
• Industrial production expanded 6.5% year-on-year in September 2025, providing some support for Activated Carbon demand.
• Strengthening environmental regulations in 2025 are a key demand driver, boosting Activated Carbon use.
• Consumer confidence at 89.6 in September 2025 suggests pessimism, indirectly impacting consumer-facing applications.
• Stable 5.2% unemployment and 3.0% retail sales growth in September 2025 offered indirect demand support.
Why did the price of Activated Carbon change in September 2025 in APAC?
• Contracting Manufacturing Index in September 2025 indicated lower industrial demand for Activated Carbon.
• Declining PPI by -2.3% year-on-year in September 2025 reflected weak industrial demand only for September month in Q3.
Europe
• In Germany, the Activated Carbon Price Index rose quarter-over-quarter in Q3 2025, driven by increased production costs and robust demand.
• Production costs increased due to sharply rising wood, surging coconut shell feedstock, and higher energy costs in Q3 2025.
• Demand strengthened in Q3 2025 across gas purification, emissions control, and municipal water treatment sectors.
• Industrial production declined 1.0% in September 2025, while Germany's Manufacturing Index contracted in Q3 2025 putting pressure on supply to fulfil domestic demand.
• Import parity costs for Activated Carbon rose in Q3 2025 due to elevated freight rates and cross-border logistics surcharges.
• Regional supply tightened in Europe during Q3 2025, as several small kilns idled capacity for maintenance.
• The CPI increased 2.4% in September 2025, contributing to higher raw material costs, while PPI fell 1.7% due to lower energy.
• Retail sales rose 0.2% in September 2025, with stable 6.3% unemployment and stabilizing consumer confidence, supporting some demand.
Why did the price of Activated Carbon change in September 2025 in Europe?
• Wood feedstock costs rose sharply in September 2025, increasing production expenses for Activated Carbon.
• Demand for Activated Carbon surged in municipal water treatment and industrial emission control in Q3 2025.
• Elevated freight rates from Asia and inter-EU transport surcharges raised import parity costs in Q3 2025
