Carbon black is an ensemble of amorphous carbon particles, primarily produced from petroleum products or natural gas under conditions lacking oxygen, through incomplete combustion or pyrolysis. It is one of the most significant fillers used in the rubber industry, playing a vital role particularly in tire manufacturing. The use of carbon black greatly impacts the color (typically rendering it black), wear resistance, tear strength, conductivity, and UV resistance of rubber products. It finds widespread application in industries including rubber, plastics, inks, coatings, and cosmetics.

        China stands as one of the world's major hubs for carbon black production, boasting substantial export volumes and a diverse range of varieties, thereby offering a wealth of raw material options for the global rubber, plastics, ink, and other industries. Benefitting from the growth of the global rubber and automotive sectors, as well as heightened demand for carbon black's versatile applications across various industries, China's exports of carbon black have witnessed a sustained increase.

        Customs data indicates that China's carbon black industry has exhibited an overall upward trend from 2020 to 2024. Specifically, during January to March 2024, China exported a total of 254,600 tons of carbon black, marking a 78.3% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Meanwhile, imports reached 76,800 tons, which is a 31.64% rise year-over-year. This data highlights that China is not only a major producer of carbon black but also a net exporter of the commodity.

        China boasts substantial carbon black production capacity, enabling it to largely achieve self-sufficiency while also exporting a considerable volume of its output to the international market. Imports of carbon black mainly consist of premium, high-performance products destined for applications in green tires, inks, plastics, and the like, illustrating the diverse domestic market demands in China and the reliance on imports to supplement the need for high-end carbon black products. Nonetheless, China predominantly assumes an export-driven role in the carbon black trade.

        China's carbon black industry is competitive in the global market, with major exports directed towards Southeast Asia, Europe, among others. Customs data reveals that in 2023, the primary destinations for Chinese carbon black exports were Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Poland, India, Cambodia, Japan, Germany, Hungary, and Taiwan, China. Notably, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia alone accounted for 65.59% of the total export volume. As technology progresses, Chinese carbon black manufacturers are continually upgrading their technologies and enhancing product quality to meet the international market's demand for high-quality products.

        China, with its large production capacity and relatively low costs for carbon black, exerts a notable influence on the global carbon black market prices. Fluctuations in the price of Chinese carbon black have an impact on the pricing levels across the global market.

         Overall, China's foreign trade situation for carbon black demonstrates robust performance in the global market, while also encountering certain challenges. Continuous advancements in technology, optimization of product mix, and adaptation to the evolving international market dynamics are essential for sustaining this momentum.

        As the first data company in China, Global Trade Data (or Guomao Tong in Chinese) provides import and export customs data from over 80 countries since 2010, enabling online precise analysis of market distributions for both imports and exports, along with detailed transaction information of trading companies, specific volume-price analyses, supply cycle insights, and more. This offers credible data foundations for major foreign trade enterprises and industry consulting firms.

 (This article is an original creation by Guomao Tong. Please indicate the source when reposting.)