Investor Insight
In an increasingly eco-conscious global market, Carbonxt makes a compelling investment case, leveraging a growing addressable market driven by regulatory changes and strategic partnerships. This addressable market is anticipated to grow substantially with the introduction of new regulations targeting PFAS and other environmental contaminants.
Overview
Activated carbon, derived from materials like coconut husks and coal, is a critical tool for filtering contaminants from air and water. Its effectiveness comes from a unique oxidation process that creates a vast network of microscopic pores, dramatically increasing surface area. This versatility makes activated carbon essential across industries, including healthcare, agriculture, oil and gas, and food processing.
For large-scale industrial applications, activated carbon is available in powdered, pellet, and granular forms, with prices ranging from US$2,000 to US$6,000 per tonne—presenting a significant market opportunity.
Carbonxt Group (ASX:CG1) is positioned to capitalize on this demand. As an innovative manufacturer of custom activated carbon, Carbonxt has expanded its reach through a partnership with US-based Kentucky Carbon Processing, forming the joint venture NewCarbon. This partnership enhances Carbonxt’s market potential and strengthens its gross margins.
A key driver of Carbonxt’s growth is its new Inez Power Activated Carbon Plant in Kentucky, which focuses on water treatment—a sector set for transformation due to new US regulations targeting PFAS contamination. PFAS, so-called "forever chemicals," persist in water, soil and even human bodies, with links to serious health issues like cancer, thyroid disease and developmental disorders.
The EPA’s Clean Water Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal allocate $10 billion to combat PFAS pollution, forcing water utilities to upgrade their filtration systems. Carbonxt’s specialized activated carbon solutions are designed to meet this demand. Through NewCarbon, the company is repurposing a waste-to-energy plant into an advanced activated carbon facility, significantly expanding its production capacity.
With 50,000 water utilities across the US accounting for half the granular activated carbon market, Carbonxt is strategically positioned to challenge industry incumbents and reshape the sector.
In addition to the Kentucky facility, Carbonxt has two more production facilities in the US: the Black Birch Powdered Activated Carbon Facility in Georgia and the Arden Hills Pelletization Plant in Minnesota. These facilities have a combined current total capacity of 13,500 tons per annum. The company plans to expand this capacity to 43,500 tonnes per annum by 2027.
Company Highlights
- Carbonxt Group is a manufacturer of patented activated carbon products designed to treat toxic pollutants in both air and water. The company has secured key partnerships and research grants to enhance its product development and market reach.
- Carbonxt currently has an addressable US market for the air phase exceeding US$290 million, with opportunities to expand significantly due to regulatory shifts.
- The partnership with Kentucky Carbon Processing has resulted in the joint venture company, NewCarbon, affording Carbonxt several advantages:
- Increased US-based production capacity to over 20,000 tons per annum, with potential for further expansion.
- Control over input costs, improving base margins.
- Access to high-quality raw materials, ensuring consistent product performance.
- The opening of this new facility allows Carbonxt to enter the water phase market of pollution control, increasing the addressable market to approximately US $1 billion.
- In the near future, much of Carbonxt's growth will be driven by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's increasing regulation of PFAS. There are 50,000 water utility companies in the US, with 4,000 serving over 10,000 customers, collectively representing a significant market.
- The addressable market is expected to increase to well over US$2 billion as these PFAS rulings come into place over the next three years.
- Carbonxt is well-positioned to serve these companies, providing granular activated carbon as well as activated carbon pellets that offer improved filtration with a lower pressure drop as a replacement for granular activated carbon.
- In addition to a highly experienced leadership team, Carbonxt’s strong revenue and earnings growth potential from NewCarbon make the company an attractive investment prospect.
Core Product
High-performance Activated Carbon
Carbonxt designs specialized activated carbon products for its customers, which consist primarily of industrial sector organizations and power utilities. Available in pellet and powder form, the company's oxidizing, non-brominated activated carbons are non-corrosive and designed to remain efficient throughout their entire lifecycle. Although Carbonxt’s origin and listing is in Australia, its products are manufactured and distributed exclusively within the United States.
Carbonxt is currently focused on developing an activated carbon manufacturing facility in Kentucky, the result of a joint partnership with Kentucky Carbon Processing. Once this facility is operational, water utility companies are expected to form a much larger part of its customer base. The facility is also expected to re-invigorate the company's industrial pellet market sales.
Highlights:
- Strong Market Outlook: Industry demand for powdered and pelletized activated carbon remains strong. Prices have trended considerably upwards over the past year and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future, particularly if the Trump administration persists with the imposition of wide-spread tariffs.
- Pricing Trends: Carbonxt's primary competitors in the activated carbon market have both announced price increases ranging from 15 to 40 percent. The company's activated carbon products have the potential to offer better filtration at a considerably lower price point.
- Looking Up: Continued improvements in gross margins (1H25 gross margin at 49 percent, up from 44 percent in 1H24) driven by price increases and ongoing cost-reduction initiatives, including at the Black Birch facility.
- Making a Good First Impression: Carbonxt's high-specification sample products have been well-received by end customers. Management is currently in talks with numerous water utilities to purchase capacity from the company's new facility once it comes online.
- Use Cases: Carbonxt currently manufactures activated carbon products for the following:
- Powdered activated carbons for mercury and flue gas component removal. Customers for this use case include coal-fired power plants, cement plants and industrial boilers & incinerators. Carbonxt manufactures a specialized activated carbon for each type of customer.
- Pelletized activated carbon for the removal of VOCs and hydrogen sulphide from gas streams.
- High-quality pelletized activated carbons designed to remove drinking water contaminants as well as taste and odor compounds.
- Contract Agreements: Carbonxt secured a $4.3 million purchase order for activated carbon products from US utility Wisconsin Public Service. The company also secured a four-year contract extension to supply premium PAC products to Reworld, a global leader in sustainable waste solutions. The deal will generate group revenues of approximately $6 million per annum for the duration of the contract.
Production Facilities
Carbonxt operates three U.S.-based production facilities, each specializing in a key segment of the activated carbon market.
Inez Power Activated Carbon Plant (Kentucky) – The newest and most advanced facility, producing 6,000 tons annually (expanding to 10,000 tons). Designed for granular and pelletized activated carbon, this plant boasts a 99 percent PFOA removal rate, positioning Carbonxt for dominance in PFAS removal and the liquid-phase filtration market—which is twice the size of the air-phase market.
Black Birch Powdered Activated Carbon Facility (Georgia) – Produces 6,000 tons annually (expanding to 10,000 tons), specializing in wood-based powdered activated carbon for industrial applications, including MatsPAC, AquaPAC and CEMPAC product lines.
Arden Hills Pelletization Plant (Minnesota) – Focuses on pelletized wood and lignite carbons, primarily for mercury removal and emissions control. Currently producing 7,500 tons, with key products NAQ-ACP and CTC-ACP.
Management Team
David Mazyck – President, NewCarbon and Director of Technology
Dr. David Mazyck is a world-leading expert on activated carbon (AC) and its applications including mercury capture. He has developed AC products for major multinational AC manufacturers and has regularly consulted them on technical issues. Mazyck is the former chairman of the Activated Carbon Standards Committee for the American Waterworks Association and has developed products for NASA.
He received his PhD in environmental engineering from Penn State University, where he also earned a PhD minor in fuel science.
Matthew Driscoll - Chairman
Matthew Driscoll has significant experience across several industries, including online technologies, financial services, fintech, cleantech, property and resources. He has more than 30 years’ experience in capital markets and the financial services industry and is an accomplished company director in roles across listed and private companies.
He has significant experience in international business growth, mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt raisings and building strategic alliances. His current directorships include NED Energy Technologies, NED Blina Minerals, NED Eco Systems, and NED Smoke Alarms Holdings.
Warren Murphy - Managing Director
Warren Murphy has led a large number of acquisitions and financings across the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors. This includes the development of over 2,000 MW of Greenfields power stations and the acquisition of over 3,000 MW of generation assets.
He was co-head of the Australian Infrastructure & Project Finance Group and Head of Energy at Babcock & Brown based in the Sydney office and led the development of Babcock & Brown’s energy sector capability in Australia and New Zealand, including the founding of Infigen Energy and its unlisted predecessor, Global Wind Partner, where he served as a director from inception until June 2009.
Murphy was also a director of the ASX-listed Alinta and Sydney Gas, as well as the unlisted Coogee Resources.
Imtiaz Kathawalla – Independent Director
Imtiaz Kathawalla was a vice-president at NYSE-listed Cabot Corporation, a global specialty chemical company where he had a 27-year career. Kathawalla's most recent position with Cabot Corporation was as general manager of Cabot's purification solutions division. He ran the group's US$300-million global activated carbon business where he oversaw a material increase in EBITDA before managing the sale of the business to a large private equity group.
Nicholas Andrews – Independent Director
Nicholas Andrews has held the role of executive chairman and CEO at Magontec (ASX:MGL), an established business in the global magnesium sector. He is a member of the executive committee and serves on the board of the International Magnesium Association. Prior to his executive career, Andrews held several senior roles in the financial services sector across both investment management and investment banking.
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