CSRC maintains supply-shift strategy amid lower sales

Taipei – International CSRC Corp. has reported continued pressure on earnings in the first three quarters of the year, but said its strategy to optimise global supply and focus on high-value grades is gaining traction.

The Taiwanese carbon black maker – parent of Continental Carbon – posted consolidated revenues of NT$12.024 billion (€329 million) for the first nine months of 2025, down 10% year-on-year.

CSRC attributed the decline mainly to a generator failure at its Ponca City plant in Oklahoma, which constrained volumes.

The group reported a loss per share of NT$3.4 for the period, strongly influenced by a one-off non-cash NT$2.28 billion loss linked to Taiwan Cement’s recycling unit.

CSRC said global demand for speciality carbon blacks remained “consistently higher” than for the broader market, with applications in EV batteries, wire and cable, inks, coatings and conductive plastics.

Long-developed grades such as JE3900 and JE6900 continued to see strong growth and had secured “stable orders” in northeast Asia, forming an “important driver” of future business.

Across the group’s operating regions, the new plant in Dahej, India, has been operating “all four lines” since June with “significant growth” in sales and revenue in the first three quarters.

The group said it would continue to optimise feedstock procurement and production efficiency at the plant.

In the US, CSRC said generator failures had been resolved with the new equipment coming online in November, and capacity utilisation is expected to gradually recover.

The group said it will also add support pipelines to prevent similar situations from affecting production.

While the Chinese mainland market is affected by economic uncertainties, CSRC said it had strengthened “dual-axis strategy” of selling speciality carbon black and steam to improve stability.

The carbon black major said its plant in Linyuan in Taiwan has completed its annual overhaul, with production expected to stabilise next year and defect rates to fall.

At the same time, in response to slowing local market demand, the company will increase the proportion of exports.

CSRC also confirmed progress on its joint-venture project with Oyak in Iskenderun, Turkey with trial production scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.

With a planned 170 kilotonnes-per-annum capacity, the factory will be the country’s only carbon black plant and “the first new unit in the Mediterranean region in three decades.”

CSRC said the facility would sharply reduce Turkey’s reliance on imports and support supply to European customers.

Looking ahead, CSRC said it would continue to raise utilisation rates, expand speciality grades and integrate circular-economy materials and sustainable technologies.