CFI Carbon Products

What CFI Carbon Products does

CFI Carbon Products is a specialty carbon additive manufacturer headquartered in Bluefield, Virginia, that produces Austin Black 325 — a dry, finely divided powder derived from high-quality, low-volatile, sustainable bituminous coal. The product functions as a low-emission filler and processing aid used by manufacturers in the plastics, rubber (including tire inner liners), silicone, and coatings industries. Its platy particle structure and low specific gravity (1.30 versus 1.80 for carbon black and 2.60–2.90 for competing mineral fillers) enable up to three times more volumetric fill per pound and have been shown in published studies to improve air retention by 21.6% in tire inner liner applications. A secondary brand, Austin 365, extends the portfolio with a UV additive for plastics protection against cracking and fading.

The company operates three US processing plants across Virginia and West Virginia, sources raw material from eight local suppliers, and runs an ISO 9001:2015 certified on-site laboratory supplemented by third-party testing partnerships. CFI has no public listing, no disclosed institutional funding, and no M&A history; it is privately held (previously known as Coal Fillers Inc.) and reportedly employs 11–50 people. Manufacturing is concentrated in the United States even as commercial reach is global.

CFI's go-to-market is sales-led and hybrid-distributed: direct corporate communications handle sample requests, quote requests, and enterprise engagements, while 11 trusted distributors extend reach into more than 30 countries. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is provided on a quote basis, with multi-year contracts indicated. Revenue is not disclosed; the only available qualitative signals are customer satisfaction (94% rating CFI's service team above average or excellent) and the niche, commodity-adjacent nature of the product portfolio. Marketing focuses on technical content — data sheets, research studies, whitepapers — and on trade shows such as the International Elastomer Conference, with B2B social presence on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Name

CFI Carbon Products

Legal name

CFI Carbon Products

Website

https://cficarbonproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CFI Carbon Products is a privately held US manufacturer of Austin Black 325, a low-emission coal-based carbon filler used by plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings manufacturers across more than 30 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Carbon Additives

NAICS

Carbon and Graphite Product Manufacturing (335991)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Carbon Fillers (Carbon Black, Graphite) (IMAEAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon Black & Bulk Pigments (IMAEAAAF), Black Masterbatch & Carbon Black-Filled Rubber Mixing (IMANAJAD)

Keywords

• Specialty carbon additives
• Coal-based fillers
• Rubber compounding materials
• Plastic filler materials
• Industrial mineral fillers

Headquarters

HQ city

Bluefield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Specialty Carbon Additive Sales: CFI generates revenue through the sale of Austin Black 325 and related specialty carbon additives to manufacturers across multiple industries including plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings. The product is sold as a raw material input that manufacturers incorporate into their formulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CFI Carbon Products is a specialty manufacturer of carbon-based filler materials for industrial compounding. Its flagship product, Austin Black 325, is a dry powder produced from bituminous coal that functions as a low-emission filler used in plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings manufacturing. The company also offers Austin 365, a UV additive for similar applications.

Product overview

CFI Carbon Products is a specialty carbon additive manufacturer offering primarily Austin Black 325, a coal-based filler product, along with laboratory testing and technical support services. The company operates three US processing plants and sources raw materials from eight local suppliers. Austin Black 325 serves multiple industries including plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings, providing a low-specific-gravity alternative to traditional mineral fillers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Austin Black 325: A dry, finely divided powder produced from high-quality, low-volatile, sustainable bituminous coal used as a low-emission filler for manufacturing applications including rubber, plastics, silicone, and coatings industries.
• Austin 365

Products and services

• Austin Black 325 A dry powder produced from bituminous coal that functions as a low-emission filler for plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings manufacturing.
• Austin 365 A carbon-based UV additive for plastics, rubber, silicone, and coatings compounding applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21.6% improvement in air retention in tire inner liner applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered support and core.

• Third-Party Testing LaboratoriessupportTechnology or IntegrationCFI partners with third-party laboratories for testing new formulas and validating product performance claims, complementing their on-site ISO 9001:2015 certified laboratory capabilities.
• International Distributor NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor11 trusted distributors serving customers across over 30 countries worldwide. These distributors ensure products reach every corner of the globe with localized support and logistics capabilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Birla Carbon: World's largest carbon black manufacturer, supplying rubber and plastics fillers globally. Competes head-to-head with CFI in tire, rubber, and plastics filler applications and has the scale to launch competing low-emission alternatives.
• Omya: Global producer of industrial minerals, particularly calcium carbonate fillers, used in plastics, rubber, coatings, and sealants. Directly competes with CFI in cost-driven filler displacement and shares similar end-market customers.
• Tokai Carbon: Japanese carbon and graphite products manufacturer with global reach across rubber, plastics, and industrial applications. Comparable in product category (carbon-based fillers and specialty carbons) and serves overlapping tire and industrial customers.
• Cabot Corporation: Global carbon black producer with a broad specialty portfolio across rubber, plastics, and coatings. Directly competes with Austin Black 325 in carbon black substitution applications, but at vastly larger scale and broader product breadth.
• Orion S.A. Specialty carbon black producer serving rubber, plastics, and coatings markets globally. Offers specialty grades that overlap with the performance and cost positions CFI targets with Austin Black 325.
• Imerys: Global specialty minerals producer offering mineral fillers (kaolin, calcium carbonate, talc) used in rubber, plastics, and coatings. Competes in the filler displacement conversation that Austin Black 325 participates in, particularly for cost-driven applications.

Regional players

• Phillips Carbon Black: India-based carbon black manufacturer serving rubber, plastics, and inks primarily in Asia. Comparable product category but operates in a different primary geography than CFI's US-anchored operations.
• Black Cat Carbon Black: China-based carbon black producer serving rubber and plastics markets across Asia. Overlaps in product category with CFI but operates primarily in a different geographic market with different cost and customer dynamics.

Direct peers

• Huber Engineered Materials: Specialty engineered materials and fillers producer with deep focus on functional fillers for rubber, plastics, and coatings. Closely comparable to CFI in terms of specialty filler positioning and target end-use performance benefits.
• Continental Carbon: Carbon black producer focused on rubber and specialty applications with US manufacturing footprint. Direct competitive overlap with Austin Black 325 in rubber and plastics filler markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CFICarbonProducts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cficarbonproducts

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CFI Carbon Products