Norit knows carbon. The company is the world's largest producer of activated carbon, a highly porous chemical used to absorb impurities from the air, water, and other liquids and gases, as well as from food and beverages and pharmaceuticals. Available in both granular and powdered form, Norit offers more than 150 different grades of activated carbon made from bituminous and lignite coal, coconut shells, olive pits, peat, and wood. The company operates 10 production plants in Brazil, Canada, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US; its products are sold in more than 100 countries but the US and Canada accounts for almost half of sales. In 2012 US-based Cabot agreed to acquire Norit for $1.1 billion.