Segment Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Segment Information [Abstract]

Segment Information Representing The Results Of The Company's Operations

	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011			2010			2009
Net sales
Activated Carbon and Service	$	486,468		$	427,713		$	358,196
Equipment		46,274			46,010			43,916
Consumer		8,730			8,618			9,798
Consolidated net sales	$	541,472		$	482,341		$	411,910
	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011			2010			2009
Income (loss) from operations before amortization
Activated Carbon and Service	$	65,030		$	50,994		$	53,051
Equipment		(3,504	)		694			1,629
Consumer		(2,537	)		(3,430	)		14
		58,989			48,258			54,694
Reconciling items:
Amortization		(1,757	)		(1,954	)		(1,261	)
Interest income		467			352			459
Interest expense		—			(29	)		(286	)
Gain on acquisitions		—			2,666			—
Loss on debt extinguishment		—			—			(899	)
Other expense—net		(1,309	)		(1,395	)		(3,089	)
Consolidated income before income taxes and equity in income of equity investments	$	56,390		$	47,898		$	49,618
	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011			2010			2009
Depreciation
Activated Carbon and Service	$	20,959		$	18,590		$	15,666
Equipment		1,332			1,296			955
Consumer		289			242			248
	$	22,580		$	20,128		$	16,869
Amortization		1,757			1,954			1,261
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	$	24,337		$	22,082		$	18,130

	December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Total assets
Activated Carbon and Service	$	493,793	$	441,415	$	368,363
Equipment		53,216		49,860		44,001
Consumer		5,981		10,288		13,354
Consolidated total assets	$	552,990	$	501,563	$	425,718

	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011			2010			2009
Property, plant and equipment expenditures
Activated Carbon and Service	$	68,533		$	43,862		$	45,907
Equipment		752			2,204			2,392
Consumer		1,103			1			63
Consolidated property, plant and equipment expenditures	$	70,388	(1)	$	46,067	(2)	$	48,362	(3)

(1) Includes $2.2 million which is included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31, 2011.

(2) Includes $1.7 million which is included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31, 2010.

(3) Includes $2.8 million which is included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31, 2009.

Net Sales By Product

	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Carbon products	$	466,046	$	406,039	$	336,986
Capital equipment		40,650		36,765		35,367
Equipment leasing		14,815		14,454		15,232
Carbon cloth products		7,868		6,923		7,918
Spare parts		5,624		9,245		8,549
Home consumer products		862		1,695		1,880
Other services		5,607		7,220		5,978
Consolidated net sales	$	541,472	$	482,341	$	411,910

Geographic Information

	Year Ended December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Net sales
United States	$	254,953	$	258,840	$	238,241
Japan		73,335		47,639		13,590
United Kingdom		32,948		29,298		24,967
Germany		20,513		18,446		17,131
France		20,302		15,445		14,874
Canada		19,986		15,451		15,517
South Korea		12,546		5,332		5,559
Belgium		11,419		8,792		8,875
China		10,369		10,637		6,871
Netherlands		6,861		7,491		7,037
Singapore		6,661		4,090		5,704
Australia		6,424		3,829		628
Mexico		4,856		5,893		4,465
Denmark		4,178		2,680		2,524
Spain		3,665		5,380		7,716
Switzerland		3,324		3,240		4,971
Hong Kong		3,240		2,015		736
Norway		3,094		1,161		13
Other		42,798		36,682		32,491
Consolidated net sales	$	541,472	$	482,341	$	411,910

Long-Lived Assets

	December 31
(Dollars in thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Long-lived assets
United States	$	133,176	$	119,981	$	111,567
Belgium		64,051		43,547		30,679
China		19,319		9,276		6,050
Japan		9,152		7,789		—
United Kingdom		8,043		4,427		5,044
Canada		653		1,642		1,723
Singapore		135		148		6
Germany		20		24		31
Consolidated long-lived assets	$	234,549	$	186,834	$	155,100