CARBO Ceramics, headquartered in Irving, Texas, is one of the world s leading manufacturers of environmentally friendly ceramic proppant and ceramic media. Ceramic proppants are primarily used in the hydraulic fracturing process of natural gas and oil wells to increase their productivity of valuable natural resources. Technically engineered ceramic media is marketed for applications in the foundry metal casting and industrial mineral grinding industries as an alternative to silica and specialty sands. In addition to the oil and gas industry, markets for ceramic media now include foundry metal casting and industrial mineral grinding. Established in 1978, the company has four manufacturing plants, three in the United States, and a fourth plant in China. CARBO Ceramics has stocking and distribution facilities located across the U.S., Europe and Asia.