China’s glutamic acid market softened in February as post-holiday destocking and inventory overhang after Lunar New Year kept sentiment negative. Early month saw producers clearing excess stocks while maintaining fermentation runs, limiting output flexibility as spot inquiries waned. Mid-month, softer overseas demand from key importers and coastal logistics friction amplified pressure on FOB quotations. By late February, buyers were cautious and activity subdued, obliging sellers to adjust bids to stimulate offtake amid high utilisation and steady production cycles. Demand across end markets underpinned the downturn: domestic MSG and seasoning producers trimmed processing schedules and curtailed spot enquiries, while feed additives and pharmaceuticals held regular contract volumes with no incremental appetite. Polyglutamic acid converters maintained steady buying but could not offset slack MSG activity. Exports remained subdued, with distributors reporting stocks and tenders falling modestly versus January. A rebound is expected in March with demand from pharmaceutical, food and feed sectors, though restocking could tighten near-term supply at Tianjin load points.
Selenis has effectively manufactured recycled PET chips using terephthalic acid sourced from Circ®, a textile-to-textile recycler based in Virginia. The chip production took place through a series of batches at Selenis' pilot plant in San-Giorgio, Italy. By utilizing inputs recovered from polycotton textile waste, Selenis has created high-quality PET chip, which has been further processed into DTY yarn. This yarn will play a crucial role in product development as Circ prepares for additional capsule launches. Selenis is leveraging the success of this initial collaboration phase and is committed to advancing towards an offtake partnership to support Circ's inaugural industrial facility.
Eduardo Santos, Head of Corporate Strategy at Selenis, remarked that the monomer synthesis showed a performance comparable to virgin terephthalic acid. He expressed optimism about the consistent quality of Circ's monomer output and anticipated future commercial success. Santos pointed out that the Circ partnership complements Selenis's existing mission and goals for a more sustainable textile industry. He further stated their anticipation of expanding upon this collaboration and providing support for Circ's forthcoming commercial production trials.
