China epichlorohydrin (ECH) market performed strong in the week ending on January 26th, tight supply and rising feedstock cost supported 5.84% increase on FOB Ningbo price to USD 1,631/MT, and pre-holiday demand pushed up the market. High propylene prices and decreased operating rate for production greatly benefited production economics, and glycerine prices rose on tighter availability of biodiesel co-product in the market. The supply was further restricted by a few scheduled maintenance shutdowns on propylene at several locations in East China such as Ningbo, Qingdao, and Zhejiang which meant less availability of the feedstock. Demand-wise, consumption of epoxy resins benefited from early recovery, mainly from consumers in coatings and composites, leading to restocking momentum prior to the Lunar New Year. Logistical difficulties at Ningbo port where vessel delays lengthened up to three days reduced availability for prompt delivery and maintained the upside momentum.
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.
