US sorbic acid market tightened in March this year, driven by logistics constraints and tight import availability, lifting landed costs in Los Angeles CFR region. Early-month freight pressures and continued shipping delays fed through to buyers, while sellers trimmed spot export parcels and prioritized regional demand as lead times lengthened. Through mid-March, importers and distributors accelerated bookings and preservative blenders rebuilt safety inventories to offset ocean-delivery delays, reinforcing tightness. Market shifted from opportunistic buying to precautionary replenishment, underpinning a clear month-on-month price move, expressed here in qualitative terms. Demand remained strongest in food & beverage and packaging applications, with mandates and retailer specifications sustaining purchases amid steady but non-expansionary cosmetics and pharmaceutical usage. No domestic US production exists; thus supply depends on Asian and European cargoes. Upstream pressure from butadiene, naphtha, and bunker fuel plus higher freight components added to landed-cost pressures. Outlook points to continued upside risk, with elevated procurement and vigilant freight monitoring advised as replenishment cycles persist.
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.
