The market for Linear Alpha Olefin (LAO) in South Korea is expected to continue to be supported by tight merchant supply and continued consumer demand through December 2025. The majority of the C10 LAO product produced has been trapped in the domestic market for use by manufacturers of synthetic lubricants and polyethylene's; also, reduced volume of exported products from the Middle East has further reduced the balance of supply within the region. The price for ethylene from the feedstock remained fairly stable and therefore, the LAO product value has continued to be supported and allowed LAO producers a high level of confidence in their pricing strategies. The downstream manufacturers focused on specialty polyethylene's polyalphaolefin lubricants, and surfactant products continue to have healthy production levels driving strong domestic offtake and solid export inquiries from both Northeast and Southeast Asia. With inventories at low levels and disciplined production and inventory levels, the LAO marketplace finished out 2025 on a strong and stable footing.
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.
