The U.S. caustic potash market recorded a notable price increase during mid-May 2026, driven by rising fertilizer costs, strong agricultural demand, and elevated energy-related production expenses. Higher prices for key crop nutrients such as urea, MAP, DAP, and potash strengthened pricing sentiment across potassium-based chemicals. Increased natural gas and electricity costs pressured chlor-alkali production economics, while global supply chain disruptions and freight volatility tightened product availability. Demand from the agricultural sector remained firm as farmers secured supplies ahead of the planting season. Industrial consumption from chemical manufacturing, batteries, and detergents also supported the market, keeping overall sentiment bullish.
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.
