Acetone markets in the U.S. surged through March on tight domestic availability and higher upstream costs amid seasonal restocking. Early in the month, buyers were cautious amid geopolitical uncertainty, but mid-month demand from coatings, automotive refinishing and electronics value chains picked up as inventories tightened. By late March, a pronounced rally developed as maintenance outages, restricted imports and freight disruptions compressed spot availability, prompting accelerated procurement and tighter markets. Demand showed sectoral unevenness: the bisphenol-A chain remained robust, elevating run-rates for acetone as phenol–acetone producers faced feedstock pressure; while substitution in industrial cleaning and certain coatings tempered volumes. Construction coatings and automotive refinishing rebounded with spring, supporting spot interest, while electronics and polycarbonate/adhesive resin feedstocks sustained demand. Domestic producers accounted for majority of U.S. demand. The market moved to markedly higher spot indications, with supply dynamics adding to the uplift. Near-term outlook remains biased higher but contingent on feedstock movements, import flows and logistics disruptions.
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.
