In early January 2026 in the United States Butanediol (BDO) Market it has remained in balance due to stable domestic production, as well as no interruptions from imports arriving via Asia or Europe. All Gulf Coast plants are running normally, Texas inventory levels are adequate, and all logistics are being done with little or no congestion. Reasonable feedstocks and energy pricing has allowed US manufacturers to keep consistent operational economics for the foreseeable future.
From a demand perspective, there is some seasonality in end-use consumption levels for BDO initially related to polyurethane, spandex, and biopolymers. Most buyers have used a "hand to mouth" purchasing strategy after end of year destocking. With regard to automotive and construction, those sectors have yet to begin their restocking process. Due to the very low demand level relative to supply, market sentiment is neutral and reflects the requirement for continued robust supply over the next several months.
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.
