Benzoic acid CFR New York remained firm through January, supported by buying and spot availability. Early arrivals from the Netherlands and China and ocean freight helped ease logistics, but sellers pressed higher offers mid-month as exporters curtailed cargo allocations amid upstream maintenance. By late January most cargoes were pre-sold and terminal inventories looked lean, prompting distributors and converters to build safety stocks ahead of spring runs. Demand was led by food and beverage preservative sector and coatings/resins, underpinning the firm tone and elevated prompt-offtake. ChemAnalyst notes January activity was higher than December, signaling steady appetite among formulators and downstream processors, while alkyd resin makers reported steady orders and phthalate-free plasticizers maintained solid offtake for vinyl flooring and packaging. Logistics eased as toluene drifted lower and freight softened, yet maintenance at oxidation units and capped exports kept high-purity supply constrained in New York Harbor. The near-term outlook signals a modest dip followed by spring support and recovery as restocking resumes.
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.
