As of early October, there is robust activity occurring in the bromine market, driven primarily by the increased demand for new battery storage electrolytes and deepwater completion fluids. Tetra Technologies is in the process of advancing a new bromine-processing plant in Arkansas, with an investment of USD 44 million, with the intent of creating a long-term supply chain and lowering production costs. Tetra provides evidence that elemental bromine is a critical feedstock needed for their new product lines. Since the project was announced last year, considerable investment has taken place in site prep, upgrades to power, and construction of the new bromine extraction tower. Phase 1 of the project is expected to be operational late in 2025, with the entire plant scheduled for full-scale production in late 2027. An extensive feasibility study, completed last year, provided insights that showed this plant has the potential to add substantial incremental revenue opportunities that allow Tetra Technologies to accommodate accelerated demand for Energy Production and Energy storage-driven products from the rapidly changing bromine market.
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.
