Calcium Nitrate prices rose during January 2026 due to a supply crunch, increased shipping costs, and uncertainty regarding tariffs, combined with expectations of the spring planting season. The US market relies mainly on imported calcium nitrate from both Russia and Canada, making US buyers susceptible to shipping issues, caution based on sanctions; tariffs provide inconsistent signals as to how trade relations will reflect in calcium nitrate prices. Costs associated with shipping containers from the Russia/Baltic corridor, as well as the high cost of trucking between Canada and the United States, pushed landed costs higher. Distributors increased transportation costs and added surcharges for each contract. Ultimately, the demand from the downstream agriculture industry continued to be strong, primarily due to demand from specialty crops, greenhouses, and precision corn programs, decreasing existing inventory levels even though the crop prices being returned from the field were mixed. While there were indications of firmness in the nitrate portion of the fertilizer indices, other nutrients showed strength in the markets as well, illustrating the strength of calcium nitrate relative to those segments.
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.
