The US Isophthalic acid market weakened during June as lower feedstock Xylene costs and cautious downstream purchasing reduced overall market momentum. While trading remained balanced during the early part of the month, buying activity slowed toward month-end as comfortable inventories and lower production costs encouraged suppliers to offer more competitive quotations. Stable domestic production and consistent import arrivals ensured sufficient product availability, preventing any supply-related tightening. Demand remained mixed across major end-use industries. The coatings and resins sector limited procurement to immediate production requirements, reflecting cautious purchasing behavior, while reinforced plastics and automotive composite applications continued to provide moderate support. However, weaker demand from PET-related applications limited broader market growth and contributed to softer trading conditions. Looking ahead, analysts expect the Isophthalic acid market to remain stable to slightly weak in the near term. Continued softness in Xylene costs, balanced supply conditions, and measured downstream demand are expected to keep market sentiment cautious, unless stronger restocking activity emerges.
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.
