Isophthalic acid in the US shifted sharply higher in mid March as tighter merchant inventories, rising upstream aromatics and maleic anhydride costs, and stronger PET resin seasonal buying pushed the market out of February’s range bound pattern. February’s softer assessment gave way to firmer values once prompt availability thinned and replacement cost expectations rose, while coatings demand softened due to continued migration toward water borne systems. Construction composites and specialty polymers held moderate consumption, but the PET chain remained the key pillar of support, helping lift CFR indications. Geopolitical tensions elevated freight and war risk premiums, raising crude linked PX/OX costs and reinforcing firmer isophthalic acid offers even as South Korean and Taiwanese exporters operated normally. Near term expectations point to additional upside through March and April before seasonal cooling later in summer, with crude, natural gas, and aromatics inflation, tight inventories, and cautious restocking likely to keep isophthalic acid supported.
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.
