US liquid chlorine markets tightened in January 2026 as seasonal restocking and winter consumption outpaced constrained merchant availability. Early-month procurement activity rose as downstream buyers replenished inventories ahead of Lunar New Year, while mid-month buying by PVC, epoxy chlorohydrin and water-treatment users tightened spot supplies. Weather- and power-related production interruptions and a force majeure further reduced physical availability, with port congestion adding import frictions. The net effect was a firmer market tone for contract volumes and merchant activity. Demand remained solid across segments: vinyls/PVC drove uptake as producers ran near nameplate capacity to fulfill pipe and profile orders; water-treatment formulators accelerated purchases ahead of municipal disinfection peaks; epoxy chlorohydrin producers increased offtake to cover coatings demand. Pool-chemical buying offered modest support. Looking ahead, a mixed near-term outlook is expected: pockets of price strength in February and March tied to seasonal demand, with potential softening later as pipeline flows ease, though disruptions could persist.
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.
