Naphtha in the USA firmed through April on a mix of petrochemical demand swings and crude-market volatility, with early April buoyed by steam-cracker feed demand, a mid-month softening as ample refinery prompt availability and smoother pipeline flows eased premiums, and a late-April re-acceleration as balanced inventories supported firmer offers. The market reflected a continued tug-of-war between upstream crude dynamics and downstream consumption patterns, leaving the near-term tone generally firm but vulnerable to rapid shifts as flows and export interest shift. Petrochemical crackers provided the strongest support in April, with ethylene producers drawing additional naphtha for steam-cracker feed, while mid-month volumes struggled to absorb surplus supply. Logistics and storage dynamics also mattered, with early bottlenecks easing later in the month. On a weekly basis, assessments showed sharp early gains followed by a mid-month correction and a late April rebound, underscoring spot volatility. Looking ahead, the outlook for Naphtha remains firm to range-bound with upside risk if cracker demand strengthens and crude trends higher.
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.
