Nonylphenol ethoxylates moved decisively higher in mid-March as a seasonal Q2 lift combined with steady industrial pull-through to tighten the near-term balance. Early-month activity was range-bound, but routine restocking by distributors and a build into spring spraying season supported stronger offers through March. Steady demand from institutional cleaning, oilfield formulations, agrochemical adjuvants and textile auxiliaries underpinned bullish sentiment even as APE-free mandates and an EPA SNUR proposal introduced longer-term headwinds. Geopolitical risk in the Middle East and higher energy logistics costs remain conditional upside drivers that could trigger volatility if feedstock flows are disrupted. Demand patterns were mixed across end-use sectors, with core applications providing the bulk of offtake while retailer detergent transitions weighed on volumes. Domestic ethoxylation capacity operated near nameplate levels with no outages, supporting prompt loading of export cargoes and keeping inventories balanced. Looking ahead, forecasts point to continued near-term strength, with March up about 10.2%, April up 8.2% and May up 5.5%.
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.
