US styrene butadiene rubber values advanced in mid-March amid a mix of tyre restocking, tightened domestic availability, and higher upstream costs. February demand quickened as buyers front-loaded orders ahead of spring, while late February and early March saw tyre manufacturers prioritizing summer-tread production and absorbing much of the imported pool. Freight pressures and planned maintenance limited spot-parcel availability, enabling sellers to raise offers. The market shifted from a steady upward bias in February to short-covering and repricing by mid-March. Demand remained led by tyre and replacement tire makers, with exports to Mexico and Central America drawing incremental tonnes away from domestic supplies. Adhesives and construction rubber goods provided modest support, while infrastructure and conveyor-belt demand stayed steady but not growth-driving. Supply dynamics tightened as rising feedstock costs and outages reduced elasticity. Butadiene and styrene rose, lifting landed styrene butadiene rubber economics and giving suppliers latitude to push prices higher. Outlook remains positive in the near term, aided by restocking, exports, and logistics headwinds.
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.
