In the first two weeks of September 2025, Carbon Black Hard Grade N326 FOB Qingdao was stable, reflecting neutral market conditions. Demand from tire and rubber end-users in the APAC region was steady, especially from India and ASEAN countries - allowing for stable draw volumes. On the supply side of the equation, delivered costs for crude and natural gas feedstocks were mild, while there continued to be signals of global oversupply and growing inventories. Lastly, logistics/operational issues mainly from the port of Qingdao, with over 40 vessels awaiting berth, are turning out to be the leading operational issue regarding shipments rather than raw materials.
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.
