The Phthalic Anhydride market witnessed a tenuous balance between declining demand and restricted supply, which helped prevent further price drops. Despite rising feedstock naphthalene costs that increased production expenses and compressed margins, manufacturers continued steady output with a cautious approach, maintaining firm but controlled supply. Demand remained weak, particularly from downstream sectors like plastics, construction, and plasticizers, as the PVC was oversupplied. However, steady automotive demand, supported by a positive North American light vehicle production outlook, offered slight support to overall consumption. Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain stable to weak, with potential upside risk from geopolitical-driven feedstock disruptions in the Middle East.
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.
