In August 2025, Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) prices in South Korea improved, as a result of further cost inflation upstream, as well as domestic purchasing demand. The market had no logistics issues or port disruptions, meaning that the LSR market faced pricing headwinds, fed largely with deteriorated export volumes from Chinese suppliers, with solid consumption phenomena continuing in key markets. Automotive and semiconductor activity brought stability to LSR demand, mitigating broader sentiment of declining manufacturing activity, and creating a favourably perceived outlook.
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.
