SABIC and Sinopec jointly announced the successful commercial operation of the new polycarbonate plant of their joint venture Sinopec SABIC

Recently, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) jointly announced the establishment of their equal-holding joint venture in Tianjin, China-Saudi Arabia (Tianjin) Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (referred to as Sinopec)’s newly built polycarbonate (PC) factory was officially put into commercial operation. SABIC Chairman Khalid Hashim Al-Dabagh and Sinopec Chairman Ma Yongsheng attended the ceremony.

Founded in 2009, Zhongsha Petrochemical is a large-scale petrochemical enterprise. It now has nine large-scale production units. Its main products include basic chemicals, polyethylene (PE) and
Polypropylene (PP). The new PC factory has a designed annual production capacity of 260,000 tons. As a key component of SABIC’s PC growth strategy in China, it will pave the way for further cooperation with global and local customers in the future. The successful commissioning of the PC factory not only marks a new chapter in the development of Sinopec, but will also help both parties to the joint venture effectively meet the regional market demand for PCs.

SABIC
Chief Executive Officer Abdulrahman Al-Faji said that SABIC and Sinopec are working together to provide effective support to the respective national policies of China and Saudi Arabia by opening the door to mutually beneficial and win-win opportunities. Relying on the company’s industry status as a world-renowned PC manufacturer, we built this first PC factory in Asia, demonstrating SABIC’s firm commitment to staying close to customers to improve service capabilities, enhance flexibility, and maintain stable supply. China has been a key market for SABIC for more than three decades. Our investment in Tianjin shows that SABIC is not only a trustworthy supplier and investor, but also a partner that helps achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth.

In the future, the PC resin produced by the plant will first be supplied to customers in Greater China, mainly targeting PC-related industries such as electronics and electrical, consumer goods, household appliances, automobiles, medical products, and construction and building materials. The products will be sold under the SABIC resin brand LEXAN™.

Ma Yongsheng, chairman of Sinopec, said that Sinopec has always been committed to vigorously promoting the development of Sinopec and the cooperation between the petrochemical industries of China and Saudi Arabia. This time, Sinopec’s polycarbonate plant has been successfully put into commercial operation, which has paved the way for Sinopec to move towards high-end chemicals. Material Step provides successful experience. In the next step, Sinopec will give full play to its advantages, accelerate the development of polycarbonate, and make new contributions to meeting people’s needs for high-performance petrochemical materials for a better life.

Polycarbonate (PC) is an impact-resistant, strong, and lightweight clear plastic material that is found in everything we use every day, from auto parts to home appliances and medical devices. With the increase in production activities in the fields of electronics, automobiles, information technology, construction and aerospace, China’s demand for PC and other engineering plastics is expected to continue to grow in the future.

Sino-Saudi Petrochemical Company has always been a model for China-Saudi Arabia economic cooperation. During the mutual visits between President Xi Jinping and King Salman in 2016 and 2017, Sinopec and SABIC
A series of cooperation memoranda were signed under the witness of the leaders of the two countries, and the joint venture polycarbonate project is one of the most important projects.