Jan-Feb2012_tcm14-8292

Royal patRonagepRotoCol WItH SInopeC,neW CSR InItIatIVeS Issue105/ January-February 2012

“ We have time and again proved that we are a reliable partner and that we are most passionate about working with customers to achieve their ambitions” Mohamed al-Mady SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceopage 11

January–February 2012 | sabIc | 03

WelCoMe

general Supervisor: Mohamed H. al-MadyVice Chairman and Ceo

editor-in-Chief:samir a. al-abdrabbuhVice president Corporate Communications

Managing editor:Justin Powell-Tuckglobal Media leader Corporate Communications

Senior editor:Vinod MenonMedia, Corporate Communications

Contributions to SaBIC magazine are welcome and may be sent to: [email protected].

articles and letters received may be edited for length and clarity. every effort has been made to report accurate information in this publication. However, neither SaBIC nor the publishers vouch for its accuracy, neither do they indemnify any loss arising through the use of the information. the views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of SABIC or the publisher: saudi basic Industries corporation, P.O. box 5101, riyadh 11422, saudi arabia.

a new beginning is always a cause for celebration, especially when it is built on solid foundations of history and achievements. We take pride in the past because we are carrying the past with us to a whole new phase of further advancement. this issue of the SaBIC global magazine marks a subtle shift in its look and feel, incorporating design features that are integral to the just-launched rebranded SaBIC (see Brand launch, page 18).

What makes this issue even more special is the Cover Story. Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King abdullah bin abdulaziz al-Saud received SaBIC leaders to hear about the company’s global achievements and growth, and after a few days, the King and China’s prime Minister Wen Jiabao presided over the signing of the vital MoU between Sinopec and SaBIC. SaBIC leaders briefed the King about the company’s CSR initiatives for Saudi arabia at their first meeting. The Cover Story reports the two meetings with the King.

We received further recognition when Saudi arabia’s Crown prince and Defense Minister acknowledged and honored our CSR efforts on separate occasions. these, along with other stories from around the world covering various initiatives, are covered in the CSR section.

SaBIC’s reputation as a pioneering company which explores opportunities and succeeds in executing new industries and products is well established. our recent decision to enter the polyurethane market in collaboration with international major Mitsui will break new ground in

and consistently through a collaborative approach. the product Innovation and Success Story reports show exactly that – how SaBIC’s collaborative approach is leading to success at the marketplace.

Behind the Scenes offers interesting insights on why SaBIC has ventured into SaFeR notwithstanding its excellent safety credentials, and explains how the program will help improve the safety performance of manufacturing sites.

the recently concluded annual national heritage and cultural festival in Saudi arabia – Janadriyah – was an opportunity to look at how the event seeks to preserve memories of the lifestyle of yesteryears. We have sought to do that in the lifestyle feature.

terms of creating new downstream opportunities in SaBIC’s global markets. a few months earlier, SaBIC signed an agreement to source the manufacturing technology for Carbon Fiber, another first-time product for the company to produce. The Product Profile feature explains the product strength as well as the market potential for Carbon Fiber.

the global news round-up is led by the announcement on polyurethane, and includes a number of other important developments from around the world, including SABIC’s financial performance in 2011, participation at the Davos Forum, the visit of two german state delegations, renewal of major sales agreements as well as customer-focused initiatives at manufacturing projects in americas.

Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, went on an inspection tour through several expansion projects at affiliates in Jubail and Yanbu recently, and came back pleased with what he saw and heard at the sites. the visit is featured in projects Review. the past months also saw several SaBIC regional operations reaching out to customers through special events, which are captured under Customer outreach.

SaBIC’s growing strength in the global healthcare sector has been in focus in recent years. In exhibitions and Conferences, we bring you two important reports covering the vital markets of US and europe. Both at MD&M West and pharmapack, SaBIC highlighted its product ingenuity and commitment to powering customer ambitions by working closely

samir a. al-abdrabbuh

InSIDeIssue 105/ January–February 2012

42 PrODucT PrOFILe

54 beHInD THe scenes

58 LIFesTyLe

26 eXHIbITIOns & cOnFerences

46 cOrPOraTe sOcIaL resPOnsIbILITy

Chief Executive Officer Rabih el amineproject Manager Khaled al-Masri

editor K. Krishnakumar Head of Design Frank Stebbing Senior graphic Designer Hussain Mohamed al-Bakri

© 2012 alef publishing & Media Reprinting in whole or in part is prohibited by law except with the prior written approval of the publisher.

published by alef Internationalp.o. Box 301292, Riyadh 11372Kingdom of Saudi arabia

t: +966 1 462 3632F: +966 1 461 2966Email: [email protected]

06 neWsRound-up of news stories from SaBIC operations around the world 18 branD LauncHWave of excitement across SaBIC world as the new brand highlights bonding and collaboration with customers to power their ambitions

22 PrOJecTs reVIeW Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, tours expansion projects in Jubail and yanbu, Saudi arabia 26 eXHIbITIOns & cOnFerences Saudi plas, Riyadh demonstrates SaBIC’s polymer range; pharmapack europe positions SaBIC as one-stop-shop for healthcare resins at MD&M West, US; SaBIC highlights new strengths in healthcare

30 cOVer sTOryCustodian of the two Holy Mosques King abdullah bin abdulaziz al-Saud meets with SaBIC leaders on two different occasions, hearing about the company’s growth and achievements and patronizing the signing of a protocol of Cooperation by Sinopec and SaBIC 36 PrODucT InnOVaTIOn lexapanel* sheet standing seam solution for beautiful, translucent, eco-conscious glazing; lexan* eXl copolymer resin addresses miniaturization of photovoltaic (pV) connectors and that junction boxes; lexan* pC Films strengthens security of identity cards

40 success sTOry lightweight Xenoy* and lexan* resins help enhance headgear comfort; New LED luminaires benefit from Cycoloy* and lexan* resines

42 PrODucT PrOFILe Carbon Fiber, which will soon be part of SaBIC’s portfolio, will help Sustainability, Innovation and downstream industrial diversification

46 cOrPOraTe sOcIaL resPOnsIbILITySaudi leadership honors SaBIC for its CSR efforts; Stress on collaborative approach to community support; language aid to help autism children; eye care center in Bangalore; program in Spain provides training and employment for cerebral palsy victims

54 beHInD THe scenesSaFeR, SaBIC’s in-house program, builds on the company’s eHSS achievements

58 LIFesTyLeSaudi arabia’s Janadriyah national Festival serves as an annual reminder for the new generation about the Kingdom’s old lifestyle and traditions

ContentS


06 | sabIc | January–February 2012

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SaBIC has signed a tDI (toluene di-isocyanate) and MDI (methylene diphenyl di-isocyanate) technology license agreement with Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., paving the way for the company to penetrate the global polyurethane market. SaBIC will secure the Mitsui manufacturing technology for the two products, which are both raw materials to produce polyurethane (pU).

the agreement is in line with SaBIC’s strategic plan to be a global leader in polyurethane and serve its customers with value-added services, solutions and products. the agreement also provides for joint technology development in tDI/MDI.

the agreement was signed by Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, and toshikazu tanaka, Mitsui Chemicals president and Ceo, at the SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh on February 26.

al-Mady said that the agreement will lead to strategic collaboration between the two companies to explore future possibilities to collaborate in the polyurethane (pU) business. “the agreement will spur our strategic business plan to penetrate the global polyurethane market as well as power the ambition and competitive advantage of our customers for the long term,” he said. “It will also enable the fast development of pU application

industries in Saudi arabia, especially with regards to thermal insulation which will contribute to employment creation as well as energy savings.”

al-Mady pointed out that Mitsui Chemicals has a long experience as a manufacturer of tDI and MDI, and has over the years developed pioneering manufacturing processes. “through this technology license agreement, we will strengthen our product capabilities with high quality tDI and MDI and expand into the polyurethane business,” he saidtanaka commented: “For Mitsui Chemicals, this license agreement will be the largest and most extensive one we have ever made. We will support this project full force on every front and are committed to its success. I hope that it will be just the first

step in a future business partnership with SaBIC, which may include the establishment of a strategic supply base for competitive tDI/MDI.”

Polyurethane is a resilient, flexible and durable manufactured material that can take the place of paint, cotton, rubber, metal or wood in thousands of applications across virtually all fields.

polyurethane will serve a very rich variety of segments including building and construction, automotive and transportation, furniture and bedding, sports and footwear, food packaging, cold chain and refrigeration, and home appliances. the advantages of polyurethane include strength and flexibility, application versatility, variable rigidity/firmness, and high performance.

SaBIC to enteR polyURetHane MaRKettechnology license agreement signed with Mitsui to produce tDI & MDI

aL-MaDy anD Tanaka WITH MITsuI anD sabIc TeaMs aT THe sIgnIng cereMOny


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annUal pRoFIt JUMpS 36% to SR 29.21 BIllIon

SaBIC earned net income of SR 29.21 billion in 2011, registering a 36 percent year-on-year increase in profit from the previous year’s SR 21.53 billion. SABIC’s interim financial results released on January 18 said the net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 was SR 5.24 billion compared with the net income of SR 5.81 billion for the fourth quarter of 2010 (decrease of 10 percent) and SR 8.19 billion for the third quarter of 2011 (decrease of 36 percent).

The gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2011 amounted to SR 13.38 billion compared to the same quarter in 2010 of SR 12.99 billion representing an increase of three percent. the income from operations for the quarter amounted to SR 9.51 billion, 5 percent less than the SR 10.01 billion for the corresponding period in 2010.

the earnings per share for the 12 months ended December 31, 2011 amounted to SR 9.74 compared to SR 7.18 for 2010.

The gross profit for 2011 rose 28 percent to SR 62.11 billion from SR 48.55 billion for 2010. the income from operations for the 12 months was SR 48.80 billion, compared with SR 37.89 billion for 2010 – an increase of 29 percent.

SaBIC attributed the increase in the annual profit to higher production, sales volumes and higher product prices. The profit fall in the fourth

quarter was driven by the drop in commodity prices during the three months for most products.

PerFOrMance & sTraTegyMohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, said the company’s strong performance in 2011 was a result of minimal lost-time injuries and the plants operating in a sustainable manner. In an opening statement at a press conference at the SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh on January 17, al-Mady noted that SaBIC has made great strides in technology and innovation.

the company has been making great efforts to boost technology and innovation while developing the skills and training of SaBIC employees globally. as examples of those efforts, he cited SaBIC investments in new facilities. the SaBIC plastics Development applications Center will include new state-of-the-art laboratories when completed at the King Saud University, Riyadh. additionally, there will be new laboratories at King abdullah University of Science and technology (KaUSt).

al-Mady said that despite the slowdown in the world economy, prices in general have begun to improve gradually. this is due to the stable economy of the United States coupled with the boom in the automotive industry and exploration of effective solutions to the unstable economies of europe. al-Mady also pointed out that the fertilizer market is still good.

Responding to queries on the volatile international economic conditions, al-Mady said the company’s strategy is to improve productivity, reduce costs, produce new value-added products, work with greater efficiency, care for human resources, and attract qualified and skilled people. He stressed that the global market conditions are beyond SaBIC’s control and the future cannot be predicted, given the absence of all the facts and the instability of supply and demand levels.

He attributed the historical results achieved by SaBIC during 2011 to an increase in sales, increase in prices for some products, leading to increased profits. He confirmed that the company enjoys the advantage of operating in diverse global markets and production sites, particularly its strong presence in the Kingdom, China and India.

sabIc’s senIOr ManageMenT aDDresses THe Press cOnFerence In rIyaDH

Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, recently stressed that companies hiring young people must consider it an investment for the future rather than a cost.

addressing a World economic Forum (WeF) panel session in Davos on January 27, al-Mady said: “It is not just a question of providing the youth with an education, but following this up with training and mentoring in the workplace to ensure continuous development. It is vital that young people feel involved and supported from their very first day at work and this should continue throughout their careers.”

al-Mady highlighted SaBIC’s programs to train its young people and send them on world-class scholarships starting from high school. “We have also established our own academy to provide effective training systems and schemes. as demand for skills shift in response to economic and technological changes, existing training systems need to adjust their methods and content to ensure the ongoing creation of an employable labor force that is internationally competitive,” he said. the session titled “averting a lost generation” deliberated on how the current generation of young people can reach their full potential despite the economic challenges ahead. the panelists drew their views on the basis of three elements: understanding the potential of the next generation; tackling the youth employment crisis; and investigating the role of the ‘demographic dividend’.

the panel included Maurice levy, Chairman and Chief executive

Officer of Publicis Groupe; Juan Somavia, Director general of International labor organization (Ilo), awn Shawkat al-Khasawneh, Jordanian prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and peter Diamond, Institute professor and professor of economics emeritus, Department of economics, Massachusetts Institute of technology (MIt).

TV InTerVIeWs In an interview with CnBC television channel, al-Mady said SaBIC will pursue its philosophy of investing even during the hard times. the company will keep investing in its vision. “We are investing a big amount of money in innovation…We are concentrating on asia, especially China… We continue to push eastward, and we continue to solidify our position in Saudi arabia,” he said.

In an interview with al-arabiya television, al-Mady said he expected the developing countries, including Saudi arabia, to continue to achieve slow growth this year although the demand for petrochemicals is expected to increase. petrochemicals may be affected by slow growth in China and India, he added.

Commenting on the potential of the US market, al-Mady said the consumption of SaBIC’s automotive engineering plastics in the country is good.

Responding to a question on regional tensions, al-Mady said SaBIC has lived through regional conflicts such as the two gulf Wars. He pointed out that SaBIC is more globalized now, and half of the company’s business is in europe, US and China.

“ It is not just a question of providing the youth with an education, but following this up with training and mentoring in the workplace to ensure continuous development” Mohamed al-Mady, Vice Chairman and Ceo, SaBIC

yoUtH MUSt gettRaInIng & MentoRIng,SayS al-MaDy at DaVoS panel

IMage grab OF aL-MaDy FrOM THe cnbc InTerVIeW


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al-MaDy HeaDS Me poWeR lISt

SaBIC’s collaboration with leading universities to advance scientific research received a boost when Mohamed al-Mady, Vice Chairman and Ceo, visited the King abdullah University of Science and technology (KaUSt) on February 15, met scientists of the SaBIC Corporate Research and Innovation (CRI) Center and their research collaborators.

al-Mady also hosted a dinner in their honor in Jeddah and attended a meeting of the KaUSt International advisory Council (IaC).

this strong commitment to the partnership between SaBIC and KaUSt by al-Mady comes at a time when SaBIC’s funding and collaborative research program with the university completes one year in February. the IaC, in which al-

Mady is an active member, plays an advisory role on the overall academic development of the university.

at the dinner reception, al-Mady thanked KaUSt’s strong research team for the tremendous progress they have made in advancing research just within a year of these collaborative efforts. He said that SaBIC would continue to work towards strengthening its research collaboration with the scientific community for the betterment of society.

among those who attended the event were Dr amin Shibani, Interim Vp economic Development, the 2011 SaBIC post-doctoral fellows and their research advisors, and SaBIC direct research collaborators. SaBIC provides funding for 15 post-doctoral researchers and multiple research projects at the

Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, has been ranked Number One in the Refining and petrochemicals Middle east power list 50, in recognition of his impressive demonstration of governance in 2011, enabling the company to

university. the impact of the project is expected to go well beyond the company’s business interests.

the SaBIC researchers and their partners work in several critical fields such as renewable energy, water, advanced materials, catalysis, scientific computational services, renewable feedstock, materials engineering and nanotechnology.

fulfill all its commitments during the year, and taking corporate profits to “historical levels.”

the power list 50 is a roll of the “most influential people in the Middle east’s Downstream Sector.” the list also includes a number of other SABIC and affiliate executives.

In a tribute to al-Mady, the Dubai-based publication said: “Under al-Mady’s stewardship, SaBIC has grown from a company that employed six people in 1976 to one that employs 33,000 today with a capital of $30 billion.”

aL-MaDy MeeTs researcHers anD sTaFF aT THe sabIc crI cenTer aT kausT

ReSeaRCH CollaBoRatIon at KaUSt

“ Under al-Mady’s stewardship, SaBIC has grown from a company that employed six people in 1976 to one that employs 33,000 today with a capital of $30 billion.”


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two high-level german state delegations, consisting of ministers and businessmen, visited SaBIC in recent months and held wide-ranging discussions that focused on industry collaboration and business opportunities.

Harry Kurt Voigtsberger, Minister for economic affairs, energy, Building, Housing and transport, led a team of ministry staff and business representatives from the State of north Rhine-Westphalia on February 26. Dr. niels Schmidt, Deputy premier

and Minister of Finance and economy in the State of Baden-Württemberg, led a team of political, economic and media personalities, on December 18.

prince Saud bin abdullah bin thenayan al-Saud, Chairman of SaBIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and yanbu, Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, and senior executives received Dr. Schmidt and his delegation. they discussed various aspects of cooperation between SaBIC and major german companies in the petrochemical sector, existing

geRMan DelegatIonS DISCUSS CoopeRatIon, oppoRtUnItIeS

aL-MaDy In TaLks WITH nOrTH rHIne-WesTPHaLIa MInIsTer Harry kurT VOIgTsberger

investment opportunities, and other topics of common interest. the delegation also visited Jubail Industrial City and toured SaBIC’s steel manufacturing affiliate HADEED.

al-Mady led the discussions with the Rhine-Westphalia delegation. Rhine is the germany’s heart of heavy industry and the largest state in terms of population. He engaged the delegation in a wide-ranging discussion of issues of mutual interest with particular emphasis on the german and european chemical industry.

al-Mady said that germany is one of the largest trading partners to Saudi arabia. “the visit is an excellent opportunity to further capitalize on this relationship. Saudi arabia is the center of the region’s petrochemical industry, and SaBIC ranks among the world’s largest petrochemical companies. I am confident that with our strong reputation for delivering quality products around the globe, and germany’s international standing as an important center in europe for engineering excellence and innovation, opportunities to develop long-term business relationships on both sides abound,” he said.


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Dr. nIeLs scHMIDT anD THe DeLegaTIOn FrOM THe sTaTe OF baDen-WüTTenburg WITH PrInce sauD anD aL-MaDy


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SoUtH KoRean DelegatIon VISItS SaBIC Far LeFT THe

sOuTH kOrean DeLegaTIOn POses WITH aL-MaDy anD aL-ZaMIL LeFT bae-keun yOO anD aL-ZaMIL LeaD THe DIscussIOns

a customer delegation from HUVIS and SK networks, led by Bae-Keun yoo, HUVIS Ceo, visited the SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh on January 7. the guests were received by Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, and yousef al-Zamil, eVp Chemicals.the executives discussed the strong

and historic relationship between SaBIC and the two Korean companies, and explored ways to develop them further.Fahad al-Swailem, Vice president glycols BU, said that both sides have renewed a long-term contract for SaBIC to supply monoethylene glycol to Huvis and SKnetwork in Korea and China.

tURKey’S naKSHan HolDIngS ReneWS tRUSt In SaBIC polyoleFInS Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, received a long-standing turkish customer, Cahit nakiboglo, president of naksan Holdings, at SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh on February 25 prior to SaBIC signing a contract with the company for the supply of 70,000 metric tons of polyolefins over the course of the year. al-Mady and nakiboglo discussed issues of mutual interest and looked forward to building and sustaining long-term business relations.

the contract was signed on the same day by Khaled al-Mana, eVp, polymers, on behalf of SaBIC, while nakiboglo signed on behalf of his company. Commenting on the contract, al-Mana said that naksan Holdings is one of SABIC’s largest polyolefins customers in the world. “We value such partnerships. We have time and again proved that we are a reliable partner and that we are most passionate about working with

customers to achieve their ambitions.” Naksan is the largest PE film manufacturer in turkey and the Middle East with an annual polyolefin consumption exceeding 200,000 metric tons, mainly comprising llDpe and lDpe. It operates six plants located in the southern turkish city of gaziantep.

SaBIC’s relationship with the company goes back to 1980s, and has grown stronger with time. nakiboglo is a highly respected businessman in turkey, holding key positions as president of gaziantep Industrial Zone executive Committee, and the Vice president of the turkey Industrial Zones Council.

aL-Mana anD nakIbOgLO sIgn THe cOnTracT as THeIr TeaMs LOOk On

eMDaD, SaBIC’s supply chain management project, has been a major global success story. the project has changed the face of SaBIC’s global supply chain with the implementation of newly designed customer-focused solutions, and SaBIC customers are already experiencing the positive changes.

on February 8, eMDaD project executive Steering Committee and management hosted a closing ceremony and lunch at the SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh. Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, joined with several other SaBIC executives and employees who were instrumental in making eMDaD yet another SaBIC success story.

eMDaD, which in arabic means ‘supply’, began its implementation phase around three years ago. the resulting new supply chain systems have offered a solid foundation to fast-track SaBIC’s ambitious growth plans as well as those of its customers.

al-Mady described eMDaD’s conclusion as a new beginning for SaBIC. “the journey does not stop here and will now continue with our new global Supply Chain Center of excellence. this will begin a new chapter in SaBIC’s future that will make us even better prepared to meet our customers’ growth requirements and will help us power their ambitions,” he said.

al-Mady recognized the efforts made by eMDaD’s management, steering committee and partners. the recognition ceremony was dedicated to the outstanding work accomplished by the wider eMDaD family.

Homood al-tuwaijri, SaBIC executive Vice president Corporate Control and the Chairman of the eMDaD executive Steering Committee, thanked all those involved in the project as well as partners at Kearney and IDS Scheer. He also highlighted the significant knowledge transfer that has taken place across the organization. “eMDaD has trained over 1,100 SaBIC employees providing over 37,000 man-hours of

training in over 400 sessions. these are quite astounding figures and the results obtained speak for themselves.” Al-Tuwaijri also pointed out the benefits that eMDaD has generated for SaBIC, which include significant enhancements in supply chain and customer service, newly streamlined business processes, state-of-the-art It solutions, optimized logistics infrastructures, organizational capabilities and performance management. In other words, better results for the business.

“eMDaD is delivering quality and speed for SaBIC customers in all corners of the world. our customers are already experiencing improved responsiveness, world-class service levels, increased availability, reduced lead-times and enhanced reliability,” said Saleh al-Shabnan, Vice president, global Supply Chain Center of excellence, in his opening address.

Some of the changes SaBIC is making to its logistics under the eMDaD project are: implementing portside logistics facilities in Jubail and yanbu; building a new terminal for truck management in Jubail; streamlining the flow of products with bar-coding and electronic gate systems; and working with the Royal Commission to create dedicated haulage roads in Jubail and yanbu.

gIant leap aHeaD In SUpply CHaIn

“ our customers are already experiencing improved responsiveness, world-class service levels, increased availability, reduced lead-times and enhanced reliability” Saleh al-Shabnan, Vice president, global Supply Chain Center of excellence

Far LeFT THe eMDaD ‘FaMILy’ POses FOr a sOuVenIr PHOTO LeFT saLeH aL-suWaITI, Manager, cHange ManageMenT, receIVes HIs MeMenTO FrOM aL-MaDy


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neW DelHI eVent StRengtHenS RelatIonSHIpS, CoMMItMentSaBIC hosted an event for more than 300 customers at the ItC Maurya Hotel during the plastindia exhibition and conference in new Delhi – one of the region’s largest gatherings for the plastics sector – in the first week of February.

led by Khaled al-Mana, executive Vice president (eVp), SaBIC’s polymers business, senior executives and managers from polymers and Innovative plastics demonstrated once again the company’s commitment to deliver through customer engagement.

the great turnout was testimony to the keen enthusiasm of customers in India, nepal, Sri lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan about their relationship with

SaBIC. the already strong relationships were renewed and strengthened at this first regional gathering in 2012, at which the new SaBIC brand was unveiled to customers.

In his welcome address, al-Mana emphasized SaBIC’s long-standing

THe sauDI eXPerIence OF sabIc ’s asIan POLyMer cusTOMers IncLuDeD a VIsIT TO THe HeaDQuarTers anD MeeTIng WITH aL-Mana anD OTHer eXecuTIVes (Far LeFT anD LeFT), anD a cuLTuraL TreaT

partnership with India, dating back almost 30 years, built upon collaboration and shared ambition for long-term success. He stressed SaBIC’s commitment to building enduring relationships and moving forward together with customers.

VISIt to SaBIC, SaUDI Kayan, IMpReSS polyMeR CUStoMeRS FRoM aSIaSaBIC hosted 16 of its asian polymers customers who were invited to the annual customer visit to Saudi arabia late last year. the customers from China, taiwan, Indonesia and Vietnam visited the SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh and manufacturing affiliate SAUDI KAYAN from november 19 to 21.

Before a conducted tour of the SaUDI Kayan complex, the visitors were treated to a short film and presentation on the manufacturing operations at the new affiliate. SAUDI KAYAN is SABIC’s biggest cracker plant, the first to use Spheripol pp technology and lupolen lDpe technology.

kHaLeD aL-Mana, eXecuTIVe VIce PresIDenT, POLyMers (LeFT) engagIng cusTOMers aT THe DInner eVenT

JanarDHanan raManuJaLu, regIOn HeaD FOr sOuTH asIa & ausTraLIa (5TH FrOM rIgHT) WITH cusTOMers anD sabIc saLes TeaM

the group also visited the Jubail Industrial port to get a first-hand feel of SaBIC’s newly strengthened supply chain at work. During a visit to the Royal Commission for Jubail and yanbu, they learnt about the extent of successful planning behind Jubail Industry City in which SaBIC has sizeable operations.

SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, to mark the opening of a new, state-of-the-art pilot facility that will allow chemistry and process development for high performance polymers (Hpp) – Ultem,* Siltem* and extem* resins – product line. the new 3,000-sq.-ft., world-class

MIsHra cuTs THe rIbbOn TO InauguraTe THe FacILITy as OTHer sTaFF LOOk On

polyMeRS ReSeaRCH getS a BooSt

facility is an innovation center that will enable SaBIC to more rapidly produce new polymers – particularly custom formulations – for customers. It will also significantly increase customer access to SaBIC research scientists, product development specialists and the intricate application development process.

the inauguration of the facility took place on December 19. the facility will begin operations in the first quarter of 2012.

previously, piloting was done externally; now this work will be seamlessly integrated into product research and development and scaled-up to commercial production. the new facility demonstrates SaBIC’s commitment to innovation, working side-by-side with


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customers to provide high-performance, tailor-made solutions for greater end-product differentiation and business success.

“this is a critically important addition to our capabilities in Mt. Vernon and is the latest in a history of new investments to this site, which has long been a hub for major innovation breakthroughs and the source of 500 patents,” said Sanjay Mishra, global High-performance polymers technology leader, Specialty & performance, Innovative plastics. “Mt. Vernon is the ideal location for the new pilot facility because it takes us to a new level of high performance polymers technical innovation and dedicated support that our customers expect of us, especially those in growing, high-demand sectors like aerospace and healthcare.”

BaRCelona gatHeRIng DelIgHtS CUStoMeRS once again, expoquimia, a leading event for the chemistry sector, brought together industry players in Barcelona, Spain in november. SaBIC used this opportunity to host an insightful customer event.

“as many of our stakeholders attend expoquimia, it provided us with a valuable platform to strengthen customer relationships. We were able to share information and to interact with over 100 industry players,” says Daniel gambús, general Manager of SaBIC Marketing Ibérica and SaBIC Country leader in Spain.

the event created opportunities for networking and covered topics that are relevant to the chemical industry. Héctor Mas, global product Marketing Crystalline/Styrenic Resins, Innovative plastics, explained SaBIC’s technological innovations in a presentation.

teresa Martínez, general Manager of Cicloplast, delivered a talk on sustainability. gambús is the Vice president of Cicloplast, which is a non-profit organization that promotes plastics recycling. another important issue for customers was the insight on the global and Spanish economy presented by Dr. Juan Corona,

professor of economics at the private University abad oliva in Barcelona.

guests were also invited to participate in a demonstration of the award-winning FlUX chairs, which are manufactured from SaBIC polypropylene.

one of the event’s other highlights was a speech about the contributions that genís de tera, general Manager of the Spanish Center of plastics, who will retire soon, have made to the plastics industry. Coincidentally, his son, Jordi de tera is a Sales Development Specialist, performance – electrical at Innovative plastics.

SaBIC recently took part in the second annual US–Saudi arabia Business opportunities Forum, an unparalleled gathering of ministers, senior government officials, and corporate and civic leaders from Saudi arabia and the United States, in atlanta, georgia. the three-day Forum explored the opportunities available for greater economic collaboration between the two nations and the prospects of boosting american investment in the Kingdom’s key business sectors.

More than 1,000 people, including over 200 from Saudi arabia,

attended the Forum where SaBIC was represented by abdullah Bazid, executive Vice president, Corporate Strategy and planning. the Forum featured discussion panels, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking events in the key areas of education, infrastructure, water and electricity, oil and gas and transport and logistics.

abdullah Bazid spoke at the Forum about the Saudi chemical downstream industry activities and the continuing efforts to diversify the Saudi economy. He highlighted Saudi chemical

industry’s role in creating downstream opportunities and employment.

Bazid identified five industries as priorities for short to medium term development: automotive, construction, metals processing, packaging and consumer appliances. He specifically called on US companies to invest in the automotive sector because of the readiness of Saudi arabia’s chemicals and materials sectors.

sabIc anD TecnIMOnT s.P.a. TeaMs aT THe cOnTracT sIgnIng In MILan, ITaLy

SaBIC recently awarded an epCC (engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning) contract to build its aCp bimodal HDpe pilot plant to tecnimont S.p.a. the plant will be built at the SaBIC technology Center (StC) - Jubail, with commissioning scheduled for February, 2014.

teams from StCs and engineering & procurement departments participated in the kick-off meeting held at the Tecnimont offices in Milan, Italy on February 13 and 14.

this new facility will be instrumental in driving research and development efforts towards achieving the ambitious SaBIC bimodal HDpe business goals.

ContRaCt SIgneD FoR pIlot plant

DoWnStReaM oppoRtUnItIeS HIgHlIgHteD at US-SaUDI Meet


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Dr. Ibrahim bin abdulaziz al-assaf, Saudi arabia’s Minister of Finance, recently honored SaBIC for participating in the Fifth Riyadh economic Forum as the Diamond Sponsor. the Forum was held from December 17 to 19 under the patronage of Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King abdullah bin abdulaziz al-Saud. Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, received a trophy in recognition of this initiative.

al-Mady noted that the Forum is a key event in the region’s economic agenda. patronized by the King, it is attended by prominent leaders and decision-makers. SaBIC sponsors such events out of its strong sense of responsibility towards the community. aL-MaDy (FOurTH FrOM rIgHT) receIVIng THe TrOPHy FrOM aL-assaF (THIrD FrOM LeFT)

HonoR FoR SponSoRIng RIyaDH FoRUM


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a CeleBRatIon oF MIleStoneS WItH CUStoMeRS In BUDapeSt“let’s celebrate chemistry together” was the theme for a SaBIC polymers and Innovative plastics customer event held in Budapest, Hungary late last year – the first of its kind in Europe.

“as it is the International year of Chemistry and SABIC’s fifth anniversary in Hungary, we decided to celebrate these milestones with our customers,” explains anikó nyéki, Country leader and Sales lead polymers. “Most importantly, it showed that we are committed to our customers and their success.”

More than 110 customers attended the one-day event, which included several presentations. SaBIC’s experts took to the stage, highlighting the expertise and knowledge that exist within the company. their customer-

focused presentations covered the latest polyethylene and polypropylene trends in europe, as well as SaBIC’s commitment to innovation, technology and sustainability.

Customers also learned about the benefits of working with SaBIC from a customer’s perspective. andrej Mesojedec, owner of plastika Mesojedec, one of the largest specialized packaging companies in Central europe, spoke about how SaBIC has added value to his business.

the respected prof. Dr. tibor Czvikovszky from the Budapest University of technology & economics gave an inspiring presentation about plastics’ role in the future. the event also included practical seminars aimed at different customer groups. throughout the event, SaBIC’s

experts and customers had the opportunity to network and share ideas.

Customer feedback from the event was very positive. “I met many SaBIC representatives and could discuss some of our technical and commercial issues with them. It was also good to meet other companies’ representatives and to talk to them about general and specific problems,” said Florin anita, purchasing Manager at SC Industrial Mecano Import export in Romania.

Marek Marhevsky, Commercial Director at gascontrol plast in the Czech Republic, said: “I especially appreciated the practical elements with technical Marketing presenters talking about new innovations. I also enjoyed speaking to producers from other countries.”

DüSSelDoRF oFFICe StRengtHenS CRoSS-FUnCtIon SaleS CollaBoRatIon

SaFCo WInS aRaB HSe aWaRD

The new SABIC Sales Office in Düsseldorf was officially inaugurated in november, bringing together the teams of Innovative plastics and polymers SBUs. the achievement is expected to strengthen business opportunities for SaBIC in germany.

on the occasion, Konrad Hellmann, Country leader germany, and Bart Wiertz, Sales leader polymers Germany, finalized an artwork by Bea Schröder, a famous Düsseldorf avant-garde painter, with their handprints.

“Merging the Sales teams is like making one great artwork out of two individual pieces of art” said Konrad Hellmann. Bart Wiertz added: “It’s our mutual goal of thriving business further in the region.”

after the introduction of teams from the two business units, the

SaFCo, SaBIC’s Saudi-based fertilizer manufacturing affiliate, has won the arab Fertilizers association (aFa) HSe award 2011 for its excellent performance in Health, Safety & environment. this was announced at the aFa conference in amman, Jordan, on november 23.

Fahad al-Sheaibi, executive Vice president Fertilizers, and Mohammad

al-Humaidi, SaFCo ISeD Manager, received the award at the 18th aFa annual Fertilizer Forum & exhibition in egypt on February 8. Congratulating the employees of the company, abdullah ali al-Bakr, SaFCo president, dedicated the award to team work, strong commitment to eHSS from employees and contractors.

day was dedicated to presentations from the different sales areas. the account managers presented their organizations and applications, showing product samples such as a trash bin, plastic wrap, case parts, bumper and healthcare products.

at the end of the day it was obvious that the biggest different between the two SBUs was just that polymers are sold in ktons and the Innovative plastics products are more sold in kgrams.

the advantage of merging the sales families was shown by a cross SBU functional workgroup. the main question addressed was: How can we identify and realize cross SBU product demand at our existing customers and prospects? albert Walter, polymers and Kai-Uwe Klasen, Innovative plastics,

presented their experience of bringing new success through cross-functional collaboration.

Henriette Smulders, european lead Sales Offices Planning & Performance Management and Changemanager concluded: “It is really fantastic to see how eager the team is to make a success out of the new organizational model. I’m convinced the german team is going to surprise us”.

barT WIerTZ, kOnraD HeLLMann anD bea scHröDer

aL-sHeaIbI (secOnD FrOM LeFT) anD aL-HuMaIDI (rIgHT) receIVe THe aWarD


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CeleBRatIng SaBIC CHeMIStRy

It was a truly global event. Darkness fell in asia, the afternoon mist was gathering in Riyadh, and SaBIC staff were just arriving at their offices in the americas, as thousands of SaBIC employees across the world came together for the internal launch of a powerful new brand positioning with a new brand look, materials and new tagline.

Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, captured the spirit of the occasion – and the new brand – when he said: “What a great family we are. What a great company SaBIC is. today is an opportunity for each of us to feel personally proud of

CeleBRatIng SaBIC CHeMIStRy

everything we have achieved together in SaBIC in the last 35 years.”

al-Mady addressed the global gathering from the conference hall at the headquarters in Riyadh on January 31, with staff from americas, europe, Asia-Pacific, Jubail and Yanbu taking part using video conferencing.

the Ceo noted that SaBIC had “grown tremendously” since its creation and will expand even more through the company’s growth strategy.

“Building a global brand supports that strategy. We renew our promise to our

stakeholders. today we are expressing that promise as powering ambition. I ask each one of you to be bold with the brand – to accept it and put it at the heart of everything you do.”

earlier, when Samir al-abdrabbuh, Vice president Corporate Communications, took to the stage to welcome the global audience and unveil SaBIC’s new look and its unequivocal tagline ‘Chemistry that matters™”, it was evident that the event would be momentous for the company and its people.

“today sees the start of a new era for SaBIC, a new chapter in SaBIC’s history. We

InteRnal laUnCH oF tHe neW BRanD UnIteS tHe gloBal SaBIC FaMIly UnDeR one VISIon:

cLOckWIse aL-MaDy, aL-abDrabbuH anD HOWarD aDDress THe LauncH cereMOny; senIOr eXecuTIVes ansWer QuesTIOns abOuT THe branD InITIaTIVe


BRanD laUnCH

have been working tirelessly for two years to arrive here and to position our brand behind this vision,” said al-abdrabbuh.

the global launch came six weeks after the new branding was presented to the SaBIC leadership in Dubai in mid-December. the new branding features blue and orange ‘flow lines’ emphasizing the partnership between the company and its customers. these were projected on the two huge side walls of the conference hall.

Kevin Howard, global Branding leader, said powering ambition is “a bold promise. It means always being there for our customers.”

He said SaBIC needed to ensure that it continued to understand the needs of its customers. “We need to get into the marketplace and hear what they hear and understand what they understand. then we can unleash our full potential – powering their ambition.”

Howard said that powering ambition would be achieved in particular ways, firstly by creating long-term success. “If there is one single thought that you leave here with today, it is that we create long-term success through our deep understanding of our customers’ ambitions. When they grow, we grow. When they win, we win.”

He said it would also be successful by delivering a spirit of ingenuity, a commitment to deliver, and ensuring that

THe InTernaL LauncH OF THe branD Was an OccasIOn TO ceLebraTe acrOss THe sabIc WOrLD


BRanD laUnCH

SayIng It In aRaBICCeo honors four winners of arabic tagline contest

It took a SaBIC-wide contest to determine the best way of expressing ‘Chemistry that Matters’ in arabic: Kemya Wa tawassul. Kemya is the arabic word for Chemistry, and tawassul was selected as the most appropriate expression that describes the vision and spirit of the new tagline.

the winning entry was unanimously chosen as the new tagline because it has rich cultural connotations that are apt to reflect SABIC’s business, strategies, its present and future.

Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, honored the four winners of the arabic tagline contest on December 24. all four are employees at SABIC affiliates in Jubail: Naif Al-otaibi, SHaRQ; Mohammed abdullah, HaDeeD; Farhan al-anazi, petRoKeMya; and Khalid al-gahtani, SaFCo.

al-Mady, who presented the four winners with souvenirs, praised employee participation in the contest and their contributions in helping the company achieve its objectives. the winners

expressed profound gratitude to SaBIC leaders for encouraging employees to compete for the launch of bright, unique and creative ideas to serve their company.

the contest results were decided on the basis of voting by employees as well as SaBIC management discretion. SaBIC Corporate Communications received 3,000 votes from SaBIC employees after few hours of the launch of the voting process. the vote results were presented to the senior management, which in turn, approved the arabic tagline Kemya Wa tawassul as the

it was a case of “actions not words”.

Discussing the visual expression of the brand, he said the SABIC flow lines would be recognized by customers, employees and communities alike. He explained that the branding will allow SaBIC “to build a strong position” and become “a powerful asset” for the company.

“We can expect healthy returns through strategic investment in our branding,” said Howard. “today is only the beginning and an amazing journey lies ahead of us.”

Following his comments, senior SaBIC executives were welcomed to the stage to

discuss the new brand in more detail and to answer questions from SaBIC employees across the world about the new initiative. at the end of the event, a large helium filled zeppelin airship soared across the conference hall in Riyadh showcasing the new brand and SaBIC’s new look.

SaBIC, which was established in 1976 as a manufacturer of basic chemical products based in Saudi arabia, has transformed into a global entity enriched by different cultures and different ways of thinking. today, irrespective of where employees are located or their cultural heritage, a common set of values bind them and sets the foundation for SaBIC’s

future growth and development. these values will allow SaBIC to achieve further success as it collaborates with partners, allies and friends to face future challenges. the new brand vision of “Chemistry that Matters” is all about those values and that collaborative spirit.

the brand launch has triggered a new wave of excitement in the SaBIC global community about the company’s future. employees around the world have expressed incredible optimism and personal commitment to the new branding and what it represents in terms of the way they interact with each other and the company’s customers.

THe FOur PrOuD WInners OF THe arabIc TagLIne cOnTesT POse WITH aL-MaDy

best expression that captures SaBIC’s objectives based on business innovation, excellence in operations and technology, competitiveness and value for customers, employees and shareholders.

Samir al-abdrabbuh, Vice president, Corporate Communications, expressed his deep gratitude to the winners for their contributions. He also thanked all those who had participated in the contest – a true reflection of their intense loyalty and the strong communications between the employees and the company.


BRanD laUnCH

eXpanSIonSon tRaCKCeo and eVps inspect projects in Jubail and yanbu

CHeM expansion projects in Jubail on December 24. accompanied by a team of senior executives, he also reviewed the performance of engineering and projects, Shared Services and Manufacturing, assessing various aspects of operations including production, marketing, quality, reliability, safety, health and environment.

the management team consisted of Mutlaq al-Morished (executive Vice president, Corporate Finance), abdulaziz al-Hamid (eVp, Metals), abdullah al-Rabeeah

(eVp, Shared Services), abdullah Khalifa al-Buainain (Vice president, Manufacturing), Mohammed al-Motawa (general Manager, events & protocol) and nayyaf al-Mendahah (general Manager, SaBIC affairs in eastern province).

al-Mady began his visit with a meeting with engineering and projects. Rashid Shubaily, Vice president, engineering and projects Department, provided details of the department’s role and responsibilities in leading all SaBIC projects inside and outside the Kingdom. He also made a presentation

aL-MaDy anD THe senIOr ManageMenT TeaM WITH THe engIneerIng & PrOJecT ManageMenT LeaDers anD sTaFF In JubaIL

the continuing expansion of SaBIC’s manufacturing network in Saudi arabia and its all-round performance were in focus recently when Mohamed al-Mady, Vice Chairman and Ceo went on an inspection tour of a number of affiliate facilities in Jubail and Yanbu. The affiliates used the opportunity to have the Ceo formally inaugurate some of the new projects.

al-Mady inaugurated a new amines control room at SaUDI Kayan, opened the gaS-8 project, and inspected the progress of work at the HaDeeD and SpeCIalIty


pRoJeCtS ReVIeW

on engineering and projects Mega projects Management and its recent achievements, which are in line with the company’s 2020 strategy.

the Ceo and the management team heard several more presentations that focused on improving the performance of Mega projects with the help of right financial planning and developing human resources in projects management.

al-Mady appreciated the role played by the projects department and complimented the excellent team of engineers for implementing SaBIC’s engineering operations locally and overseas. He expressed his admiration for the integrated work processes involving engineers and other departments and the efficient flow of work in project management. He called for developing appropriate systems to ensure continued harmony in this regard. this strengthens the company’s competitive position, he said. InauguraTIOn al-Mady later inaugurated the expansion project at gaS, SaBIC’s industrial gases affiliate. Ali Al-Ghamdi, GAS President, briefed the visitors about the importance of gaS-8 in SaBIC’s expansion programs. He said that the production capacity of this expansion project is 3,600 metric tons of oxygen per day, 3,000 metric tons of nitrogen, 400 metric tons of liquid oxygen and nitrogen, and 100 metric tons of argon. He lauded the project’s achievements, most notably the completion of 6.25 million man-hours without lost time injury.

at SaUDI Kayan, al-Mady inaugurated the amines control room and listened to a detailed explanation by Mahdi al-Bogomi, company president, on the various phases of the project. He said that the annual production capacity will be 140,000 metric tons of amines, which is a product greatly in demand in local and global markets.

Sadu al-Harbi recited a poem which received enthusiastic applause from the audience. The poem reflected the international status of SaUDI Kayan in particular and SaBIC in general.

al-Mady also inspected the lDpe project which has a production capacity of 300,000 metric tons per year. He expressed his satisfaction over all the projects, and noted the importance of the company’s products based on quality and reliability as per global standards. He praised the company’s success in overcoming many challenges, and its efforts in creating thousands of jobs for young Saudis.

“ the production capacity of this expansion project is 3,600 metric tons of oxygen per day, 3,000 metric tons of nitrogen, 400 metric tons of liquid oxygen and nitrogen, and 100 metric tons of argon”

aL-MaDy InauguraTes THe aMInes cOnTrOL rOOM aT sauDI kayan


pRoJeCtS ReVIeW

al-Mady met with Shared Services officials and spoke of the exceptional efforts made by the organization, especially in reducing the costs associated with quality performance. He also praised the latest developments in the housing projects, health services, information technology, and the successful integration of Shared Services into the functioning of the affiliates, setting a true example for other local and global companies.

at his meeting with Manufacturing executives, al-Mady stressed

Mohamed al-Mady expressed his satisfaction over all the projects, and noted the importance of the company’s products based on quality and reliability as per global standards

THe InauguraTIOn OF gas-8 Was MarkeD by a cake-cuTTIng cereMOny

the significance of reliability in the manufacturing processes as adopted by SaBIC. He also inspected SpeCIalIty CHeM where he was briefed on the progress of work at its expansion projects.

at HaDeeD too, al-Mady inspected the expansion project which is scheduled to be launched in mid-2012 with a production capacity of one million tons of long products. this will contribute to increasing the total production capacity of HaDeeD to 5.5 million tons per year.


pRoJeCtS ReVIeW

al-Mady’s visit to yanbu on December 25 covered yanSaB, IBn RUSHD and yanpet. He was accompanied by Mutlaq al-Morished (eVp, Corporate Finance), yousef al-Zamel (eVp, Chemicals), Khaled al-Mana (eVp, polymers), awad al-Maker (Vp, Manufacturing, yanbu) and Mohammed al-Motawa (gM, events & protocol).

the executive team was received at yanSaB by osamah BaShaikh, yanSaB president. al-Mady listened to various presentations that covered project work and developments at the affiliate covering safety, production during 2011, the optimal use of feedstock and cost of production, company competencies, incentives and rewards program, training needs, innovation initiatives

and milestones of the year. the SaBIC Ceo later visited a yanSaB plant and inspected the company’s control rooms.

at IBn RUSHD, he was received by yaan allah al-ghamdi, the company’s president. al-ghamdi briefed al-Mady on the company’s performance in 2011. He pointed out to the record production in polyester and acetic acid, with overall production crossing the target by four percent.

al-Mady inspected the progress of work at the IBn RUSHD-2 project, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2013. Al-Mady and his delegation also attended the affiliate’s annual Reliability program.

YANPET was the final stop of the CEO on the tour. ahmed al-Sheikh, yanpet president, received the Ceo who reviewed the affiliate’s historic growth and accomplishments, its relationship with neighboring industries, its Reliability program and various initiatives to conserve electricity. YANPET’s profits and cost control measures and the subject of tapping opportunities with partners in yanbu also came up for review.

al-Mady also reviewed with the engineering Department the progress of work at two housing projects under construction in yanbu Industrial City. at the end of his visit, al-Mady expressed satisfaction over SABIC affiliates’ performance and achievements.

THe ceO anD eVPs WITH sTaFF aT yanPeT’s PLanT cOnTrOL rOOM In yanbu

yanBU toUR CoVeRS 3 aFFIlIateS


pRoJeCtS ReVIeW

SaBIC displayed its impressive range of innovative products and applications at the Saudi plas exhibition in Riyadh from november 28 to December 1. Several of the advanced products and applications were being displayed in the Saudi capital for the first time, giving visitors a fuller idea about SaBIC’s role as a global supplier to major industries and companies.

Saudi Plas – the premier unified business-to-business platform for petrochemicals, printing, packaging, plastic and sign and graphics industries – welcomed thousands of visitors at the Riyadh exhibition Center. according to published reports, the regional trade event attracted 500 companies from 19 countries. SaBIC was a key participant at the event and its Diamond Sponsor.

SaBIC’s diverse polymer selection attracted a strong interest with pioneering and sustainable products such as pp Qrystal, which can be processed at considerably lower temperatures and deliver energy savings for customers of up to 15 percent.

SaBIC also demonstrated its collaborative approach and commitment to working closely with its customers through other product developments such as the pet tape, which was developed jointly with Starlinger. the tape dramatically reduces material input while retaining the highest product quality.

the state-of-the-art QarmaQ, which Hyundai developed in collaboration with SaBIC, was also on display. the vehicle has been acclaimed for its

revolutionary features, including a hybrid engine that uses electricity and diesel, reducing fuel cost and emission of harmful gases.

other new family of products on display at the SaBIC stand included polycarbonate and elastomers. SaBIC is the first and only polycarbonate producer in the region.

In line with SaBIC’s focus on collaborating with customers, the company hosted several technical seminars, sharing its expertise and ingenious approach and educating businesses new polymer grades, applications and troubleshooting machines.

the event also briefed visitors about SaBIC’s new customer service initiatives such as Quick polymer, a cash-and Carry polymer shop where walk-in customers in Saudi arabia can buy relatively small quantities directly from warehouses in Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah. online banking facilities make these transactions very easy to manage. through net promoter Score®, a customer satisfaction index, the company has been measuring service effectiveness and customer happiness. this methodology is not only one of the toughest indices in the world but also an excellent tool to uncover opportunities for both the customer and SaBIC.

SaBIC collaborated directly with a number of machine manufacturers at Saudi plas. Several of the company’s pet, HDpe and lDpe grades were used in machine demos.

SHoW oF StRengtH at SaUDI plaS

cLOckWIse FrOM TOP LeFT Dr. TaWFIg aLrabIaH, THen DIrecTOr generaL OF MODOn (sauDI arabIan InDusTrIaL PrOPerTy auTHOrITy) anD currenTLy sauDI MInIsTer OF cOMMerce anD InDusTry, aT THe sabIc sTanD; VIsITOrs anD sTaFF aT THe sabIc sTanD; sabIc POLyMers sTaFF POse FOr a grOuP PHOTO; VIsITOrs brOWse THrOugH cOMPany LITeraTure


eXHIBItIonS & ConFeRenCeS

‘one-Stop-SHop’ FoR HealtHCaRe tHeRMoplaStICSnew resins launched at pharmapack 2012 reinforces SaBIC’s position in healthcare industry

SaBIC reinforced its position as a “one-stop-shop” for high-quality polyolefin and engineering thermoplastic products and applications for the global healthcare industry at the recently concluded pharmapack europe. at this premier annual european healthcare industry exhibition, SaBIC displayed its growing portfolio of products that are all compliant with the strict healthcare regulations.

In target applications such as drug delivery device internal components and external housings, typical industry requirements range across biocompatibility, sterilizability, chemical resistance, impact resistance, wear resistance and anti-static properties, thorough ease of processing and aesthetics, to constancy in product formulations.

SaBIC has numerous options to meet these challenges, including grades based on aBS, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyesters (pet and pBt), polyphenylene oxide and siloxanes, as well as high and low density polyethylenes and polypropylene. the company has cost-effective solutions for syringes, injection pens, inhalers and other related products.

emphasizing these points, SaBIC launched new grades at pharmapack, including a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin featuring high flow properties that can significantly reduce injection molding cycle times for various healthcare products. With a melt flow rate of 30 g/10 min,

SaBIC® HDpe pCg300054 provides important processing advantages that yield lower system costs for healthcare product manufacturers.

SaBIC® HDpe pCg300054 resin is typically suitable for injection moulding thin-wall, long flow parts such as disposable syringe pistons, as well as caps and closures for medical and pharmaceutical packaging. High flow facilitates complete mold filling and enables the use of thin-wall geometries that cool rapidly for cycle time reduction.

SaBIC’s broad product offering of more than 50 high performance materials is backed up with the security of a strong logistical network and ample material supplies to ensure continuous, global availability. the company has also developed a comprehensive healthcare product policy designed to help oeMs achieve regulatory compliance.

SaBIC’s healthcare product policy provides device manufacturers with:• Compliance with ep 3.1.5

and USp Class VI;• Compliance with 21 CFR par.

177.1520 of the Food and Drug administration (FDa);

• Drug Master File listing;• Healthcare product nomenclature

for easy identification;• products subject to formula lock

and change management process.

sabIc HIgHLIgHTeD THe sTrengTH OF ITs POrTFOLIO anD cOsT-eFFecTIVe sOLuTIOns aT PHarMaPack 2012

“ our leadership in healthcare materials can benefit customers who are seeking new ways to accelerate processing while maintaining high performance and quality” philippe Rasquin, technical Marketing engineer at SaBIC



at MD&M West, SaBIC highlights customization capabilities for anti-microbial compounds to help device oeMs

at the recently concluded Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West exhibition in anaheim, California, SaBIC demonstrated its deep understanding of its customers’ ambitions while displaying its wide range of products and applications. MD&M West, held from February 14 to 16, is the leading exhibition in the medical device development industry which brings together medtech professionals and leading medical oeM suppliers.

SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business showcased its extensive capabilities

for customizing anti-microbial compounds to help device oeMs combat healthcare associated infections (HaIs) – which, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), affect one out of every 20 hospitalized patients.

With a demonstrated history of successful innovation for the healthcare sector, SaBIC can provide medical device customers with solutions to help meet their need to enhance the safety of their products, including world-class compounding technology and expertise, and high-quality base resins with anti-microbial additives. the company’s success in this arena is based on a global, customer-focused strategy to proactively invest in services, product

HealtHCaRe SolUtIonS tHat eMpoWeR CUStoMeRS

sabIc sTaFF eLabOraTe On a POsTer aT THe cOMPany sTanD aT MD&M WesT

“ SaBIC is committed to powering these customers’ competitive advantages by giving them a more robust, nuanced and scientific alternative to traditional, one-size-fits-all anti-microbial concentrates…”thomas o’Brien, global product Marketing Director, Healthcare, Innovative plastics



technologies and other solutions to help medical device companies succeed in the ever-changing environment of healthcare reform.

SaBIC also highlighted the breadth of its line of lnp* specialty compounds for medical devices that contribute to other important aspects of patient and clinician safety, from X-ray shielding to static dissipation in the presence of oxygen.

“Intense and rising focus among regulators, hospitals and consumers to protect patients from harm, particularly from HaIs, is putting healthcare device makers under tremendous pressure to enhance their products with anti-microbial properties and other safety attributes,” said thomas o’Brien, global product Marketing Director, Healthcare, Innovative plastics.

“SaBIC is committed to powering these customers’ competitive advantages by giving them a more robust, nuanced and scientific alternative to traditional, one-

size-fits-all anti-microbial concentrates through our customization services and a range of specialty compounds that address other safety issues. Utilizing these technologies and our other healthcare products and services, medical device oeMs can address existing safety concerns or proactively add value to differentiate their products in the marketplace,” he said.

Safeguards for patients and staff extend far beyond avoiding HaIs. SaBIC compounds for medical devices can help address other top safety issues:

• shielding against radiation and electromagnetic/radio-frequency interference (eMI/rFI): SaBIC lnp Thermocomp* HSG (high specific gravity) compound can replace lead in radiation shielding applications, enabling medical imaging device manufacturers to meet the european Union’s (eU) Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive.

• Detecting lost device parts: lnp thermocomp* compound can help to make a surgical device detectable via X-ray imaging. this safeguard allows the fragments to be located and retrieved before concluding the procedure.

• Decreasing “slip-stick”: lnp lubricomp* and lubriloy* compounds help to decrease the chance that a surgical device will slip or stick due to wear and friction. the inherent lubrication properties of these materials help ensure that the device performs consistently, thus avoiding errors and accidents.

• Avoiding fire hazards: lnp Stat-Kon* compound combines base resins with electrically conductive fillers or reinforcing agents to produce conductive and dissipative materials.

lnp Stat-Kon compound helps protect devices and components against static build-up and electrostatic discharge (ESD), which present potential fire hazards in operating rooms and other locations where oxygen is used.

• ensuring consistent drug delivery: lnp Stat-loy* compound provides permanent anti-static properties. this is important in drug delivery systems to prevent the medication from adhering to device walls and resulting in inconsistent dosages.

o’Brien conducted a series of media interviews with plastic and medical industry publications, highlighting SaBIC’s healthcare portfolio, anti-microbial and other compounding solutions. the global healthcare marketing team had excellent discussions with customers and prospects, resulting in significant business development leads.

sabIc sTaFF eLabOraTe On a POsTer aT THe cOMPany sTanD aT MD&M WesT

O’brIen sHOWs a PrODucT TO a VIsITOr

VIsITOrs TOOk a keen InTeresT In sabIc’s PrODucTs anD Messages



Royal patRonage King meets SaBIC leaders, witnessessigning of agreement with Sinopec

When King abdullah met with SaBIC leaders recently, they drove home the company’s passion to connect with society and its relentless ambition to strengthen global growth through collaboration. a few days later, SaBIC signed a landmark protocol of Cooperation with Sinopec in the presence of King abdullah and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

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FrOM rIgHT kIng abDuLLaH, PrInce saLMan bIn abDuLZIZ aL-sauD, MInIsTer OF DeFense, PrInce MITeb bIn abDuLLaH, HeaD OF naTIOnaL guarD anD PrInce sauD In cOnVersaTIOn


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“ SaBIC has witnessed steady growth over the past 10 years, which has enabled the company to achieve high performance levels, make noticeable expansions in business, and contribute significantly to the country’s industrial and economic development”prince Saud bin abdullah bin thenayan al-Saud, Chairman of SaBIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and yanbu

on January 10, Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King abdullah bin abdulaziz al-Saud met with prince Saud bin abdullah bin thenayan al-Saud, Chairman of SaBIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and yanbu, the incoming and outgoing members of the SaBIC Board of Directors, and Mohamed al-Mady, Vice Chairman and Ceo. the King received SaBIC’s leaders at the Royal palace in Riyadh.

the King blessed the launch of SaBIC’s new charitable initiatives and projects, which reflect the company’s strong commitment to social responsibility.

SaBIC announced during the meeting that it has allocated SR 333 million for six new social projects in its home country: a hospital for mental health and addiction treatment, the national Survey of Health and the Life Pressures, a project to fight cancer, a disabled children grants project, a mobile clinic for early detection of breast cancer, and support for the Society for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

the company’s charitable donations and CSR allocations, worth about SR 2 billion, also cover support for disaster-affected areas, physically challenged people and charitable associations, universities and housing charities.

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prince Saud briefed King abdullah about SaBIC’s phenomenal growth as a global company, and thanked him for his strong leadership. “SaBIC has witnessed steady growth over the past 10 years, which has enabled the company to achieve high performance levels, make noticeable expansions in business, and contribute significantly to the country’s industrial and economic development,” he said.

the prince also indicated that the frequent visits by the King to Jubail and yanbu over the past ten years, when he headed the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission, had a deep influence in helping SaBIC achieve its current status in the global petrochemical industry. at that time, the King had announced the launch of two major projects, Jubail-2 and yanbu-2 concerning the further development of the two industrial cities, and had restructured SaBIC’s Board of Directors.

prince Saud reviewed SaBIC’s achievements during the tenure of the last board. He noted that the company’s net profit amounted to SR 219 billion, and the volume of dividends had reached SR 95 billion, of which 70 percent (SR 66.5 billion) accrued to the state, while the retained earnings was SR 93 billion, and the value of Zakat reached SR 13 billion.


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the protocol was signed under the patronage of King abdullah and in the presence of visiting Chinese prime Minister Wen Jiabao. prince Saud and Fu Chengyu, Chairman of the Sinopec group and the Sinopec Corporation, signed the protocol in the presence of al-Mady.

the protocol sets the foundation for a joint investment from SaBIC and Sinopec to build the new polycarbonate production complex at the Sinopec SaBIC tianjin petrochemical Company (SStpC) in tianjin, China. polycarbonate is an essential material used for producing components for a vast array of consumer, industrial and commercial products ranging from automotive parts, household wares to medical supplies. the new polycarbonate production will help meet the projected growth in demand for north east asia, which includes China. Satisfying this demand is essential for producing petrochemical materials from China’s vast manufacturing industries.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, prince Saud said: “I appreciate the respectful relationship and mutual cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi arabia and people’s Republic of China as well as the efforts of these two countries’ leaders to widen this relationship at all levels, particularly within economic and industrial affairs.”

He noted that the petrochemicals, engineering and construction sectors in both countries are seeking investment opportunities, and it is important for Saudi arabia and China to make an integrated approach. “SaBIC and Sinopec’s aspirations are now focused on establishing long-term strategic cooperation that contributes towards enriching Saudi arabia’s and China’s economies in the areas of scientific research, technology and innovation, engineering and product marketing.”

prince Saud emphasized that SaBIC is keen to continue its investments in China generally and one significant aspect of the new project is that it will use the environment-friendly SaBIC-owned polycarbonate production technology.

When the plant is fully operational in 2015, SaBIC will become one of the world’s largest producers of polycarbonate, significantly boosting SABIC’s market share. the protocol of Cooperation, which covers marketing, allows SaBIC to supply polycarbonate as feedstock to the company’s other plants in China and the Pacific region.

on the strong SaBIC presence in the Chinese markets, prince Saud said that SaBIC is a keen observer of the

“ China today represents the fastest growing market for SaBIC globally. a key success factor in our rapid growth in China is the partnership with Sinopec, and the protocol of Cooperation represents our commitment to creating sustainable long term success with our partners”

prince Saud bin abdullah bin thenayan al-Saud, Chairman of SaBIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and yanbu

the company’s assets grew to SR 340 billion, of which SR 260 billion are located in Saudi arabia and the Middle east. annual sales exceeded a thousand million tons valued at SR 188 billion. Sales volumes within Saudi arabia and the region reached about SR 55 billion. Higher sales were helped by the increase in production capacity to 1.288 million tons of various petrochemical products.

prince Saud said SaBIC had invested SR 16.5 billion with Sinopec in China during the tenure of the previous Board from 2003 to 2011. of this, SR 10 billion was allocated for the first investment project which has a diverse product portfolio including, ethylene, polyethylene, ethylene glycol, polypropylene, butadiene and phenol.

SaBIC’s second investment in China was a polycarbonate plant, with production capacity of 260,000 tons per year using SaBIC-owned technology. the total investment in the project is SR 6.5 billion. When fully operational in 2015, SaBIC will be one of the largest producer of polycarbonate in the world.

prince Saud noted that SaBIC’s global technology and Innovation network comprises 18 technology centers where 1,500 scientists and researchers are engaged in research and development work. SaBIC owns 7,000 patents worldwide in addition to 30 competitive technologies licensed globally.

the SaBIC Chairman also listed the company’s cooperation programs and strategic partnerships with various Saudi universities, in which SaBIC has established research chairs and specialized applications centers.

King abdullah greeted the members of SaBIC’s Board of Directors, who were appointed by the Council of Ministers in 2011. the Board comprises prince Saud, al-Mady, Dr. abdul Rahman bin abdullah al-Hamidi, abdullah bin abdul Rahman al-Hamoudi, Bandar bin abdul aziz Waili, Mohammed Suleiman abanumay, and abdullah Mohammed al-Issa. the reception was also attended by ahmed bin Ibrahim al-Hakami, Saleh bin eid al-Husseini, and abdul Mohsen bin abdul aziz al-Fares, outgoing members of the Board whose term ended in october, 2011.

PrOTOcOL OF cOOPeraTIOnon January 16, SaBIC and Sinopec (China petroleum and Chemical Corporation) signed a protocol of Cooperation in Riyadh to explore new business opportunities and confirm their commitment to the principles reached in earlier agreements, including one on polycarbonate collaboration which has been approved by China’s national Development and Reform Commission (nDRC).


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and the protocol of Cooperation represents our commitment to creating sustainable long term success with our partners. We look forward to powering our ambitions in delivering materials that will form the building blocks for China’s industries to innovate globally.”

al-Mady said that the protocol will strategically strengthen both SaBIC and Sinopec as two pioneering companies in polycarbonate production and applications in China. SaBIC brings to China its global expertise and experience in petrochemical research and production. the partnership complements SaBIC’s already strong engineered plastics manufacturing presence in compounded resin blends.

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high growth rates achieved by China. “We are really impressed by the significant milestones reached by China. We are proud to have entered the Chinese market in the 1980s, supplying the market with our quality products ranging from fertilizers and raw plastic materials to specialty plastic products to meet common human needs, as well as many requirements of the downstream industries.”

prince Saud added that the new project, along with the first joint venture with Sinopec, will strengthen SaBIC’s competitiveness. It could even lay the groundwork for further joint ventures between the two companies, offering more opportunities for two-way exchange of technologies and sharing of markets.

Speaking on the occasion, al-Mady said: “China today represents the fastest growing market for SaBIC globally. a key success factor in our rapid growth in China is the partnership with Sinopec,


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tRanSlUCent RooFIng & glaZIng

SaBIC has developed a new lexapanel* polycarbonate (pC) sheet standing seam technology in collaboration with amerilux International, llC, an authorized north american distributor of SaBIC’s lexan* thermoclear* and thermoclick* sheet products. the product innovation will give architects and builders exceptional flexibility to create sustainable and beautiful translucent roofing and other glazing elements.

Compared with other standing seam solutions, the new offering provides customers in north america and europe with far more glazing options, including choice of width, thickness, coating, color, structure and type of connection. Further, lexapanel sheet delivers the strength, weatherability, clarity and thermal insulation of SaBIC’s renowned lexan pC multiwall sheet. this joint, high-performance solution demonstrates SaBIC’s commitment in developing sustainable solutions that promote energy conservation while providing customer-focused day-lighting solutions to improve working and living environments.

“lexapanel sheet is a major innovation that addresses many different building and construction challenges – including cost and design freedom – with one versatile concept,” said Jack govers, general Manager, Specialty Film & Sheet, Innovative plastics. “our collaboration with AmeriLux will benefit architects, builders and integrators by simplifying the use of standing seam designs and encouraging integration of transparent glazing and roofing elements that admit natural light, reduce heating and cooling demands for greater energy efficiency,

and add style to any building.” “our work with SaBIC has enabled amerilux to offer the market a totally new polycarbonate solution that expands glazing choices,” said Kurt Voss, Chief Executive Officer, AmeriLux International, llC. “We have developed a unique concept that adapts to the building design instead of forcing the architect or builder to work around a one-size-fits-all product. amerilux is proud to offer our customers the outstanding performance of lexan multiwall sheet in a new system that promises to change the way translucent roofing and walls are designed and installed, thereby making it easier to incorporate natural light into building solutions.” MuLTIPLe aPPLIcaTIOns the lexapanel sheet standing seam system joins lexan multiwall sheet panels of virtually any length and width with a choice of connectors, including U-shaped, tongue and groove and custom configurations. Customers can specify the structure, thickness and color of the lexan sheet, as well as the coating they require, including unique enhanced ultraviolet (UV) resistant coating. SaBIC supplies the Lexan multiwall sheet products and profiles and amerilux is responsible for product conversion, assembly and distribution.

In addition to roofing, Lexapanel sheet standing seam systems can be used for many other types of glazing applications, such as walkways, canopies, skylights, and shelters.

environmentally, this solution offers excellent thermal insulation that may reduce energy used for heating and cooling, and permits natural light to reduce the need for artificial illumination. * trademarks of SaBIC Innovative plastics Ip B.V.

sabIc’s LeXaPaneL* POLycarbOnaTe sHeeT sTanDIng seaM TecHnOLOgy aLLOWs TransLucenT rOOFIng

SaBIC and amerilux International co-create new lexapanel* sheet standing seam solution for beautiful, translucent, eco-conscious glazing


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pHotoVoltaIC MInIatURIZatIon

SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business recently introduced a new, high-performance lexan* eXl copolymer resin that addresses the fast-moving trend toward miniaturization of photovoltaic (pV) connectors and junction boxes. the enhanced electrical and flame-retardant performance of the new lexan eXl resin grade enables designers to miniaturize the entire system by creating thin-wall parts, moving conductors closer together and integrating junction box systems – helping to drive down solar energy costs and increase efficiency. the resin helps customers to be more competitive and strengthens the solar energy alternative.

the pV market is one of the most dynamic global sectors, with compounded annual growth rates above 20 percent, according to the european photovoltaic Industry association. It has been the focus of attention as a viable and growing mainstream alternative energy source. “SaBIC provides specialized materials that enable our photovoltaic customers to improve the value of solar energy as a cost-effective environmental solution,” said andrew Kodis, Solar Marketing Director, Innovative plastics. “our focus on the photovoltaic market reflects SABIC’s active support for environmental trends such as

alternative energy, which depend upon technological breakthroughs to make them economically feasible. our broad portfolio of materials contributes to sustainability in many different ways, particularly by enabling new design approaches.”

Several factors are now converging to drive miniaturization in the photovoltaic industry, including efficiency advancements and increased home use of solar panels, calling for flatter, unobtrusive and sometimes integrated designs. “as leaders in the development of polycarbonate for nearly 60 years, we are able to leverage our deep knowledge and industry expertise to foster innovations in solar that help our customers achieve their sustainability objectives,” Kodis said. eXceLLenT PerFOMance the lexan eXl 9330S grade surpasses traditional materials in its electrical performance as demonstrated by a comparative tracking index (CtI) Underwriter’s laboratory (Ul) standard with plC-2 rating. Compliance with this tough standard means lexan eXl 9330S copolymer resists arcing in the presence of moisture and salts and, therefore, can be used in parts that are placed closer together (4 mm vs. 12 mm under Class 3). The flame-retardant material also complies with the Ul94 V0 standard at 0.8 mm, allowing thinner-wall parts to be designed.

In addition, lexan eXl 9330S copolymer provides exceptional low- and high-temperature impact resistance (from -40°C to 70°C) and corrosion resistance for good long-term performance and weatherability in a range of demanding outdoor environments.

LeXan eXL resIn Is useD In PHOTOVOLTaIc cOnnecTOrs anD JuncTIOn bOXes


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SeCURe, long-lIFe ID CaRDS

to identity protection technologies that benefit smartcard manufacturers and consumers alike. the product innovations were introduced at the CaRteS & IDentification show in Paris in November.

“Identity theft and the risk of counterfeiting call for increased functionality and innovation in electronic ID card design,” said lennard Markestein, global Marketing Director, Specialty Film & Sheet, Innovative plastics. “these two new Lexan* film technologies are critical additions to our ID card film portfolio, providing our customers significantly higher productivity in card production while incorporating a laser-engravable layer and a brand new option to create more sustainable cards with longer useful life of the ID cards.”

Lexan SDCX co-extruded film combines a core layer of white opaque or transparent Lexan film with a clear, laser-engravable

cap layer to avoid the challenges of handling separate thin film layers. Lexan SC92E hard-coated film for card overlays surpasses standard PC film in durability, including scratch and chemical resistance, helping to extend useful life and reduce resource consumption. key beneFITs as more sophisticated security features are incorporated into the latest electronic ID cards and documents, additional layers are required to construct them. thus, the individual card layers become thinner – down to 50 microns or less – and the manufacturing process becomes more complex and challenging. lexan SDCX co-extruded films solve these challenges by combining a very thin, laser-engravable layer with a thicker white opaque or transparent layer. This film permits high-quality, cost-effective laser engraving, including high-contrast personalization with a photo and signature of the cardholder.

With its processing advantages of easy flow for cost-effective thin-wall designs and high throughput, plus easy release from the mold, lexan eXl 9330S copolymer can reduce the total injection molding cycle time by up to 40 percent.

pottants and sealants are used in the pV industry to attach the junction boxes and connectors to the solar panel. alcohol-based sealants and pottants are typically compatible with lexan eXl materials. Several alcohol-based sealants and pottants have been tested to be compatible with lexan eXl copolymers, but in all cases, extensive testing of the finished part under actual service conditions is strongly recommended.

sabIc’s PV POrTFOLIO the new grade is part of SaBIC’s portfolio of high-performance, versatile materials for the pV industry. they include noryl* resin, which provides low density, dimensional stability over a wide temperature range (-40°C to 140°C), low warpage, excellent long-term weathering, damp heat performance with exceptional stability of up to 2,000 hours, and outstanding electrical and thermal performance. these properties make it suitable for use in pV junction boxes.

noryl resin also meets the industry’s critical need for a long-lasting, outdoor-resistant material. Internal tests show

that glass-filled and unfilled Noryl resins can withstand 12,000 hours of ultraviolet exposure. In addition, existing lexan eXl 9330 and lexan eXl 9330p materials provide low temperature impact and other benefits similar to Lexan EXL 9330S copolymer. While lexan eXl 9330 and lexan eXl 9330p materials are used in designs calling for CtI plC-3 rated materials, the newly introduced lexan eXl 9330S copolymer will suit designs that demand CtI plC-2 properties. Ultem* resins and lnp* specialty compounds are also being used for internal junction box parts and special connectors. * trademarks of SaBIC Innovative plastics Ip B.V.

SaBIC unveils two new lexan* pC films for secure ID cards to guard against identity theft, damage, and premature replacement

SaBIC recently introduced two breakthrough lexan* polycarbonate (pC) film technologies for identification (ID) cards that help simplify integration of additional security features needed to combat identity theft and counterfeiting. New Lexan SDCX co-extruded film and Lexan SC92E flexible hard-coated film provide solutions to the challenges of constructing ID cards and security documents with more and thinner layers and complex manufacturing.

Several years after SaBIC’s successful introduction of the Lexan Secure ID film portfolio, this expansion of its security product offerings with lexan SDCX and SC92E high-performance films reinforces the company’s commitment


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“ The two new Lexan* film technologies are critical additions to our ID card film portfolio, providing our customers significantly higher productivity in card production while incorporating a laser-engravable layer and a brand new option to create more sustainable cards with longer useful life of the ID cards”lennard Markestein, global Marketing Director, Specialty Film & Sheet, Innovative plastics

the print image inside the card cannot be modified without damaging the card.

Lexan SDCX films also provide outstanding resistance to heat and frequent bending, as well as minimal distortion. they are available in gauges ranging from 30-75 microns for the laser-engravable layer and from 120-275 microns for total thickness.

Lexan SC92E one-side flexible hard-coated film has an excellent abrasion and gouge resistance compared to uncoated polycarbonate film. It achieved a very good rating of HB (aStM D3363) in the pencil hardness test, showing high resistance to scratching in everyday use. the product also helps the card surface maintain gloss and transparency over a longer period than in similar products.

One of the strengths of this overlay film is the excellent flexibility of the hard coat; a 1/8” Mandrel bend is possible without

sabIc’s LeXan* sDcX cO-eXTruDeD FILM anD LeXan sc92e FLeXIbLe HarD-cOaTeD FILM HeLP aDDress THe InDusTry neeD FOr MOre Layers FOr enHanceD saFeTy

cracking or damaging the coating. even after frequent bending, cards return to their original shape. these features not only extend the card’s service life but also better protect data stored inside, such as passport photos, signatures, personal data, and holograms.

the hard coating offers resistance to abrasive cleaning agents and to the chemicals found in sun creams, cosmetics, oils, greases and fuels. another important feature of this coated film is that it can be laminated under high pressure and temperatures. Lexan SC92E films are available in thicknesses of 100 and 175 microns.

potential applications for these new SABIC films include electronic ID cards, military, government and police ID cards, passport data pages, green cards, driver licenses and border crossing cards.* trademarks of SaBIC Innovative plastics Ip B.V.


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lIgHt on tHe HeaD

3M™ has designed a new exceptionally comfortable, ergonomic line of hardhats and helmets made with SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business’ lightweight Xenoy* and lexan* oQ optical quality resins. The new 3M Versaflo M-series hardhats and helmets – used as part of powered air purifying respirators (papRs) and supplied air (Sa) respirator systems – are designed for protection in workplaces such as foundries, automotive refinishing facilities, chemical plants and construction sites.

The new 3M Versaflo™ M-series respiratory headgear product line uses custom-colored Xenoy polycarbonate/

polybutylene terephthalate (pC/pBt) resin for headgear shells and visor frames, enabling thin-wall designs which helps reduce the headgear weight by approximately 15-20 percent compared with the company’s previous l-series products. Water-clear lexan oQ pC resin, used for the visors, provides excellent optical qualities and high impact resistance.

SaBIC’s longstanding relationship with 3M demonstrates the company’s focus on working side-by-side with customers to help them achieve competitive differentiation and business success.

“our relationship with SaBIC has steadily expanded through collaboration on important new applications such as the Versaflo M-series products,” said Al Solyntjes, lead product Development Specialist, 3M. “the company provided high-performance resins that met our specific requirements, together with value-added analysis, testing and process optimization services that made a significant contribution to the success of this project. our customers have reported immediate improvements in comfort and protection with Versaflo M-series headgear.”

“our materials can play a key role in the development of next-generation protective gear that workers feel really good about,” said James legacy, north america general Manager, performance Compounding, Innovative plastics. “SaBIC’s versatile, lightweight resins offer designers new ways to enhance comfort, usability and aesthetics, encouraging consistent use and freeing workers to focus on the job – not their headgear. We’re proud of our ongoing work with 3M and its potential for increasing on-the-job safety in challenging environments.”

toUgH MateRIalS SaBIC’s materials offer key performance attributes to withstand these demanding work environments. Compared with glass-filled nylon, which 3M initially considered for the headgear shells, Xenoy resin delivers superior low-temperature ductility for consistent impact performance in cold weather. the material also provides low specific gravity combined with excellent flow for thin-wall parts to reduce weight. Xenoy resin is custom-colored by SaBIC at its manufacturing facility in Mount Vernon, Indiana.

lexan oQ resin, renowned for its high impact resistance and crystal clarity, enabled 3M to create protective visors that are thin but extremely strong. 3M Versaflo M-series helmets and hardhats comply with many global respiratory head and eye protection standards and are available worldwide. *trademarks of SaBIC Innovative plastics Ip B.V.™ 3M and Versaflo are trademarks of 3M Company, used under license in Canada.

neW 3M™ VersaFLO™ M-serIes saFeTy HeaDgear MaDe WITH sabIc’s LeXan* anD XenOy* resIns

lightweight Xenoy* and lexan* resins help deliver all-day comfort to the new 3MTM Versaflo™ M-series safety headgear


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SaBIC lights the way on high-end design freedom and weight-out for Britepointe’s new line of pioneering extreme brightness leD lamps

SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business is helping Britepointe, Inc. – a pioneering solid state light emitting diode (LED) lamps and fixtures manufacturer – break new ground with innovative new leD luminaires molded using high-performance Cycoloy* and lexan* resins.

the Hayward, California, company selected these advanced resin technologies over traditional aluminum for their light weight, outstanding performance and exceptional design freedom – essential capabilities for integrating a patent-pending thermal management system. SaBIC materials will enable Britepointe’s HyBeem high-bay leD downlights for commercial and public buildings cut energy use by up to 65 percent compared with high intensity discharge (HID) fixtures and fluorescents. They also last up to five times as long, thus potentially reducing maintenance costs.

SaBIC’s collaboration with Britepointe demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting the lighting market’s shift toward sustainable lighting technologies and reinforces the value of its high performance resins, which give leD lighting designers the freedom to take new approaches, unfettered by the limitations of traditional materials such as metal.

“SaBIC’s advanced thermoplastics are a critical element of our new HyBeem product,” said Tom Griffin, Ceo, Britepointe, Inc. “you cannot make a leD-based replacement lamp emitting tens of thousands of lumens unless it is small and extremely light weight, so using metal in this case simply wasn’t an option. SaBIC’s

strong, lightweight and versatile materials were the ideal solution to design our leD line and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”

Hybeem leD lighting from Britepointe delivers the lighting equivalent of a conventional metal halide HID or high-pressure sodium (HpS) vapor light source in a similar form factor with substantial power savings and a service life of up to 50,000 hours. Other potential benefits over HIDs include improved safety and “instant on” capability that supports the use of timers and sensors for additional energy savings.

HyBeem Bp400 series high-bay lamps deliver 15,000 lumens with the lowest mass and smallest size on the market today. They are the first to surpass the theoretical Shuja-line limit of 2,500 lumens per kilogram by more than 100 percent. typical environments where these are used include high-ceiling warehouses, gymnasiums, big-box retail stores and manufacturing facilities.* trademarks of SaBIC Innovative plastics Ip B.V.

beLOW: brITePOInTe’s neW LeD LuMInaIres MOLDeD usIng sabIc’s HIgH-PerFOrMance cycOLOy* anD LeXan* resIns

MolDIng leD lUMInaIReS


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CaRBon FIBeRDo you drive one of those high-end cars such as a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Porsche? Are you a fisherman, golfer, cyclist, sailor or an avowed wind energy enthusiast? Are you a frequent flyer or at least an occasional airline passenger? If the answer to any of the above questions is in the affirmative, chances are that you are an end-consumer of a product containing Carbon Fiber (CF), a specialty chemical product.

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CF is known for its diverse modern industrial applications. as the use of CF composites in automobiles and aeroplanes enables lightweight design and improves energy efficiency, major manufacturers such as general Motors, BMW, lamborghini, Boeing and airbus are leading consumers of the product.

the material is also widely used in the booming wind energy industry by companies such as VeStaS, Siemens and gamesa primarily in the making of wind turbine blades. the alternative energy sector is headed for strong growth in many countries around the world, and CF production will give SaBIC the opportunity to be part of that growth.

Key properties that have made CF a darling of the automobile, aerospace and wind energy industries include its high tensile strength, low weight, high resistance to fatigue, high level of temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion. CF is also popular in civil engineering, military and motorsports industries, particularly racing cars, boats, bicycles and motorcycles.

THe MaTerIaLThe usefulness of CF was first recognized in 1879 when thomas edison took out a patent for the production of carbon filaments for use in electric lamps – utilizing the electrical and thermal properties of CF. It was not until 1960s that the structural potential of CF was recognized when it received a major boost in terms of new technology and commercial production for applications in the aerospace industry, particularly for military aircraft that demanded stronger

cF’s LIgHT-WeIgHT PrOPerTy Makes IT an IDeaL raW MaTerIaL TO PrODuce aIrcraFT cOMPOnenTs

and lighter structural materials. today, CF is commonly produced by polymerizing aCn (acrylnitrile) and spinning it into fine filaments which are bundled into “tows” with different filament counts before the fiber is oxidized and finally carbonized at temperatures of up to 2000° Celsius. For high-end applications, the fibers are further processed by different methods such as filament winding (pressure vessels) or prepregs.

What the modern industry calls CF is mostly carbon fibers combined with other materials – like thermoset resins or thermoplastic resins - to form a composite. thus CF is also known as carbon fiber reinforced plastic and carbon fiber composite when combined and molded with a plastic resin. the unique advantage offered by CF is its extremely high strength-to-weight ratio. Its flexibility in processing also means that the product strength can be distributed where it is needed. a small piece of CF can resist a multi-ton load because the highly aligned molecular structure of the fiber makes it extremely difficult to break.

With improvements in production technology expected to make CF more affordable, its usage is set to become even more common in consumer goods including laptops, tripods, fishing rods, golf clubs, helmets and a host of other products.

neW sabIc PLanTSaBIC’s plan to enter the CF manufacturing business was announced in 2011. The first SABIC CF plant is


“ CF is experiencing rapid growth in some markets and SaBIC believes that it makes good business sense to enter this market”

Dieter lindemann, global Business Manager, Carbon Fiber at SaBIC

expected to begin production in Saudi arabia in 2015. the announcement came as SaBIC signed an international licensing agreement with Montefibre S.p.A (Montefibre) to use the latter’s carbon fiber technology at the plant.

the new SaBIC plant is expected to be located in yanbu on the premises of SABIC’s affiliate IBN RUSHD. It will have production capacity of 3,000 metric tons of CF per annum.

“CF is experiencing rapid growth in some markets and SaBIC believes that it makes good business sense to enter this market,” says Dieter lindemann, global Business Manager, Carbon Fiber at SaBIC. “SaBIC will also be backward integrated through acrylonitrile (an) feedstock. this will allow us to ensure stable supply of the product and competitive prices in the growing global composites market,” he says.

Derek Buckmaster, gM technology application Development, says the Saudi Carbon Fiber Company’s product offering is geared to fast-growing industrial applications and other diverse industries expanding into high-end applications as we gain experience. “therefore, we will have a good variety in the SaBIC CF portfolio,” he adds.

SABIC and Montefibre have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to investigate the construction of a 500-ton semi-industrial new CF production plant in Spain to be integrated into Montefibre’s existing

acrylic fiber production site — and thus allowing SaBIC to accelerate product development and produce pre-marketing material for qualification activities with customers and end-users.

this plant in Spain will also be used to train SaBIC staff who will operate the new yanbu plant. this will contribute to the smoothest possible start-up for the new Saudi plant.

as a leading player in thermoplastic materials, SaBIC has been making major investments in innovation and sustainability to meet the current and emerging needs of automotive, aerospace, building and construction and alternative energy industries – sectors in which SaBIC enjoys long-established healthy business relationships with leading companies.

SaBIC already produces a number of engineering thermoplastic compounds using CF which are marketed by SaBIC’s Innovative Plastics business. CF-filled Ultem resin is one key example. SaBIC has developed a family of carbon-fibre-filled Ultem resin technologies with varying fiber content to address specific demands for top-end performance properties. the initiative was the result of close collaboration between the company’s lnp specialty compounds and Ultem resin technology teams to deliver materials that help airlines meet the critical need to reduce weight, with the added bonus of up to 40 percent improved strength performance compared with aluminium.

“ SaBIC’s CF product portfolio will be ready to serve fast growing industrial applications”

Derek Buckmaster, gM technology application Development


pRoDUCt pRoFIle

sabIc’s cF WILL be useD TO Make sTrucTuraL ParTs In Mass-PrODuceD cars

sTraTegIc FIT “CF production is thus very strategic for SaBIC, and will encourage further innovation within and considerably strengthen its position as a supplier across several industries and regions. SaBIC is also keen to support the further development of the downstream sector in Saudi arabia and the region. Ready availability of SaBIC’s intermediate products and specialty products such as CF will help that cause as well,” notes lindemann.

the potential for Saudi downstream petrochemical expansion is widely acknowledged, and the availability of CF in the local market will appeal to the country’s investors, composite part manufacturers and material manufacturers. at the time of announcing the CF project, Koos van Haasteren, executive Vice president, performance Chemicals, SaBIC spoke about the potential to create a world-class carbon composites value chain in Saudi arabia. “We are looking forward to developing many new and exciting applications as we grow our ability to

supply competitive industrial grade carbon fiber products,” he said.

notably, the project will also include the creation of a new carbon fiber product development center and composite plastics application development capabilities at the SaBIC plastics application Development Center (SpaDC) which is currently under construction at the Riyadh techno Valley research complex at King Saud University. Both the carbon fiber production plant and the SpaDC capabilities are aligned with Saudi arabia’s national Industrial Clusters Development program to grow and diversify the manufacturing sector in Saudi arabia.

SaBIC’s Vision 2020 envisages the company diversifying its portfolio into more specialty products as well as strengthening its role as a major catalyst for downstream diversification in Saudi arabia. CF will be perfectly positioned help SaBIC achieve that goal while meeting the company’s international business expansion needs.

cF Is WIDeLy useD TO Make WInD TurbIne bLaDes

“ We are looking forward to developing many new and exciting applications as we grow our ability to supply competitive industrial grade carbon fiber products”


pRoDUCt pRoFIle

natIonal HonoRprince naif bin abdulaziz al-Saud, Crown prince, Deputy prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honored SaBIC for supporting the Scientific Research Chairs program of the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and extending financial assistance to establish the SaBIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies at the university. Mohamed al-Mady, SaBIC Vice Chairman and Ceo, received a trophy from prince naif in recognition of SaBIC’s support.


CoRpoRate SoCIal ReSponSIBIlIty

the trophy was presented at the opening ceremony of a seminar on “Salafism: A Shariah Approach and national Demand”, held at the university in Riyadh on December 27.

thanking the Crown prince for the recognition, al-Mady reiterated SaBIC’s strong commitment to support scientific research in the Kingdom by way of funding research chairs at Saudi universities. the SaBIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies is part of the company’s enduring commitment to support the development of innovative Shariah-compliant funding and investment channels. Such Shariah-compliant funding will add value to the Islamic financial markets, in line with SaBIC’s CSR objectives.

al-Mady thanked Dr. Sulaiman aba al-Khail, Rector of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, for his hospitality. He lauded the effective role played by the university in conducting research to advance Saudi arabia’s educational system. He stressed on the strong research

partnership between the company and the university, which has resulted in the establishment of the SaBIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies. Al-Mady was confident that the SaBIC Chair would achieve its objective of promoting the national financial and investment sector to enable sustainable economic growth, develop financial markets, and offer even more innovative Islamic investment products. the Chair will seek to help the Kingdom develop into an international center for Islamic financial services, boost the global status of the Kingdom in research and science, and encourage Saudi scientists and researchers to contribute to humanity.

SaBIC signed the agreement for establishing the SaBIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies with the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University on november 15. the agreement was part of the company’s efforts to support sustainable development in the Kingdom and develop a knowledge-based economy.

PrInce naIF (cenTer) HanDs OVer THe TrOPHy TO aL-MaDy (LeFT) In THe Presence OF Dr. aba aL-kHaIL

PrInce sauD bIn abDuLLaH bIn THenayan aL-sauD, cHaIrMan OF sabIc anD rOyaL cOMMIssIOn FOr JubaIL anD yanbu, Was aMOng THe DIsTInguIsHeD auDIence aT THe seMInar

the SaBIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies is part of the company’s enduring commitment to support the development of innovative Shariah-compliant funding and investment channels



SUppoRt FoR nepHRology

“ prince Salman’s patronage of the conference reflects his keen interest in advancing healthcare in the Kingdom, and his determined efforts to ease the suffering of patients”Mohamed al-Mady, Vice Chairman and Ceo, SaBIC

conference was attended by representatives from major Saudi hospitals, as well as from USa, Britain, germany, poland, Canada and Sweden. “this has made the event an important global platform for exchanging ideas and expertise on kidney ailments in the Kingdom and the region,” he said.

al-Mady said SaBIC’s CSR programs in Saudi arabia have assumed new, qualitative dimensions in recent years, focusing on serving Saudi patients. SaBIC has launched important health initiatives in recent times including the establishment of a hospital for mental health and addiction treatment, and a mobile clinic for the early detection of breast cancer.

SaBIC is also supporting the national Survey of Health and the “pressures of life” project. It also supports Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Society, and has extended a grant of SR 333 million in support of disabled children. these humanitarian initiatives are consistent with the efforts made by the Saudi government for the benefit of society.

PrInce saLMan InauguraTes THe nePHrOLOgy cOnFerence OF WHIcH sabIc Was THe PLaTInuM sPOnsOr

prince Salman bin abdulaziz al-Saud, Minister of Defense, honored SaBIC for sponsoring the Saudi International Conference on nephrology and transplantation in Riyadh. the event was held from February 19 to 22 in collaboration with the prince Fahd Bin Salman Charity association for Renal Failure patients Care.

prince Salman presented a memento to al-Mady at the opening ceremony of the conference for which SaBIC was the platinum Sponsor. Reiterating SaBIC’s commitment to support local communities, al-Mady stressed that the company has been helping patients, especially kidney patients in remote areas, to pursue their treatment options.

prince Salman’s patronage of the conference reflects his keen interest in advancing healthcare in the Kingdom, and his determined efforts to ease the suffering of patients, he said.

al-Mady stressed the importance of enhanced healthcare services. He noted that this year’s nephrology



CollaBoRatIVe appRoaCH Spotlight on SaBIC’s support for diverse community programs

SaBIC’s global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are spread across diverse fields including education and research, health and environment, crisis and relief efforts, support for training and employment programs, disability programs, various charities and other projects.

SaBIC’s strong commitment to CSR and Sustainability, the highest standards of ethics and compliance and a collaborative approach in responding to society’s needs was emphasized recently by Samir al-abdrabbuh, Vice president, Corporate Communications.

Addressing Saudi Arabia’s first CSR Forum in the eastern city of Dhahran on February 1, al-abdrabbuh pointed out that SaBIC has consistently reached out to the society and responded to social needs. the Forum was organized by Saudi vprivate and public sector companies to discuss CSR in Saudi arabia.

In a presentation on SaBIC’s CSR and Sustainability activities and initiatives, al-abdrabbuh highlighted the company’s strong culture of “powering ambition” of employees. He noted that SaBIC works hard to minimize environmental risk, with a

strong culture of safety and security across its global supply chain.

providing details of SaBIC’s positive contributions to global society and local communities through sponsorships, volunteering and engagement activities, al-abdrabbuh said that between 2004 and 2011, the value of the company’s CSR activities and initiatives reached SR 2.4 billion.

out of this amount, 69 percent went to projects related to education and scientific research; 17 percent to health and environment projects; 4 percent for crisis and relief efforts; 3 percent for supporting training and employment; 3 percent for persons with disability; 2 percent as support to various charities; and 2 percent for a variety of other projects.

among the recent CSR initiatives taken by SaBIC in Saudi arabia are: Saudization of contractor jobs; establishment of a mental health and drug addiction treatment hospital; sponsorship of a national mental health survey; sponsorship of a cancer prevention program; a scholarship program for children with disabilities; establishment of a mobile clinic for early detection of breast cancer; and sponsorship of a leadership summit for pediatricians focusing on detection of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

SaBIC’s CSR initiatives had come in for praise recently when prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for tourism and antiquities, called upon local companies to emulate the company’s model in discharging their social responsibility duties. aL-abDrabbuH receIVes a MeMenTO FrOM abDuLaZIZ aL-kHayaL, sauDI araMcO senIOr VIce PresIDenT FOr

InDusTrIaL reLaTIOns

the SaBIC-funded autism Research Center in Saudi arabia will help arabize an automatic language collection and analysis device called language environment analysis (lena) to help specialists in early diagnosis and treatment of language development in children. the technical aid is designed to help autism children, but will also benefit others.

Under the SaBIC-funded autism Research and Development Initiative, lena will be developed at the Center to effectively incorporate its use for Arabic language for the first time and then train specialists on its uses. the Center has been funded with a SR 45 million grant provided by SaBIC, and was launched at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center (KFSH & RC) in Riyadh on September 27 last year.

a delegation from KFSH & RC, along with an american autism expert, visited SaBIC headquarters in Riyadh on December 11 to introduce a wide range of innovative technical aids to be tapped by the Center. the delegation was led by Dr. Mohammed aldosari, Director of the

Center, and included two special care experts, asma alsalah and Iman ghazal. Dr. andy Shih, Vice president, autism Speaks for Scientific Affairs, was the american autism specialist in the team.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. abdullah al-Fawaz, Manager SaBIC Corporate Social Responsibility, said that the company was proud of its strong collaboration with KFSH&RC.

at a presentation during the visit, Dr. Aldosari explained the specifics and mechanisms of a range of technologies that could be applied in diagnosing and treating autistic children. He presented a model of lena, a handy automatic language collection and analysis device.

Dr. andy Shih introduced a wide spectrum of useful aids supported by autism Speaks, the largest autism advocacy and Research funding organization in the USa. the organization plans to introduce these cost-effective diagnostic and treatment aids in a phased manner in the Kingdom through collaborative efforts with the autism Research Center, he said.

Dr abDuLLaH aL-FaWaZ, Manager, cOrPOraTe sOcIaL resPOnsIbILITy, THIrD FrOM LeFT, WITH THe kFsH&rc DeLegaTIOn aT sabIc

langUage aID to Help aUtISM CHIlDRen

“ the organization plans to introduce cost-effective diagnostic and treatment aids in a phased manner in the Kingdom through collaborative efforts with the autism Research Center”

Dr. andy Shih, Vice president, Autism Speaks for Scientific Affairs



SaBIC donated equipment worth US$22,000 to the new Dommasandra eye Care Center that was inaugurated in the southern Indian city of Bangalore on December 6. the eye Care Center is located close to SaBIC’s technology Center that is under construction and due to be completed this year.

It will provide affordable primary eye care services to treat common eye diseases and injuries, and offer free cataract surgeries for the needy. “SaBIC’s contribution will help us deliver these services to the people who need them most,” said Dr

Jalpavashi, lead optometrist at the Dommasandra eye Care Center.

Venugopal Koka, acting Country leader, SaBIC India, said: “SaBIC’s growth in India is built on sustainable long-term partnerships, and wherever we operate, we want to help make a positive contribution. the Dommasandra eye Care Center in Bangalore is the first of more initiatives from SaBIC to address the needs of communities in the vicinity of our upcoming technology Center.”

eye CaRe CenteR In BangaloRe

sabIc InDIa OFFIcIaLs aT THe InauguraTIOn OF THe eye care cenTer In bangaLOre



In Spain, aStUS (the Custodian association for the Disabled) promotes the creation of stable employment for mentally challenged people through prolam Cee, its special employment center. aStUS is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of the intellectually disabled and sufferers of cerebral palsy. the association is based in Cartagena, Spain.

prolam, created in 1981, was one of the first programs created by ASTUS as a service for the intellectually disabled and sufferers of cerebral palsy over 16 years old. prolam’s goal is to improve the sufferers’ quality of life by offering integral services including work training and personal and social development. prolam Cee is the special employment center, which functions like a business where at least 70 percent of the employees have an intellectual disability.

SaBIC’s collaboration with prolam began in 1997 when the program was launched at the company’s Cartagena site. after 14 years, prolam continues to be a highly successful training and employment program for people affected by Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy. the program has run successfully because they have been doing phenomenal gardening work at the SaBIC facility after receiving professional gardening training.

CaRIng anDeMpoWeRIngSaBIC’s support to physically challenged generates training and employment



over the years, about 45 people have been enrolled in the initiative at SaBIC. Some have been working at the site for over 10 years and a number of others have been able to find work elsewhere after receiving their training at SaBIC. Currently a team of 15 gardeners are working at the SaBIC site on a daily basis as part of the prolam program.

CaRIng anDeMpoWeRIng

Jose antonio Jorquera, Head gardener, aStUS Special employment Center, says: “a more all-embracing society starts by acknowledging the existence of differences within that society. Cultural and behavioral values have to be changed from within in order to achieve this. Companies such as SaBIC have a great capacity to influence the transformation of society.”

Jose luis Saura, Site Services Manager, has only good things to say about the gardeners. “It has been a fantastic experience,” he says. “the service is totally professional and at the same time, you really get the feeling that you are helping people and the community.”

His comments are echoed by the Cartagena Site Manager theo van eldik for whom the program “is clearly a win-win situation. It is an excellent opportunity for the employees to gain experience in the work place,” he says. “they do the job with a lot of enthusiasm and dedication which results in good quality work and beautiful gardens at our site.”Saura points out an important success factor – many people that trained in the program have gone on to find employment with other gardening companies. Saura underlines how easy the

WOrkers buILDIng THe garDens In THe sHaPe OF THe WOrLD aTLas anD a rOckery aT THe sabIc PreMIses In carTagena



JOse LuIs saura, sITe serVIces LeaDer

relationship with the trainees is. “they are very good at taking ownership of their tasks,” he notes. “they are also very safety-conscious; there has not been one serious accident in nearly 15 years.”

Indeed, the success of the program is such that its scope has been extended. Whereas the gardeners initially tended the garden areas, they now also weed the unused areas of the plant and take care of the office plants.

prolam appreciates SaBIC’s role as a proactive partner in the program. “the people of SaBIC’s Innovative plastics business in Cartagena acknowledge the potential that the intellectually disabled have and have always seen the ability not the disability, while being considerate and respectful to us,” says Jorquera. “We are grateful to SaBIC for its support and collaboration in achieving this objective.”

as the SaBIC assurance program for eHSS Risks (SaFeR) was being conceived for an eventual launch in 2010, an important question needed to be answered: Why does a company that has historically given top priority to environment, Health, Safety and Security (eHSS) challenges, and has reported consistent improvements in its eHSS records, need a new risk mitigation program?

While that is an obvious doubt in the mind of observers, the answer was as obvious to eHSS insiders. “SaBIC eHSS always looks for ways to improve performance and strengthen risk mitigation. although 10 years ago SaBIC became an industry pioneer in developing incident severity-based metrics, the company’s new global growth and stature offered new opportunities to strengthen our system based on new learning and exchange of global knowledge and experiences,” says ali al-garni, general Manager global eHSS, SaBIC.

Recalling the origin of SaFeR, al-garni and Syed azhar Moin, Manager eHSS global assurance, said that Homood al-tuwaijri, executive Vice president, Corporate Control, asked the eHSS team to develop a methodology to quantify manufacturing sites’ eHSS risks, including process safety risks, to assure tracking of such risks and their mitigation. al-tuwaijri also wanted to make sure that the sites’ risks profile is incorporated into the SaBIC corporate risk map, which is under development by the enterprise Risk Management (eRM) group. In day-to-day operations, the senior management typically had only an overview of the diverse eHSS issues and graded risks.

sysTeMaTIc aPPrOacH Historical evidence from around the world seemed to suggest that some of the major disasters could have been averted if ground level staff had more senior-level support in taking make-or-break decisions. the discussions focused on the need to come up with a new mechanism which will allow senior executives to have hands-on information on all operation-related risks, and lend effective support to managers on the ground for making crucial decisions. thus was born SaFeR.

Moin describes SaFeR as SaBIC’s enhanced global risk management tool: “It is a systematic approach to identify, assess, record, mitigate and steward eHSS risks which goes beyond the traditional risk management areas. It defines appropriate levels of approvals required for continued operations in the presence of eHSS risks until they are brought down to acceptable levels at all times during the life cycle of the plant.”

“the big difference is that SaFeR covers all areas of plant operations, assigns responsibility and stewardship of risk management at various levels, and the senior management of operations is aware of risk levels on a day-to-day basis. In practice, SaFeR allows senior management and even the Board of Directors, to be hands-on, averting situations in which lower level managers allow a ‘risk’ to continue for reasons ranging from perceived low risk level to a hesitation to take those all-important decisions – for example, a decision to suspend or terminate a certain operation,” he adds.

‘SaFeR’ FoR MItIgatIng RISKSaFeR, SaBIC’s global in-house program, builds on the company’s formidable eHSS achievements

Homood al-tuwaijri, executive Vice president, Corporate Control, asked the eHSS team to develop a methodology to quantify manufacturing sites’ eHSS risks

BeHInD tHe SCeneS


BeHInD tHe SCeneS

saFer aIMs TO ensure THaT senIOr ManageMenT Is cLOseLy InVOLVeD In TakIng MaJOr DecIsIOns reLaTeD TO Day-TO-Day rIsks

BeHInD tHe SCeneS


BeHInD tHe SCeneS

Moin notes that the conclusions of the investigations into several significant incidents in industry clearly show that management culture prevented safety concerns to reach top decision-makers at the time.

“a key lesson from some of the disasters is that we must maintain a sense of vulnerability and perform timely and valid risk assessments on an ongoing basis. another is that there should be open and frank communications between the ground-level managers and top decision-makers who can absorb the risks involved in those decisions. We believe that SaFeR takes care of these considerations and offers a formal and structured mechanism for risk decisions with the involvement of top level management,” he says.

SaFeR was launched as a pilot program at two Saudi-based SABIC affiliates, SADAF and petRoKeMya, in 2010. Since then, al-garni and Moin have been conducting a series of two-day roll-out workshops to initiate the program at various SaBIC locations, as well as awareness workshops

for affiliate leaders. The program is already underway at several SaBIC operations: SaUDI Kayan, SaFCo, al-BayRoUnI anD IBn RUSHD in Saudi arabia, Bergen op Zoom, geleen and Cartagena in europe, and Mt. Vernon and Burkeville in US. the program is scheduled to be introduced in Asia Pacific in March 2012.

“the pilot program has proven that SAFER offers immense benefits in terms of strengthening risk control. eHSS plans to roll out the program at other affiliates and regions step by step with a target of implementing across all SaBIC facilities by 2014,” says al-garni. sTanDarDs Moin points out that SaFeR has resulted in clear, well-defined standards and a consistent mechanism for managing risks. Under the program, the affiliates compile their risk profiles every quarter, which is shared SaBIC-wide so that operations can benefit from each other. The results of periodic inspections to identify risks, inherent weaknesses in designs – which are detected and resolved –

aL-garnI cOnDucTIng a saFer WOrksHOP

“ a key lesson from some of the disasters is that we must maintain a sense of vulnerability and perform timely and valid risk assessments on an ongoing basis.”

BeHInD tHe SCeneS


BeHInD tHe SCeneS

and abnormal risk factors converge under the SaFeR umbrella, offering unique advantages for SaBIC global. “Since the program inherently encourages sharing of knowledge and experiences, SaFeR is already leading to optimization of risk control resources and clearer priorities,” says Moin.

SaFeR standards will converge with SHeMS (SaBIC’s Safety, Health & environment Management Standards), which already has a stringent eHSS requirements and a structured audit protocol. the protocol involves affiliate-level auditing, followed by corporate-level auditing to ensure compliance with SHeMS.

SAFER consists of a clearly defined typical risk assessment cycle and series of categorized risk mitigation guidelines ranging from high to low risks. the key phases of the cycle are: analysis of the system, identification of hazards,

assess frequency and consequences of hazards along with the risk level, decide on improvements and set levels of acceptability. the SaFeR stewardship program addresses the key question of senior management involvement in decision-making. It involves monthly review of the status of all risks by affiliate senior managements, quarterly reviews at corporate eHSS level and high risk status reviews at board meetings. the program also includes of well-defined risk-related KPIs for affiliates.

“as SaBIC strives to sustain and strengthen its eHSS achievements with the motto of going beyond compliance, SaFeR will have its role cut out – by focusing on mitigating, and if possible eliminating, risks,” concludes Moin.

MOIn sPeakIng aT a saFer WOrksHOP

the results of periodic inspections to identify risks, inherent weaknesses in designs – which are detected and resolved – and abnormal risk factors converge under the SaFeR umbrella, offering unique advantages for SaBIC global

BeHInD tHe SCeneS


BeHInD tHe SCeneS

CUltURe-RICH JanaDRIyaHthe Janadriyah Festival is an annual reminder of how Saudi arabia’s people lived in the past – and how the past connects with the present

For a country that has everything for its urban people – from luxury automobiles, computers, mobile phones and tablets to international fast food chains, luxury restaurants, global fashion and perfumes – the Janadriyah national Heritage and Culture Festival serves as the yearly opportunity to travel down the nation’s cultural memory lane.

this celebration of heritage and culture serves well to remind the luxury-bathed new generations of local youth and adults that even before modernity set in, Saudi Arabia had its defining lifestyle achievements, food, art and craft – and desert mobility. the festival is also a major attraction for foreigners, both residents and visitors, who partake of the wonderful opportunity to learn about, and often be amazed, at the richness of Saudi heritage and culture.

Since the annual festival was launched in the 1980s, Janadriyah has grown in size and popularity. the festival is traditionally organized by the national guard of Saudi arabia which is commanded by the country’s Crown prince. the festival consists of a number of events, mostly cultural, that are all held in the Janadriyah village north of Riyadh, over 40 kilometers from the city.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit the two-week festival every year, from around the country and from other countries. Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King abdullah bin abdulaziz al-Saud inaugurated the 27th edition of the festival on February 8. the country’s leading newspaper reported that more than 9.5 million people had visited the venue during the two weeks. the last four days were reserved for women visitors.

the event hosted pavilions from Saudi arabia’s 13 provinces, various ministries, and public and private sector organizations. Saudi Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers prince Miteb bin abdullah, who was also Chairman of the Supreme Committee of the festival, captured the essence of the festival in his thanksgiving statement:

“For the history and culture of the Kingdom, space and time were condensed to 14 days at Janadriyah so that anyone who is interested in the affairs of the Kingdom could view them at close quarters.” He cited preservation of heritage “so it can serve as a guiding lantern and become a matter of pride to future generations” as the key motivation to organize the festival.

a cLOseLy FOugHT caMeL race FLags OFF THe FesTIVaL eVery year


lIFeStyle

rIcH MIX OF eVenTs the festival opens with a tribute to the traditional ‘vehicle of the desert’ – the camel race. this year’s camel race saw the participation of 1,200 racers including competitors from neighboring gulf countries to win the attractive prizes that included cash and cars. aside from the race, visitors to the festival are also offered the opportunity to ride camels.

Connoisseurs will marvel at the spectacular cultural experience over the Janadriyah fortnight. It is a unique opportunity to experience everything that holds up as Saudi culture. Janadriyah programs include widely popular arabic poetry sessions, folk dances and a variety of folk music, wedding rituals, art exhibitions and lectures and discussions.

the Saudi folk dance is called ardah. the sword dance, which is performed by lined up men in slow rhythmic movements to the melody of songs and drums, is a real treat. Cultural experts say that ardah was originally a war dance used to motivate warriors, but has not become an integral part of Saudi culture, performed on most social occasions and although music is usually performed at Janadriyah by traditional musicians from different parts of the Kingdom, at this year’s festival, both folk music and ardah were shunned in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the Syrian people who are caught in a violent political uprising for several months. While the festival was celebrated, the song and dance programs were cancelled upon special instructions from the King.

However, on the festival grounds colourful pavilions and markets of different sizes showed the diversity of Saudi culture. Some of the pavilions proudly presented their heritage buildings and tribal traditions and there was no dearth of traditional goods on sale including clothing, utensils, traditional lamps and, most importantly, spices, herbs and dates.

Visitors also get the opportunity to taste authentic traditional Saudi food as women from different regions demonstrate their culinary skills at the festival.

pavilions from different provinces also showcase other traditional activities – ways of living and making things, such as traditional iron-forging, rug-weaving, pottery and handicraft items such as baskets made from date palm fronds.

For example, Janadriyah is incomplete without a live demonstration of how people used to draw water from their wells. on another location, there is an ancient oil mill that was a common sight in many parts of Saudi arabia – and probably

elsewhere in the region. the mill shows how sesame oil used to be extracted using a wooden rotating equipment using animal power.

the festival is not all history, though. at Janadriyah, modern technology comes in play to project Saudi arabia’s achievements and tackle current issues that are of concern to the society. For example, at the pavilion of King abdul aziz City for Science and technology (KaCSt), visitors get to see up-close four Saudi satellites; the Ministry of Health used the festival to build awareness on health issues such as breast-

TraDITIOnaL MeTaL WOrkIng skILLs On DIsPLay


lIFeStyle

feeding and diseases such as breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, renal diseases, obesity, malignancy and osteoporosis. the ministry pavilion offered free BMI (body mass index), glucose and eye tests.

the King abdullah University of Science and technology (KaUSt) was one of the main attractions at the Ministry of education pavilion. another draw was the presence of the “Messengers of peace” program of the World organization of Scout Movement initiated by King abdullah and launched last year.

a group of the “Messengers of peace” students from Saudi schools in Moscow visited the program’s stall at the pavilion and offered briefings on the vision, goals and working mechanism of the program aimed at giving training to scouts worldwide to promote world peace and spread the culture of dialogue. the 10-year program aims to mobilize 30 million scouts across the globe to work for world peace. eid al-anzi, director general of Saudi schools in Moscow who accompanied the students during their visit to the pavilion, said they are striving to encourage at least 20 million scouts to join as messengers of peace.

another major attraction was the Saudi arabian Monetary agency (SaMa) display of over 100

types of rare coins and currencies that had been in circulation in the region. Some of the gold, silver, bronze and copper coins dated back to 600 B.C. the central bank also used the festival to educate the visiting public on how to detect counterfeit currency.

every year, the festival hosts a different head of state as the guest of honor. as South Korean president lee Myung-bak was the guest of honor this year, the festival featured several Korean shows that highlighted common social values of the two cultures. the opening was also attended by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-nahyan, Minister of presidential affairs of the United arab emirates. the South Korean section of the festival was a big draw for visitors, particularly a time tunnel took them through the history of Korea and the arab world.

as the festival concluded on February 24, it was evident that the organizers had succeeded in holding up Janadriyah as a “guiding lantern” for the new generation. the throngs of young people at the festival proved that Saudi arabia’s new generation valued their traditions and heritage, and were keen to keep alive those memories of the old ways of living.

the throngs of young people at the festival proved that Saudi arabia’s new generation valued their traditions and heritage, and were keen to keep alive those memories of old ways of living

TraDITIOnaL MusIc anD Dance are an essenTIaL FeaTure aT THe FesTIVaL rangIng FrOM WOrk TOOLs TO uTensILs anD baskeTs, THe sHOPs aT JanaDrIyaH DIsPLay a WIDe VarIeTy OF gOODs THaT HOLD HIsTOrIc anD cuLTuraL VaLue


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