The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and China’s Sinopec have announced the start of the commercial operation of their new polycarbonate plant in Tianjin city in China.

The new production center is situated within the Sinopec-SABIC-Tianjin Petrochemical complex jointly owned by SABIC and Sinopec. Sinopec SABIC Tianjin Petrochemical Complex was established in 2009 and is a vast petrochemical complex consisting of nine world-class manufacturing units designed to produce chemicals, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

The production capacity of the new polycarbonate factory, a vital element in SABIC’s strategy for growth in the field of polycarbonate production in China, is 260,000 tons per year. This move allows the company to further cooperate with global and local customers, as the operation of the polycarbonate factory represents a new stage in the progress of the joint project between SABIC and Sinopec, and enhances the partners’ ability to meet the requirements of the regional polycarbonate market.

Eng. Abdul Rahman Al-Fageeh, SABIC CEO, said that “his company and Sinopec are opening up tremendous and mutual growth opportunities that achieve the goals of the national programs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China.”

“Based on our position as one of the largest leading companies in the field of manufacturing Polycarbonate in the world, our first-ever factory in Asia confirms our commitment to operating in markets close to our customers, enabling us to increase the level of service, speed of work and reliability of supplies,” Eng. Al-Fageeh added.

Last year, SABIC signed an agreement with Oman’s state energy company OQ and Kuwait Petroleum International to set up a petrochemical complex in the Sultanate.