SABIC demonstrates innovation-driven growth strategy with new research agreement with Swiss university

PHOTO: Prof. Ralph Eichler, President ETH Zurich, left, and Ernesto Occhiello, Executive Vice President, SABIC Technology and Innovation, greet each other after signing the agreement in Zurich. (Copyright: ETH Zurich)>Riyadh, January 23, 2013 - Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has further demonstrated its growth commitment by expanding its multi-year agreement with one of the world's top-ranked universities, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich), under an umbrella agreement signed in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 21 for multiple future projects in a wide range of areas in technology and innovation.

Renault Advances Global Leadership in Sustainability and Plastic Fenders with New SABIC Post-Industrial Recycled NORYL GTX™ Material

BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, January 16, 2013 - Marking a new milestone in its distinguished 25-year relationship developing thermoplastic fenders with Renault S.A., SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business today announced that the French automaker has successfully adopted a new post-industrial recycled (PIR) grade of NORYL GTX™ resin as part of its ongoing drive to comply with the European Union’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) requirements. The OEM adopted the new SABIC material for the fenders of its 2013 Clio IV and will expand the resin’s use to the upcoming ZOE electric vehicle. The PIR grade meets quality and performance standards and further enhances the sustainability benefits of NORYL GTX resin for automotive fenders, which include a weight reduction and up to 47 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of the fender compared to steel. Renault’s success with this new PIR NORYL GTX resin grade demonstrates SABIC’s ongoing commitment to improve its materials technologies to advance customers’ environmental goals and respond to changing regulations.

SABIC’s Vibrant LEXAN™ THERMOCLICK™ Sheet Echoes the Dynamo's Distinctive Brand on Houston’s New BBVA Compass Stadium

Houston’s New BBVA Compass Stadium’s Enclosed Entrances Using SABIC’s LEXAN™ THERMOCLICK™ Sheet>BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, December 19, 2012 - When Houston's new BBVA Compass Stadium opened this year, Houston Dynamo fans were welcomed with a brilliant display of the soccer team's distinctive orange brand featured on enclosed entrances with a vibrant shade of LEXAN™ THERMOCLICK™ sheet from SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business. This new, state-of-the-art, open-air stadium is the first U.S. stadium to utilize polycarbonate (PC) LEXAN THERMOCLICK sheet product for its enclosed entrance façade. Enhanced design freedom and a brilliant orange color provided by SABIC’s 50-mm THERMOCLICK sheet made a major contribution to the unique style of the new urban stadium, which reflects the industrial heritage of its East Downtown location and the Dynamo brand. The material’s nine-wall configuration delivers a high level of thermal insulation for energy savings, and the 1,000-mm wide panels – twice the width of traditional panels – reduced installation time and labor to support tight construction budgets. The stadium is a new milestone in SABIC’s three decades of success delivering state-of-the-art materials to help architects and designers achieve ever-higher levels of safety, durability and design excellence.

PC Automotive Glazing Gains Momentum with Launch of Fiat’s 500L MPV Using SABIC’s LEXAN™ Resin in Rear Fixed Side Windows

Fiat’s New 500L Multi-purpose Vehicle (MPV), featuring Rear Fixed Side Windows Molded from SABIC’s Clear LEXAN™ GLX and Black CYCOLOY™ Resin>BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, December 17, 2012 - SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business is marking continued progress in the adoption of its polycarbonate (PC) glazing materials for automotive window applications with Fiat’s new 500L multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), which features rear fixed side windows molded from SABIC’s clear LEXAN™ GLX resin and black CYCOLOY™ resin. These high-performance SABIC materials help reduce weight by about 35 percent, improve aerodynamic efficiency and achieve the desired styling vs. glass. The Fiat 500L has already launched in Europe and is set to roll out in the United States in early 2013. The rear fixed side windows of the vehicle will be the first in the United States to use two-shot injection compression molding, which allows for the seamless integration of an aerodynamic spoiler. The Fiat 500L windows demonstrate the enabling power of SABIC’s PC glazing materials, the practical application of PC glazing in today’s mass production vehicles and the continued traction of PC glazing in the automotive industry.

SABIC's Tough LNP™ FARADEX™ Compound Helps Biomarine Enhance Safety and Durability of its BioPak240R Revolution Rebreather

Biomarine’s BioPak240R Revolution Rebreather is Made Using SABIC’s LNP™ FARADEX™ Compound>BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, December 12, 2012 - Rescue and HAZMAT workers, fire-fighters and miners depend upon self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when working in extremely hazardous environments. So when Biomarine, an SCBA manufacturer based in Exton, Pa., needed to improve the impact strength and ability to dissipate static electricity for the external housing of its BioPak 240R Revolution rebreather, it turned to SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business. SABIC recommended replacing the existing polycarbonate (PC)-based compound with LNP™ FARADEX™ compound – which leverages proprietary LEXAN™ EXL copolymer technology and features electrically conductive stainless steel fibers – and provided world-class design and molding expertise. The result is a tougher apparatus housing with excellent electrostatic dissipation (ESD) and greatly enhanced aesthetics. The SABIC-Biomarine collaboration showcases SABIC’s ability to help solve key performance, quality and cost control challenges, giving customers a competitive edge in the markets they serve.

SABIC’s 3D-Formed LEXAN™ Sheet Increases Visibility, Safety, Comfort and Performance of Rottne Forestry Vehicle Glazing

SABIC’s High Optical Quality LEXAN™ Polycarbonate Sheet is Used in Rottne Industry AB’s Harvesters and Forwarders Windshields and WindowsBERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, December 6, 2012 - Operators of logging equipment require exceptional visibility and protection against debris or large objects that may enter their cabin and cause serious injury in forest environments, such as tree limbs and other machinery parts. So when Rottne Industry AB needed a high-performance glazing material for the windshields and windows of its harvesters and forwarders, it turned to SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business for support. Working with SABIC and its distributer, Vink Essåplast Group AB in Sweden, Rottne Industry AB selected tough high optical quality LEXAN™ MARGARD™ polycarbonate (PC) for the job. The success of this collaborative project illustrates SABIC’s dedication to meeting customers’ ever-increasing needs for outstanding materials performance.

SABIC is making responsible changes to its business vision to meet future sustainability challenges, CEO tells Doha forum

SABIC is making responsible changes to its business vision to meet future sustainability challenges, CEO tells Doha forum. (Photo SABIC, PR065)>SITTARD, The Netherlands, December 4, 2012 - Recognizing that sustainability megatrends will drive the need for change in business and national vision, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) is integrating changes into its business strategy and priorities to position the company and the nation for the challenges faced now and in the future.

SABIC's commitment to sustainability reflected at Doha expo, led by CEO

From left to right: Dr. Dafer-Al Talaat, SABIC Vice President, Middle East and Africa receives Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, President of COP18/CMP8. (Photo SABIC, PR064)>SITTARD, The Netherlands, November 27, 2012 - The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) is participating in the Qatar Sustainability Expo, which coincides with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Doha from November 26 to December 7.

SABIC releases inaugural Sustainability Report

SABIC released today its first Sustainability Report, entitled “Sustainability+Performance.” The report affirms SABIC’s global commitment to sustainability and reflects SABIC’s systematic approach woven into corporate strategy and business focus.
(Photo SABIC, PR063)>

  • Affirms SABIC’s global commitment to sustainability
  • Reflects systematic approach woven into corporate strategy and business focus
RIYADH, November 24, 2012 - Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) today released its first Sustainability Report, entitled "Sustainability+Performance." The report, covering sustainability performance in 2011, will be published annually and will serve as a valuable tool for customers, investors and stakeholders to evaluate SABIC’s commitment and performance toward sustainable business practices.

SABIC VALOX™ Resin Helps Crown General Motors Winner of SPE® Automotive Innovation Award in Performance & Customization Category

General Motors Company’s 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Sports Car>BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, November 20, 2012 - SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business is applauding General Motors Co. (GM) for being named the winner in the Performance & Customization (Aftermarket) category of the Society of Plastics Engineers’ (SPE®) 42nd-annual Automotive Innovation Awards Competition. GM’s winning application is the carbon composite air extractor located on the hood of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sports car. This unique carbon fiber prepreg composite part pulls air through the lower grille and out through the hood, cooling the engine, increasing efficiency and reducing lift in the process. The part includes a water deflector molded from SABIC’s VALOX™ resin, which delivered the high mechanical and thermal performance needed in this demanding under-hood environment. The successful use of VALOX resin in this application not only allowed GM to bring the carbon fiber prepreg design to life, but also provides further evidence of SABIC’s proven track record and ongoing commitment to enable meaningful, high-end automotive solutions for its customers and the industry.

Polyolefin Innovations Power Customer Ambitions at Caps & Closures Europe 2012

SABIC’s Caps & Closures portfolio is tailored to smart packaging, secure sealing and easy dispensing. It’s designed for optimized cap design and processing in term of energy consumption and faster cycle time, and it’s optimized for life-time as well as end-of-life. (Photo SABIC, PR061)>SITTARD, The Netherlands, November 20, 2012 - Producers and end users of plastics caps and closures can find out more about SABIC’s latest developments in polyethylenes and polypropylenes for this dynamic sector at the 2012 Plastics Caps and Closures Europe Conference and Exhibition being held in Brussels on November 20 and 21. Customer demands in terms of organoleptics are very tough in the still water sector, and can be met by SABIC® HDPE CC860V, specifically developed for this application. Meanwhile, producers of custom closures for products such as sports drinks will be particularly interested in another recent SABIC development, SABIC® PP Qrystal QR674K random polypropylene, which is a step up in terms of processability from previous generations of PP.

SABIC Helps Chrysler Group LLC Reinvent Dodge Dart with Stylish Interior Illumination Surrounding Unique Floating Island Bezel

Chrysler Group LLC’s 2013 Dodge Dart Compact Car>BERGEN OP ZOOM, The Netherlands, November 20, 2012 - Ambient lighting is a growing trend in automotive interior design, enhancing consumer appeal. So when Chrysler Group LLC designed the 2013 Dodge Dart compact for young, style-conscious car buyers, the automaker turned to SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business to help create stylish interior lighting at an affordable cost. In collaboration with Chrysler Group and Mitchell Plastics, SABIC contributed advanced materials and design and development expertise for the unique eye-catching ambient lighting design that surrounds the innovative floating island bezel, which houses the instrument cluster and Uconnect mediacenter. The floating island bezel is the centerpiece of the all-new Dodge Dart interior. SABIC’s high-performance CYCOLOY™ and GELOY™ resins with molded-in color enabled Chrysler to achieve the Dart’s next-generation interior, which epitomizes the latest in vehicle design innovation. This successful project with Chrysler demonstrates the design-enabling power of SABIC’s automotive resins and the company’s ability to collaborate and support its customers throughout the development process – from concept feasibility to production.