14 August 2017
DETAILS
Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara),
a joint venture between
Saudi Aramco and The Dow Chemical Company,
today celebrates
the commissioning of the last of its 26 plants –
an isocyanates section currently producing
crude quantities of toluene di isocyanate (TDI)
and other specialty chemicals.
The landmark commissioning milestone
was celebrated in the presence of
* Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, Industry
and Mineral Resources and Saudi Aramco Chairman,
His Excellency Khalid A. Al-Falih;
* Dow Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris; and
* Ahmad Saadi, Chairman of Sadara
and Saudi Aramco Senior Vice President of Technical Services
at the Sadara complex in Jubail Industrial City II.
A first for the Gulf region, the TDI section is mainly used in
the production of flexible polyurethane foam
for furniture, mattresses, cushioning and car seats.
TDI also has a variety of industrial uses, such as
coatings, adhesives, sealants, specialty foams and other products.
The TDI section consists of three integrated units producing
* di nitro toluene (DNT),
* toluene di amine (TDA), and
* toluene di isocyanate (TDI).
The DNT and TDA units started operations in April,
and the TDI unit began crude production this week.
The isocyanates envelope also includes
an unprecedented integrated facility producing
PMDI or polymeric methylene di phenyl di isocyanate.
The PMDI Plant began producing commercial quantities
in early June.
Additionally, Sadara is producing
another important polyurethane precursor
– polyether polyols.
The company’s Polyols Plant came on-stream in late July.
The world’s largest integrated chemicals complex
ever built in a single phase, and established
by the largest foreign direct investment
in the Saudi petrochemicals industry,
Sadara has been bringing its chemical plants on-stream
in a carefully planned sequence and will produce
more than three million tons
of high-value performance plastics
and specialty chemical products annually.
Sadara’s mixed feed cracker,
the heart of Sadara’s operations, started up in August 2016,
cracking ethane gas and naphtha liquid feedstock
to produce chemicals for the site’s other facilities.
Sadara’s four polyethylene production units
came on-line between late 2015 and early 2017.
Thirty-two polyethylene products have been qualified to-date,
serving more than 600 customers in 70 countries.
An additional four new polyethylene products
will be added to Sadara’s capabilities by year-end.
Sadara’s specialty chemicals portfolio includes
facilities that manufacture
* propylene oxide, propylene glycol,
* ethylene oxide, glycol ethers, amines,
* isocyanates and polyether polyols.
Strategically located to
benefit from competitive feedstocks,
Sadara will serve the needs of Dow customers
across the Asia Pacific, India, the Middle East, Africa
and Central and Eastern Europe.
To date, Sadara has more than 4,100 employees,
the majority of whom are Saudis.
Almost 2,000 of these employees have completed
intensive, technology-centric, on-the-job training (OJT) programs
at various Saudi Aramco and Dow sites
in Saudi Arabia and around the world
for advanced chemicals production technologies knowledge.
The Sadara OJT program is one of the largest and most
sophisticated technological training programs
ever undertaken by any company in Saudi Arabia.
In addition, the PlasChem Park, a world-class industrial park
for chemical and conversion industries
created by a collaboration
between Sadara and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu,
is expected to attract quality investments
valued at 20 billion Saudi Riyals,
and to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
Al-Falih
“Sadara’s commissioning positions the company
to fully deliver its promise
as a major catalyst for Saudi Arabia’s economic future
– a promise that will be felt in human terms.
“Sadara’s slate of high-value chemicals,
including many firsts for the Kingdom and the region,
will create the quality performance, value-added
and plastics products that support a higher living standard
around the world, especially in
the emerging Asia Pacific and Middle Eastern markets
that will drive two-thirds
of global petrochemical demand over the next decade.
In addition to transforming the Kingdom
from a consumer and importer to a global exporter,
Sadara will create new value chains and technologies
that will attract foreign and domestic investment,
spurring new sectors and entrepreneurial business,
and creating thousands of manufacturing jobs for Saudis.
In this way, Sadara is perfectly aligned with
the Kingdom’s national transformation goals
as expressed in Vision 2030.
By driving non-oil sector growth, innovation
and better-life opportunities, Sadara will deliver
progress and prosperity now, and for generations to come.”
Liveris
“Today marks a pivotal moment
for this game-changing joint venture – for Dow,
our partners at Saudi Aramco
and for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – delivering
market-driven solutions
that have never Public Information before been manufactured
in the Kingdom and supporting the diversification
of its economy in line with Vision 2030.
Dow has been a strategic partner in Saudi Arabia
for more than four decades and
is the Kingdom’s largest foreign investor.
Commissioning of Sadara’s final plant
marks a pivotal moment in the history
of this landmark public and private partnership
that advances Dow’s growth strategy
and will help transform
the Kingdom’s rich resources into solutions
for the world through a thriving manufacturing sector.”
Saudi Aramco President and CEO
Amin H. Nasser
called Sadara a major milestone
in Saudi Aramco’s strategic intent to become
the world’s foremost integrated energy and chemicals company
“Sadara is a flagship chemicals project
that significantly advances our ability
to derive the maximum value from every hydrocarbon molecule,
and to participate more broadly across the petroleum value chain,”
“The closer integration of Saudi Aramco’s refining networks
with chemical production
brings greater resilience and robustness to our portfolio.
Using raw materials provided by
SABIC, SATORP and Sadara itself,
the complex will transform raw materials and feedstocks
into high-value products
– a position of strength that drives business growth.
Our strategy to make chemicals a top-tier global business
will have a multiplier effect on jobs, industries and technologies,
especially through industrial parks
as a base for conversion industries
making plastics and plastic products from petrochemicals.
As a creator of entirely new products and industries,
Sadara is a transformational company
that will benefit all stakeholders.”
Sadara Chairman Ahmad Saadi
“Sadara has come a long way
from the shareholder agreement signing six years ago,
to the official inauguration in November.
Yet the commissioning of all our plants is not the finish-line,
but Sadara’s start in meeting rising demand
for high-quality chemicals, plastics and performance products,
especially in emerging markets, and stimulating
Saudi Arabia’s industrial growth across
the automotive, construction, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals
and consumer goods sectors.”
“The future will be demanding,
but our determination and commitment
are more than equal to the task.
Knowing Sadara’s ‘can do’ attitude, I’m confident
that we will exceed the expectations
that our shareholders have set for us.”
For further information, please contact:
Sami Amin
Manager – Public Affairs
Mobile: +966501922155
Email: Sami.Amin@Sadara.com
Website: www.sadara.com
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