As a result of its commitment to innovation, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has developed a more advanced technology for the manufacture of polypropylene. This is a fourth generation catalyst which can be used in several vital applications, the most important of which are packaging, carpets, piping, and automotive parts. This catalyst is a technological breakthrough, being the first of its kind developed in the Gulf and Middle East. Experiments conducted by SABIC at its plants Saudi Arabia and Europe confirm the catalyst’s ability to provide impressive results, making it superior to other catalysts currently used in the same area. This discovery will contribute to increased productivity, enhanced quality and new product development. It opens many windows for possible future application.
The new catalyst has been applied commercially in the SABIC affiliate, Saudi European Petrochemical Company (IBN ZAHR), and has demonstrated superiority over the previously used catalyst. By using the catalyst, production reached nearly 30,000 tons of polypropylene as at end of March 2010. This quantity was sold to local and international markets.