SABIC UK in bid to ramp up competitiveness

04-Feb-14

SABIC UK plans to cut costs and improve competitiveness in Europe, as per Gazette Live. SABIC UK Petrochemicals, which has operations on Teesside including the Olefins Cracker and LDPE (low density polyethylene) plant at Wilton, wants to build a large storage tank at its North Tees site for new feedstocks. The North Tees site houses SABIC’S major feedstock and product logistics equipment and its Aromatics complex. A spokesperson said: “We are continuously reviewing the competitiveness of our assets worldwide including in Europe and on Teesside. As such, we are in the process of assessing the impact of new and alternative feedstocks on our businesses. It’s too early in the process to say more, but it has to do with alternative feedstocks and improving our competitiveness by becoming more efficient and lowering costs. The restructure on Teesside is also part of the plan to increase competitiveness.” Jacobs, a consultancy acting on SABIC’S behalf, said the plans will “create a more sustainable economic future for Teesside operations” and make the site more efficient. A report to planners says: “Alternative feedstock arrangements are currently available that would improve the sustainability of the business on Teesside, and to take advantage of this opportunity, SABIC must increase their feedstock storage flexibility.”