The Saudi International Petrochemical Company (SIPCHEM) is pleased to announce commercial operation of the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant of the International Polymers Company (a SIPCHEM affiliate). The commercial operation is planned to commence at the company's complex in Jubail Industrial City as of Wednesday, 01/04/2015, after successful completion of testing the plant equipment and ensuring its efficiency, production capacity and products quality.
The plant will produce 200,000 metric tons of EVA and LDPE, and its products of polymers are essential for many advanced downstream industries and finished products. The feedstock needed to produce EVA and LDPE are ethylene, which will be provided by the Jubail United Petrochemical Company, a SABIC's affiliate, and vinyl acetate monomer, which will be provided by the International Vinyl Acetate Company a SIPCHEM affiliate.
On this occasion, the Chairman of the International Polymers Company, Engr. Ahmad A. Al-Ohali said the commercial operation of the EVA plant, which is considered the first of its kind in the Middle East, is an important step forward in SIPCHEM's planned expansion and growth program, where such specialized products come within SIPCHEM strategy to increase the added value of products through the implementation of integrated downstream projects using the company's existing products to meet the local needs and the growing demand in the global markets. He stressed that the capacity and efficiency of the company's management and employees enabled it to implement the project successfully, and that such product will open many areas for investment in downstream industries in Saudi Arabia.
The project has had a total cost of about SAR 3 billion, and has provided more than 200 direct job opportunities. SIPCHEM owns 75% of the International Polymers Company's capital, while the remaining 25% is owned by Korea's Hanwha Chemical Corporation, one of the major petrochemical companies in Asia.
For Europe SIPCHEM Company AECTRA and the Pan-European Plastic and Rubber Distributor RESINEX, BE-Arendonk, (www.resinex.com) signed a distribution agreement earlier. The start-up of the effective sales is expected for May from European stocks. SIPCHEM and RESINEX will offer SIPCHEM EVA Tubular Resins from MFI 1.0 up to 3.5 and VA content of 4.5% up to 22% for the time being. Main applications are films, foams other extruded items, Compounds for e.g. Wire&Cable applications and others.
