Riyadh, Saudi Arabia –March 30, 2017: Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara), participated as a strategic partner in the Kingdom Plastic Summit 2017 which took place on March 29 – 30 in Riyadh.

The event capitalized on the huge potential for the Kingdom’s downstream industries, given the development of industrial clusters and the formation of research centers, coupled with the strategic location of the country and its natural resources. The “Kingdom Plastic Summit 2017” explored global trends in the industry and the challenge of sustainability, how businesses can establish a competitive advantage, and their application within the value chain.

In his opening keynote speech, Sadara’s Vice President of Industrial Relations, Faisal Algurouni, said that the Kingdom views plastics and petrochemicals as essential to its economic vision. Saudi Arabia is committed to moving its petrochemical industry further downstream, looking beyond commodities to the production of specialty and high-performance plastics and chemicals that will create value-added end products for the growing middle class in the Kingdom, the Gulf and beyond.

He added that Saudi Arabia has many built-in advantages that are driving this move downstream: the Kingdom’s central geographical location amid growing world economies, its easy access to essential hydrocarbon resources – both gas and liquid – and its young, and increasingly highlyeducated, working population.

Algurouni stressed that “The Kingdom’s leadership has wisely decided to capitalize on such advantages in setting forth the priorities of Vision 2030 and Sadara is a key element of that vision.”

“The heart of Sadara’s chemical complex, its Mixed Feed Cracker, is now in operation. It cracks both ethylene and naphtha, for greater market flexibility. We have also begun operating two Solution Polyethylene trains and an Elastomers train. We are the first in Saudi Arabia to produce Elastomers, a very low density form of Polyethylene well known for its strength and elastic properties,” noted Algurouni.

During day two, Sadara Value Park Director Mohammad Alazzaz delivered a keynote session on PlasChem Park, a 12-square-kilometer industrial park adjacent to the Sadara complex that is being developed in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.

Alazzaz explained that PlasChem Park will feature industrial clusters that make use of Sadara’s plastics and chemicals, as well as those of others, to manufacture useful products for businesses and consumers. The clusters will create jobs for the Kingdom, and the multiplier effect “will take us further down the value chain, creating even more work opportunities for our youth.”The event was an important opportunity for leaders and experts from across the Kingdom’s largest industries, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to deliberate on ideas and opportunities for the sustainable growth of the downstream plastics and petrochemical businesses.