SABIC Academy

Transcription

SABIC Academy

SABIC
November/December 2011 Issue 104
SABIC Academy
Grooming leaders, nurturing talent
CONTENTS
18 INNOVATION MY IDEA goes global
04
18
NEWS
Round-up of news stories from SABIC
operations around the world
....................................
30 Analysis confirms low environmental footprint of SABIC steel
20
INNOVATION
After the successful completion of the pilot
program in Europe, MY IDEA rolled out across
SABIC globally to encourage grassroots
innovation across the company
....................................
General Supervisor:
Mohamed H. Al-Mady
Vice Chairman and CEO
Editor-in-Chief:
Samir A. Al-Abdrabbuh
Vice President Corporate Communications
Managing Editor:
Justin Powell-Tuck
Global Media Leader Corporate Communications
Senior Editor:
Vinod Menon
Media, Corporate Communications
Contributions to SABIC magazine are welcome and may be
sent to: [email protected].
Articles and letters received may be edited for length and
clarity. Every effort has been made to report accurate information in this publication. However, neither SABIC nor the
publishers vouch for its accuracy, neither do they indemnify
any loss arising through the use of the information. The
views or opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect
those of SABIC or the publisher.
Project Manager: Khaled Al-Masri
Group Editor: K. Krishnakumar
Creative Consultant: Frank Stebbing
Senior Designer: Hussain Mohammed
PO Box 301292, Riyadh 11372, Tel:+966 (1) 462 3632,
Email: [email protected]
©2011 Alef Publishing & Media
Reprinting in whole or in part is prohibited by law
except with the prior written approval of the publisher.
02 SABIC November/December 2011
•GPCA Forum, Dubai, UAE
•GPCA Talent Convention, Dubai, UAE
•Third GPCA Supply Chain Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE
•China Petroleum and Chemical International Conference, Tianjin, China
•Saudi Agriculture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
•Aircraft Interiors Expo, Seattle, US
.................................................................
28
30
32
34
40
stim 2012
Countdown begins for the 10th edition of SABIC Technical and
Innovation Meeting to be held in November 2012
.................................................................
SUSTAINABILITY
A Life Cycle Analysis of SABIC’s steel products proves
low environmental footprint compared with the processes used
to make similar products
.................................................................
LOGISTICS
Adaptive Dynamic Sourcing (ADS) takes SABIC’s supply chain
efficiency to a new level in Europe
.................................................................
COVER STORY
The new SABIC Academy is ready to take Learning and
Development at SABIC to the next level, supporting HR
and leadership needs of the business
.................................................................
CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
SABIC funds the new Autism Research Center in Riyadh,
draws praise for support to Disabled Children’s Association
and ADHD Support Society
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, P.O. Box 5101
Riyadh 11422, Saudi Arabia.
Published by
EXHIBITIONS & CONFERENCES
42
.................................................................
46
48
.................................................................
SUCCESS STORY
Flux Chair made from SABIC polypropylene is a seating hit;
Lexan* solar shading panels offer multiple benefits at Westminster
Green Campus
BEHIND THE SCENES
A global automation project aims to achieve long-term
excellence in manufacturing
.................................................................
LIFESTYLE
3D is the new rage thanks to a thriving show business and the
unending quest for a constantly improving viewing experience
.................................................................
FOREWORD
The past few months have been eventful for SABIC. SABIC’s year-end
review meeting, internal launch of branding, record earnings for the third
quarter, visits of leaders from business and government, new projects,
senior-level appointments for different regions and key announcements
related to Innovation make up the News section, giving us a solid feel of
SABIC’s global momentum. Reports about SABIC’s participation in major
international business and industry events in China, US and the Gulf region
reinforce that feel.
Two years ago, we published the news of SABIC’s decision to build a new
Learning and Development (L&D) Center at the corporate headquarters in
Riyadh. The Cover Story in this issue is timed to coincide with the opening
of the Center, now named SABIC Academy. It explains SABIC’s L&D vision
in the context of the company’s Human Resource Development needs to
support the corporate strategy and the company’s global vision 2020. The
SABIC Academy will undoubtedly play a major role in the company’s journey
from now on, providing new vistas of continuous learning and leadership
development opportunities for SABIC people – regardless of which business
they are working for, what they specialize in and where they are located.
SABIC’s focus on Innovation and Sustainability continues to generate
achievements that can make us proud. A lifecycle analysis conducted by the
Metals SBU has proven that SABIC’s steel production boasts a significantly
superior environmental footprint compared with competition. In the area
of Innovation, the Market Your Idea is being rolled out globally after the
successful pilot program in Europe while SABIC has also created a Corporate
Incubator and a venture capital arm to invest in innovative technologies.
Netherlands Logistics Award.
SABIC has launched a project to assess the scope
for improvements in process automation around
the world. SABIC’s Manufacturing Competence
Center based in Cartagena, Spain, is leading the
initiative, which is aimed at ensuring that our
facilities will continue to maintain the highest
levels of excellence in the coming years. The
project is featured in Behind the Scenes.
The SABIC Corporate Social Responsibility program
has expanded considerably over the years with
the company supporting diverse community
needs around the world as well as the countries
and markets it serves. The CSR section highlights
SABIC’s support for a new Autism Research Center
to be established in Riyadh, a program to support
the Disabled Children’s Society and the ADHD
(Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Support
Society.
Editor-in-Chief
We bring you two very interesting Success Stories. In Europe, the new Flux
Chair made from SABIC’s polypropylene has made a huge impression on the
furniture market and has won a series of awards. At the City of Westminster
College in Central London, new solar shading panels made from SABIC’s
polycarbonate (PC) sheet is helping to reduce building energy requirements,
and maintenance and lifespan costs. Yet another Success Story, presented as
a Logistics story, sheds light on Adaptive Dynamic Sourcing (ADS), a hybrid
supply chain management project in Europe, which recently won the 2011
November/December 2011 SABIC 03
SABIC NEWS
Year-end meeting reviews strategy,
bids farewell to Charlie Crew
ABOVE Individuals and teams were honored at the year-end meeting for their excellent performance
SABIC’s leaders and
senior managers from
around the world
converged in Dubai on
December 11 and 12 for
the company’s yearend meeting to review
performance during
the year and strategies
for the future.
Prince Saud bin
Abdullah bin Thenayan
Al-Saud, Chairman of
SABIC and the Royal
Commission for Jubail
and Yanbu, inaugurated
the meeting.
Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC Vice Chairman
and CEO, delivered
the performance
report for 2011.
The meeting was held
in the presence of the
SABIC Board of Directors,
all the SABIC Executive
Vice Presidents, as well
as senior managers.
At the gala dinner
on the opening day of
Below The event included several internal presentations
the meeting, Charlie
Crew, Innovative
Plastics Executive Vice
President, was given a
warm farewell. Crew
retired after more
than 34 years of
distinguished service.
The second day
of meetings began
with an overview of
innovation and the
opportunities that are
available in different
markets and industries.
Various presentations
highlighted real and
successful cases of
SABIC’s operational
excellence and provided
some very interesting
and practical insights
on how SABIC is leading
the way with new
and more efficient
ways of operating.
The presentations at
the meetings included
“Building Customer
Value”, “Excellence in
Below Prince Saud greets Crew
Crisis Management”,
“SABIC Co-operation
with KAUST”, “Examples
of Best Practices
in the Business”,
“Sustainability Best
Practices” and “Adaptive
Dynamic Sourcing”.
The meeting
concluded with the
Prince Saud and Al-Mady
honoring individuals
and teams who were
cited for their excellent
performance.
SABIC NEWS
SABIC to launch new
branding on January 31
SABIC will launch
and introduce a
powerful new brand
positioning with a new
brand look, materials
and new tagline.
The new branding
was presented to the
SABIC leadership in
Dubai on December 11
by Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC Vice Chairman and
CEO, and the Corporate
Communications
leadership team. A
spectacular helium filled
zeppelin airship soared
across the meeting
room, effectively
communicating the new
brand and displaying
SABIC’s new look.
Al-Mady took the
lead by introducing the
brand positioning and
commenting on this
new direction for the
company. “This new
promise is about driving,
fueling and boosting the
ambitions of all SABIC
constituents. The growth
relationship is symbiotic
and the success of our
customers, suppliers,
employees and other
stakeholders is also
our success. Knowing
this, it is up to us to
change our behavior
and engage them
properly to understand
their ambitions and
success factors and
ultimately help them
reach their goals.”
Following Al-Mady’s
opening comments,
the Corporate
Communications
leadership team, led by
Samir Al-Abdrabbuh,
Vice President Corporate
Communications, and
Kevin Howard, Global
Branding Leader, took
the stage to present
the new branding
in detail and explain
all the changes and
commitments that
need to take place for
it to come to life. The
company’s new tagline
was also unveiled.
“We want people to
recognize our promise,”
said Al-Abdrabbuh. “The
tagline achieves this by
describing what matters
most: the strength of
our relationships, the
impact that we have,
and the science we
work with. It is crucial
for us to invest in this
tagline through our daily
behaviors and actions.”
During the launch,
Howard also invited
several of SABIC’s EVPs
onto the stage to
discuss the new brand
in detail and give their
views on what living the
brand actually means,
especially in their parts
of the SABIC business
and corporate functions.
Commenting on the
new brand, Howard said:
“Our brand promise
is Powering Ambition.
Powering Ambition
of our stakeholders is
not just a story to talk
about. It is what SABIC
has been doing for
a long time and will
continue doing now with
even greater drive. The
company’s legacy of
above SABIC global
leadership team pictured
after the internal launch
of the new brand
Below left Al-Mady presenting
the new brand to the
leadership team
Below right Al-Abdrabbuh
presenting details of the
new branding
success already shows
we have the strength
and capability to make
the new brand promise
not only a reality, but
what SABIC is known for
in the hearts and minds
of its customers and all
other stakeholders. Its
success on this journey
will ultimately depend
on the dedication and
commitment of all SABIC
employees towards living
the brand through their
actions and how they
interact with customers.”
SABIC NEWS
SABIC earns record SR 8.2 billion
profit in 3rd Quarter
SABIC achieved a
record net profit of SR
8.2 billion for the third
quarter of 2011 which
ended on September 30.
Announcing the financial
results at a press
conference in Riyadh on
October 17, Mohamed
Al-Mady, SABIC Vice
Chairman and CEO,
emphasized that the
company maintained
its pace of growth
based on the reliability
of its performance and
sound operations.
Al-Mady attributed
the record achievement
to the efforts of SABIC
employees and recently
implemented programs
that have transformed
SABIC into an integrated
global company.
Al-Mady cited several
other factors that
contributed to the
positive results, including
increased production
and sales, reduced cost
of funding, the diversity
of SABIC’s markets,
and the company’s
strong presence in
global production
hubs, especially in the
markets of developing
economies such as
China, India and Saudi
Arabia. In these markets,
SABIC has maintained
above Al-Mady addresses the
press conference to announce
Third Quarter results in Riyadh
its competitive position
and continued to
succeed and grow.
Al-Mady said
that the diversity
of SABIC products
reduces market risks
considerably. SABIC
produces steel,
fertilizers, innovative and
advanced engineering
thermoplastics,
polymers, and addedvalue performance
chemicals. SABIC also
benefits from a stable
economic situation in
Saudi Arabia. SABIC’s
growth plans and
projects are moving
forward according
to the company’s
strategy thanks to these
and other factors.
Al-Mady said SABIC
continues to grow
and invest. It has new
projects in place for
the period of 20122015. With regards to
prospects for growth,
Al-Mady pointed out
that SABIC continues to
expand its performance
chemicals production
line to manufacture
a range of specialty
chemicals that will
drive the growth of
downstream markets
in Saudi Arabia and
abroad. He noted
that the company
has reached strategic
agreements with several
partners. This includes
SABIC’s agreement
with Sinopec for the
production of 260K
tons of polycarbonate,
as well as agreements
with Mitsubishi Rayon,
Montefibre, ExxonMobil,
Lurgi and Asahi to
produce chemicals
such as methacrylates,
polymethyl
methacrylates, carbon
fiber, elastomers and
sodium cyanide.
“SABIC’s business is
based on the reliability
of high capacity
operations that maintain
operational safety.
The company has a
strong commitment
to being reliable in
all its operations.
The challenges of
the marketplace,
the existing global
economic volatility and
operational challenges
are things that SABIC
takes into account and
deals with accordingly,”
Al-Mady said.
Al-Mady pointed out
that the positive results
for the third quarter of
2011 are a natural result
of the continued growth
experienced over the
previous two quarters.
The company has
continued to step up its
production capacities in
its different businesses.
The SAUDI KAYAN
petrochemical complex
in Jubail Industrial City
started its commercial
operations in early
October. Its financial
results will be included
within the company’s
consolidated results in
the last quarter of 2011.
SABIC has continued
to improve its
operations in order to
fulfil its commitment
to sustainability and its
efforts to strengthen
environmental
preservation. It has
also made great strides
in the repositioning
of its global brand
and on the brand’s
activation project, and
has also continued
to invest in programs
that support research,
technology, innovation
and the development
of human resources.
Al-Mady said these
factors also helped
SABIC recently to earn
the Stevie Award for
the Chemical Company
of the Year in 2011.
Chinese chemical industry leader,
Tianjin delegation visit SABIC
Prince Saud bin Abdullah
bin Thenayan Al-Saud,
Chairman of SABIC and
the Royal Commission
for Jubail and Yanbu,
and Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC Vice Chairman
and CEO, received a
Chinese delegation led
by Li Yongwu, Chairman
of China Petroleum
and Chemical Industry
Federation, at the
company headquarters
on October 29.
Li Yongwu also visited
the SABIC Technology
Center at the Riyadh
Industrial City after
a lunch reception
held in his honor at
the headquarters.
Commenting on the
visit, Al-Mady said: “We
are indeed happy to
receive such dignitaries
from China’s everexpanding chemical
industry. They reflect
our rapidly growing
presence in China
and our ambition
to be the preferred
petrochemical supplier in
this important country.
We have embarked
on a series of projects
as part of our growth
plans in China, including
manufacturing and
technology & innovation
operations. Our focus
remains on helping
our customers create
products that would
improve the quality of
life around the world.”
Li Yongwu is also
the Chairman of
the Presidium of
China Federation of
Industrial Economics.
He has previously
served as Minister of
State Administration
of Petroleum and
Chemical Industry, and
Deputy Minister of the
Chemical Industry.
Hongxing, President of
the SINOPEC SABIC Tianjin
Petrochemical Company.
The Chinese dignitaries
watched a corporate
film and a presentation,
and attended a lunch
reception hosted
in their honor.
Welcoming the Tianjin
delegation, Al-Mady
above Li Yongwu in discussions
with Prince Saud and Al-Mady
below He Lifeng and the Tianjin
delegation with Al-Mady and
other senior SABIC executives
emphasized SABIC’s
strong commitment to
the Chinese market and
the company’s growing
business presence
in China. “SABIC has
embarked on a series
of growth initiatives in
China, including a new
partnership with SINOPEC
to build a polycarbonate
plant in Tianjin and a
new research center in
Shanghai,” he noted.
He Lifeng, was the
Party Secretary of
Fuzhou city and Xiamen
before he was promoted
to his current post. He
was also the Xiamen
City Director of Treasury,
and later Vice Mayor.
Prior to these two
visits, SABIC had received
another delegation
headed by by Zhang
Gaoli, Member of the
Political Bureau, Central
Committee, Communist
Party of China (CPC), and
Secretary of the CPC
Tianjin Municipality.
Senior Tianjin
official
Al-Mady also received
He Lifeng, Vice Party
Secretary of Tianjin City
Government, at the
SABIC headquarters on
November 4. The visit
of the Tianjin official
underlined SABIC’s
growing business
profile in China.
The Chinese
delegation included Xu
SABIC NEWS
Al-Mady holds talks
with UK Minister of
Trade & Investment
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC
Vice Chairman and CEO,
and other high ranking
company officials, received
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint,
UK Minister of State for
Trade & Investment, and
formerly the Global Group
Chairman of HSBC Holdings,
at the SABIC headquarters on
September 21. The minister
was accompanied by Edward
Oakden, Managing Director of
UK Trade & Investment, and
Chris Innes-Hopkins, Director
UK Trade & Investment at the
British Embassy in Riyadh.
Al-Mady and Lord Green
discussed the prospects of
exploring new opportunities for
SABIC and the UK companies,
largely in light of the fact that
SABIC has considerably boosted
its presence in Britain after
its acquisition of Huntsman
Petrochemicals in 2006.
Al-Mady noted that the visit
came at a time when SABIC
is optimizing its international
above Al-Mady receives Lord Green at SABIC
operations, pursuing new
ventures for investments, and
focusing on technology and
innovation efforts. The creation
of SABIC UK Petrochemicals
was part of this global
strategy, with the company
now boasting a new state-ofthe-art 400,000 metric tons/
year LDPE plastics production
plant in Wilton, Teesside – the
largest of its kind in the world.
Operations also comprise a
cracker unit and aromatics
compounding complex.
“We work diligently
to improve the business
environment through
simplifying the planning
and development of new
infrastructure processes and by
maintaining a stable and clear
organization. We believe that
opportunities will be available
in the UK, a world leader in
manufacturing, technology,
research and development
in addition to bio-sciences
and creative industries”.
right Prince Saud with Kwon Do-youp
Prince Saud
receives South
Korean Minister
Prince Saud bin
Abdullah bin Thenayan
Al-Saud, Chairman
of SABIC and the
Royal Commission for
Jubail and Yanbu, and
Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC Vice Chairman
and CEO, received
South Korea’s Minister
of Land, Transport and
Maritime affairs Kwon
Do-youp at the SABIC
headquarters in Riyadh
on September 17. The
visiting minister was
accompanied by a
high-level South Korean
delegation consisting
of businessmen,
trade and industry
officials, and South
Korean Ambassador
to the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia Kim
Jong-yong. The SABIC
team attending
the talks included
several executive
vice presidents.
Prince Saud praised
the strong relations
between Saudi
Arabia and South
Korea, especially
in the economic
field. The volume of
bilateral trade has
seen a remarkable
increase, mainly in oil
and petrochemical
products, reaching
US$ 33 billion in 2010.
There are areas for
more cooperation
between the two
countries, especially
in construction and
medium and light
industries, he said.
The two sides
discussed several
important issues,
including ways to
further boost the close
relationship between
SABIC and its customers
in South Korea. They
also exchanged views
on the prospects
for joint ventures
and investments in
petrochemicals and the
construction industry.
SABIC NEWS
SABIC named ‘Company
of the Year – Chemicals’
SABIC has been named
‘Company of the Year
– Chemicals’ by the
People’s Choice Stevie
Awards – a unique award
that is judged each
year by leading figures
in business worldwide.
Amidst a gathering
of global dignitaries,
Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC CEO and Vice
Chairman, received the
award at the Eighth
Annual International
Business Awards function
held in Abu Dhabi on
October 11 under the
patronage of Sheikha
Lubna Al-Qassimi, UAE
Minister of Foreign Trade.
The SABIC delegation
to the function included
Abdulaziz Al-Habib,
General Manager, SABIC
Dubai, and Mohammed
Al-Motawa, SABIC
General Manager, Events
and Protocol. Ebrahim Al
Saad Al Ebrahim, Saudi
Ambassador to the UAE,
also attended the event.
SABIC won the award
after a detailed, twophased voting and
evaluation process of
nominees from July 28
to September 9, 2011.
In the preliminary stage,
35,000 top-ranking
business professionals
from around the world
cast their votes, after
which specialized
committees made a
final choice based on
the voting scores.
Commenting on
the award, Al-Mady
said: “SABIC has won
this honor due to its
leading position in the
global petrochemical
industry. It is a result
of SABIC’s global team
work, and is a reflection
of our remarkable
business achievements.
We are pursuing
the right policies in
serving our customers,
and are eager to
continue leading the
industry forward.”
Al-Mady added: “SABIC
is working according
to clear plans and
specific strategies for
growth and expansion in
several areas, including
customer service, access
to new markets, and
value-added products.
We continue to invest
in technology, offering
innovative business
solutions. We are
focusing on qualitative
development of
human resources, while
maintaining our highest
performance levels and
operational quality,
with a strong emphasis
on Sustainability and
environment care.”
The Washington-
based Stevie Awards
Committee screens the
companies in various
metrics including
Growth, Innovation and
Integrity. The awards
were created in 2002
to honor and generate
public recognition
of the efforts,
accomplishments, and
positive contributions of
companies and business
people worldwide.
The awards, which are
governed by a board
of top executives,
association leaders,
business press, and
business academics,
are conferred in four
programs: American
Business Awards,
International Business
Awards, Stevie
Awards for Women
in Business and Stevie
Awards for Sales &
Customer Service.
Left Mohamed
Al-Mady, SABIC CEO
and Vice Chairman,
fourth from left,
after receiving the
Best Company award
SABIC NEWS
SABIC announces new project in China
MOU signed to build engineering thermoplastics compound plant in Chongqing
SABIC’s Innovative
Plastics business,
Chongqing Xiyong
Micro-electronics
Industrial Park, and the
Chongqing Economic
and Informatization
Commission have
announced a
memorandum of
understanding under
which SABIC would
establish an engineering
thermoplastics
compounding plant in
Chongqing, China. The
announcement was
made in Chongqing
on October 27.
The move supports the
Chinese government’s
12th Five-Year Plan
to expand into the
country’s western
region and reinforces
SABIC’s commitment
to build on its long
heritage of serving this
important marketplace
with innovative and
consistently high-quality
materials solutions.
Chongqing has already
established itself as an
important industrial hub
for global computer,
consumer electronics
and automotive
manufacturers – critical
industry segments
that SABIC has long
served with local
materials technology
and manufacturing,
application development
expertise, and
design assistance.
This is SABIC’s third
Chinese engineering
thermoplastics
investment this year.
Earlier announcements
include SABIC’s
memorandum of
understanding with
Sinopec to collaborate
on polycarbonate (PC)
production in China.
A joint investment
between both
companies would fund
a new PC product
plant with an annual
capacity of 260 kilometric tons. The
second announcement
was investments in
new production lines
for SABIC’s Lexan PC
resins and films in both
Shanghai and Nansha in
2012. This comes on the
heels of a similar Lexan
compounding expansion
in Nansha late last year.
“We are in China, for
China. In the more than
30 years we’ve operated
in this region, we’ve
cultivated long-term
customer relationships
that have helped make
SABIC the first supplier
many of the world’s
leading OEMs call
when designing their
customers’ innovations,”
said Charlie Crew,
Executive Vice President,
Innovative Plastics
business. “Our product
portfolio includes
thousands of resins and
compounds with a wide
range of performance
properties to meet
diverse industry and
customer requirements.
And we are constantly
SAUDI KAYAN begins
commercial operations
SAUDI KAYAN, SABIC’s
Jubail-based affiliate,
began commercial
operations on October
1. SAUDI KAYAN’s
commercial start-up
signficantly boosts
SABIC’s total production
capacity. More
importantly, SAUDI
KAYAN also marks a new
beginning by launching
production of specialty
chemicals for the first
time in Saudi Arabia.
SAUDI KAYAN is the
largest integrated
petrochemical complex
in the Middle East,
consisting of a total
of 15 plants including
world-scale olefin,
polymer and glycol
units. The complex’s
product portfolio
consists of ethylene,
amines, phenolics,
ethylene oxide,
ethylene glycol and
polycarbonates.
SAUDI KAYAN
management and staff
celebrated the landmark
occasion at the complex
in Jubail Industrial City.
Mutlaq Al-Morished,
innovating to create
new solutions to meet
our customers’ evolving
application needs.”
Huang Qifan,
Chongqing Mayor, said:
“This compounding
plant in Chongqing
Xiyong Micro-electronics
Industrial Park is SABIC’s
third investment in
China in 2011 to further
enhance the electronics
industry. It marks not
only the settlement of
another Fortune 500
company in Chongqing,
but also the strong
support from a worldclass engineering
thermoplastics provider
to the industrial chain
of Chongqing’s laptop
industry. Here, on
behalf of the Municipal
Committee, the
Government, and 23
million Chongqing
citizens, I’d like to
extend my most sincere
congratulations and
warmest welcome to
SABIC for its successful
establishment of
the Chongqing
manufacturing site.”
The new compounding
plant, which is expected
to be online in 2013,
will produce several of
SABIC’s world-class PC,
PC blends and other
high-quality engineering
thermoplastics to
provide easier access
for southwest China
customers. The site will
have compounding
lines, color development
capabilities, and
advanced equipment
enabling SABIC to work
with their customers
and partners to create
new applications for
engineering plastics.
Today, SABIC in Asia
has 41 offices, nine
manufacturing sites
and five Technology &
Innovation Centers across
12 key Asian countries
servicing a portfolio
of customers across
diverse industries.
SABIC’s Executive Vice
President Corporate
Finance, who is also
the Chairman of the
Board of SAUDI KAYAN,
thanked the company’s
Board, SABIC, the
Ministry of Petroleum,
the Royal Commission
for Jubail and Yanbu,
Saudi Aramco and the
financial institutions
that had supported the
large-scale project.
Recalling the massive
logistics involved in
building the complex,
he said at one time
more than 50,000
people were working
on the site. “This kind
of project, the largest
ever chemical plant we
built, could not have
been achieved without
the help and efforts of
all concerned,” he said.
Al-Morished assured
customers of SAUDI
KAYAN’s commitment
to quality and efficiency
in delivery, and assured
shareholders that
their investments
are protected and
the returns will be
reasonable as promised
in the company’s IPO.
SABIC NEWS
left The groundbreaking
ceremony at the SOCC site
SOCC breaks ground for
tri-ethyl aluminum plant
The Saudi
Organometalic
Chemicals Company
(SOCC) held a
groundbreaking
ceremony for the
construction of its new
tri-ethyl aluminum
plant in Jubail on
September 18. SOCC is
a joint venture equally
owned by SABIC
affiliate SPECIALTY
CHEM (Saudi Specialty
Chemical Company) and
Albemarle Netherlands
B.V. (a wholly owned
subsidiary of Albemarle
Corporation).
The mechanical
phase of the new
project, which is the
first of its kind in Saudi
Arabia, is scheduled
PP compounding facility
opens in Bay St. Louis
SABIC’s Innovative
Plastics business recently
celebrated a major
milestone with the
official opening of its
specialty polypropylene
(PP) compounding
operation at its Bay
St. Louis, Mississippi
manufacturing site.
The new compounding
operation will supply
SABIC® PP compounds
and SABIC STAMAX*
long glass fiber-filled
PP (LGFPP) composites
for a wide range of
automotive applications.
SABIC’s new PP
operation answers fastaccelerating demand
from automotive OEMs
and tiers for local supply
of globally-consistent
PP materials in North
America, supporting
production of both
regional and global
vehicle platforms. This
is the second time
in 17 months that
SABIC has opened a PP
compounding facility,
having celebrated
the start-up of its
Genk, Belgium plant
in June 2010.
SABIC’s PP investments
underscore the
company’s commitment
to provide highperformance materials
that can help automotive
OEMs pursue weight
reduction opportunities
and achieve energyefficient improvements
in vehicles.
“In today’s fast-paced
automotive industry, we
continually strive to help
for completion in the
third quarter of 2012.
The SOCC facility will
manufacture 6,000
metric tons per year
of tri-ethyl aluminum,
which is primarily used as
co-catalyst in the Ziegler
our customers respond
to new challenges and
demands,” said Gregory
A. Adams, Vice President,
Innovative Plastics,
Automotive. “One of
those challenges is the
movement of many
OEMs towards global
vehicle platforms, with
the resulting demand for
high-quality, consistent
materials that meet
specifications across
multiple regions. With
this investment in
Bay St. Louis, we have
significantly boosted our
capability to meet that
demand and deliver even
more responsiveness to
our global customers,
their engineering
teams, and suppliers.”
Natta systems for the
polymerization of olefins.
The plant’s strategic
location in Jubail will
enable it to meet the
growing demand for
tri-ethyl aluminum,
which is currently
being supplied to the
region from Albemarle
plants in Europe, Asia
and North America.
Koos Van Haasteren,
SABIC Executive Vice
President, Performance
Chemicals, noted that
SABIC is on the way to
becoming an influential
player for diversified,
value-added specialty
products. The joint
venture is seen as a
nucleus for strong
growth in catalysts and
co-catalysts, and its
success will strengthen
the company’s global
competitiveness.
Innovative Plastics
installed the new PP
capacity in Bay St. Louis by
drawing upon the design
and technology of the
company’s Genk plant,
the largest greenfield PP
compounding plant ever
built in Europe. This worldscale facility supplies PP
compounds to Europe
and SABIC STAMAX
LGFPP composites to
Europe and Asia Pacific.
Genk also houses a
Compounding Innovation
Center with three
pilot lines designed to
speed the development
cycle for new products
and processes.
* Trademarks of SABIC
Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
SABIC NEWS
Key appointments in ME,
Europe and Americas
In recent months, SABIC has announced a series of key appointments
either to fill existing positions or create new ones
EVP, Innovative Plastics
Keith J. Smith, formerly of DuPont,
has been appointed as the new
Executive Vice President of SABIC’s
Innovative Plastics business. He will
succeed Charlie Crew who retires on
January 1, 2012. Smith joined SABIC
effective December 1, 2011 to plan for
the transition.
“Since joining the SABIC
organization, Charlie has been a
valued contributor to the success of
the Plastics’ business acquisition from
GE,” said SABIC CEO and Vice Chairman
Mohamed Al-Mady. “He has been a
valued partner and important source
of advice during a very critical period
of organizational change. We wish
Charlie the very best in the future.”
Smith is a graduate of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute with Bachelor’s
and Master’s degrees in Chemical
Engineering. He joined DuPont in
1980. His most recent position with
DuPont was Vice President, Sourcing
and Logistics, Wilmington, Delaware.
Prior to this, he served in a number of
key positions at DuPont.
“Keith is an accomplished executive
with diverse expertise and a proven
record of delivering productivity
improvements and growth,” said AlMady. “I am confident he will sustain
this success for himself and our
company.”
Regional VP,
Saudi Arabia-MEA
Talaat Al Dafer Al-Qahtani was
appointed Vice President, Saudi
Arabia, Middle East and Africa Region,
effective October 1. Al-Qahtani is
reporting to Abdullah Bazid, EVP,
Corporate Strategy and Planning.
“Al-Qahtani brings a strong
understanding of relationships in
government as well as a broad
and fundamental knowledge of
the investment aspirations of key
economies in the region,” Bazid said.
Al-Qahtani has a rich background
spanning executive management and
influencing skills. Prior to his SABIC
assignment, he was the executive
in charge of government affairs at
King Abdullah University of Science
and Technology (KAUST). Previously
he held key senior roles several
national and regional organizations.
Al-Qahtani holds a Phd in Quality
Management from the Arabian Academy
for Sciences, Technology and Marine
Transport, Alexandria, Egypt; a Master’s
degree in Information Studies from
Loughborogh University of Technology
in the UK; and a Bachelor’s degree
in Agricultural Sciences, Major Food
Industries and Animal Production, from
King Saud University, Riyadh. He also holds
a diploma in Economics and Working
Methods from the University of California.
Regional VP, Americas
John Dearborn was appointed to the
newly created position of Regional
VP, Americas effective September 26.
Dearborn is based in Houston, Texas,
and is reporting to Abdullah Bazid,
EVP, Corporate Strategy and Planning.
“The Americas region plays a
critical role in the future success of
our Company,” said Bazid. “John’s
extensive leadership experience and
in-depth knowledge of the chemical
industry will undoubtedly help drive
SABIC’s growth agenda forward.”
Dearborn brings over 30 years
of experience in the chemical
industry. From 1981 to 2001 he
held various roles in the Union
Carbide Corporation. In 2001 he
joined Dow Chemical Company
where he held VP roles for a
variety of global business units
including Technology Licensing
and Catalysts, Olefins, and Energy.
He also served as President, India,
Middle East and Africa region.
Most recently, Dearborn was
the VP, Business Development,
Global Energy Megatrend.
Dearborn holds a Master’s degree
in chemical engineering from the
Stevens Institute of Technology, and
an MBA in finance and international
business from the Stern School of
Business, at New York University.
SABIC NEWS
New country
leaders for
Europe
VP, Global Supply Chain
Saleh Al-Shabnan, who oversaw the
corporate supply chain project EMDAD,
has been promoted as Vice President,
Global Supply Chain Center of Excellence,
Corporate Strategy and Planning,
effective December 1. He served in
several key positions before assuming
the EMDAD assignment in 2007.
Al-Shabnan is a graduate in Industrial
Management from King Fahad
University of Petroleum and Minerals
(KFUPM) of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
As the EMDAD Project Executive
with the responsibility to head up a
global initiative to develop an industry
leading supply chain capability for
SABIC, Al-Shabnan has been reporting
directly to the Vice Chairman and CEO.
His mandate is to develop a globally
integrated supply chain supported
by a world-class IT platform, business
processes and global logistics network
and infrastructure for SABIC’s Chemicals,
Polymers, Metals, Fertilizers and
Performance Chemicals businesses. In
2009, Al-Shabnan was also nominated as
the General Manager of the Chemicals
SBU supply chain. In his new global
role as Vice President, Global Supply
Chain COE, he will oversee supply chain
process and continuous improvement,
technology and innovation, project
management and logistics strategic
sourcing serving all products and SBUs.
HR Director, Europe
Wim Dufourné joined SABIC as
the Human Resources Director for
Europe on November 1, reporting
to HR EVP Yousef Al-Benyan.
Dufourné comes with 20 years
of HR experience at Shell, and
brings international experience
from assignments in Europe, Asia,
and the Middle East. He will work
from offices in Bergen op Zoom
and Sittard, and provide leadership
to the HR team across Europe.
Dufourné , who has a Master’s
degree in International Law from
Erasmus University in Rotterdam,
joined Shell’s HR team in Rijswijk in
the Netherlands after university,
and progressed to many other HR
manager assignments in different
divisions. This experience includes
a senior HR role in Southeast Asia,
where he gained experience with
nationalization arrangements. He
spent several years in the UK with
Shell’s chemical business, including
an assignment leading HR support
for mergers and acquisitions.
He has also carried out executive
leadership roles in HR with Rabobank
International and Suzlon Energy,
as well as managed his own
consulting service. Dufourné has
regional experience from a previous
assignment at Maersk Oil in Qatar.
In Europe, SABIC has appointed new country
leaders. The new structure will ensure a
common approach that will be focused on
supporting the needs of local markets and
customers. It will also help SABIC customers
benefit from the combination of the
company’s global assets and local expertise.
The appointment of country leaders (pictured
below) will ensure an even stronger local SABIC
presence across Europe with a dedicated
team focused on providing tailored customer
service. By combining a deep understanding
of local market challenges and a reliable
supply of an extensive material portfolio,
SABIC continues to be a strong partner who
supports the ambitions of its customers.
Huub Meessen, former Vice President
Europe, says: “By bringing the existing business
and sales organizations literally under one
roof across our European sales network, we
will be in a much better position to provide
customers with coordinated access to the
company’s full portfolio of materials and
services, as well as aligned service practices
to accelerate time to market. Furthermore we
will be better able to connect with relevant
plastics governances and institutes.”
FROM LEFT Giorgos Moukas, CL Greece; Paul Booth, European
Director for Government Relations & Public Affairs; Daniel
Gambus, CL Iberica; Huub Meessen, former Vice President Europe;
Henriëtte Smulders, Lead Sales Offices Planning & Performance
Management & Change Manager; Olivier Janin, CL France; Henrik
Hansen, CL Nordic; Aniko Nyeki, CL Hungary; Konrad Hellmann,
CL Germany; Daniele Petrini, CL Italy; Piotr Kwiecien, CL Poland;
Michael Allen, CL UK; Hilde Janssen, Management Assistant;
Roberto Pozzi, CL Czech Republic; Russia’s CL Geert Drummen is not
in the picture
SABIC NEWS
SABIC Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Award launched at KAUST
SABIC has launched a
one-year post-doctoral
fellowship program in
cooperation with King
Abdullah University of
Science and Technology
(KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.
At an inaugural function
on November 19 at
the KAUST campus in
Thuwal near Jeddah, 15
post-doctoral fellows
from the university were
awarded the fellowship.
The fellowships
have been instituted
to support talented
scientists and
technologists with the
goal of finding solutions
for local and global
challenges. “We are
supporting outstanding
research that is not
only related to our
business and future
plans, but also relevant
to the development and
expansion of knowledge
for the benefit of
humankind. Most of
these investigative areas
are long-term, blue-sky,
and are intended to
serve the interests of the
Kingdom, the region and
the world,” Mohamed
Al-Mady, SABIC Vice
Chairman and CEO, said.
Prof. Stefan Catsicas,
KAUST Provost, said:
“We are truly proud of
our young scientists
and grateful that their
post-doctoral research
has been endorsed
by SABIC in this way.
These fellowships
represent more than
just financial support to
these 15 researchers,
they represent an
understanding that true
solutions to the greatest
challenges of our time
– food, water, energy,
and the environment –
are multi-dimensional
and require the input
and collaboration
of all sectors.”
The 15 post-doctoral
fellows who received
the inaugural awards
belonged to three
academic divisions
at KAUST: Chemical
and Life Sciences
and Engineering;
Mathematical and
Computer Sciences
and Engineering; and
Physical Sciences and
Engineering. The winning
fellows’ research interests
span the critical areas
of new and renewable
energies, water research,
advanced materials,
catalysis, scientific
computational services,
renewable feedstocks,
materials engineering,
and nanotechnologies.
Candidates for the
awards were nominated
by their research
supervisors, while the
winners were selected
by a specialized
committee comprised
of experts from SABIC
and the university.
This award will be
granted annually for
below Some of the SABIC
fellowship awardees with
KAUST and SABIC officials after
the inaugural function
five years to exceptional
post-doctoral researchers
involved in areas of
long-term research.
The winning fellows will
receive funding support
from SABIC for one
year of their research at
KAUST. The program will
be evaluated annually
by joint experts from
SABIC and KAUST and
based on the outcome
and performance of
the fellows, research
funds may be renewed
or awarded to other
candidates.
Dr. Ernesto Occhiello,
SABIC Executive Vice
President for Technology
and Innovation,
commented: “Research
excellence has been
instrumental in making
SABIC an outstanding
petrochemical success
story. By continuing to
invest in technology
and innovation, SABIC
is creating market
opportunities and
products that will ensure
its sustainable success.
SABIC’s support for the
awards is part of our
strategic partnership
with the university to
produce advanced
technologies and
innovative solutions.”
Dr. Abdullah Almojel,
Vice President for
University Development
at KAUST, said: “The
SABIC Post-Doctoral
Fellowship Awards
represent an exciting
cooperation between
SABIC and KAUST – a
cooperation intended
to support the research
programs of talented
young scientists,
and to promote
the development
of technology and
innovation in Saudi
Arabia. At the University
Development, our
mission is to attract and
steward partnerships
with donors and funding
partners that share the
vision of our university.
In SABIC we believe we
have found a long-term
partner that exemplifies
a shared commitment
to harnessing science
and technology for
the benefit of the
people of Saudi Arabia
and beyond.”
SABIC NEWS
Kaust lauds
strong partnership
The King Abdullah University for Science and
Technology (KAUST) has described SABIC as a
“strong partner and supporter” of its research
initiatives. A report in the university’s periodical,
‘KAUST in Review’, says that since SABIC’s Strategic
Partner membership in the KAUST Industrial
Collaboration Program began in May 2009, the
company’s involvement at various symposiums,
inaugural events, roundtable discussions and Career
Days has shown that it values its relationship with
the university, its faculty, scientists and students.
The report notes that SABIC has steadily
strengthened and diversified its participation with
KAUST over the years – just as it has grown since
its founding in 1976 to become one of the world‘s
largest petrochemical companies today, with its
clear vision to become the world‘s preferred leader
in chemicals.
Referring to SABIC’s ongoing collaboration
with KAUST, the report points out that SABIC
has established a Center for Research and
Innovation (CRI) at the university. Within five
years, SABIC CRI will house about 150 scientists
in diversified disciplines. By the end of 2011, the
company plans to have about one-third of that
number in residence on the KAUST campus,
and working in CRI.
The vision of this Innovation Center is to serve as a
bridge between industry and academia with special
focus on strategic areas like alternative feedstock,
like bio-renewables, fundamental catalysis,
advanced materials for future technologies like solar,
membranes and flexible electronics and water.
“Equally exciting is SABIC‘s commitment to
funding horizontal research. The company is
currently supporting 15 post-doctoral researchers
and scientists at KAUST who are affiliated with
various KAUST Research Centers,” it says.
The diverse SABIC portfolio provides a wide
range of research environment and exceptional
opportunities for academia-industry partnerships.
With one to three years of SABIC sponsorship, these
young researchers will be supervised, evaluated,
and further challenged to make an impact on
innovation, creativity and commerce, as SABIC‘s
social responsibility and “culture of innovation” join
hands to develop and support new talent.
“Continuing to build the SABIC bridge between
the university and industry, SABIC is establishing
a five-year Endowed Research Chair in the field of
polymer catalysis, and also sponsoring joint research
programs at various KAUST Research Centers,” the
article says.
above Al-Benyan (second from right) listens as Al-Ansari explains the university’s
facilities using a display model
SABIC, PMU sign
Foreign Scholarship
Preparatory Program
SABIC and Prince Mohammad
bin Fahd University (PMU) in
Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region
have signed an agreement
under which the university will
conduct an intensive threemonth preparatory program
for SABIC students, who will
be sent on scholarship to
the United States early 2012.
These students represent
the seventh batch of SABIC
Foreign Scholarship Program,
which was launched in 2005.
The signing ceremony was
held on August 23 at the PMU
headquarters in Al-Khobar, in
the presence of Yousef AlBenyan, SABIC Executive Vice
President, Human Resources,
and Dr. Issa Al-Ansari, PMU
Rector. Al-Benyan and the
accompanying delegation
received a detailed briefing
about the university and its
advanced educational facilities.
Al-Benyan said SABIC wants
to ensure that the students are
fully prepared before they are
sent out to live among other
communities. Al-Ansari assured
that the PMU training program
was designed according to
the needs of SABIC Education
Programs, aiming to provide the
students with basic skills. They
include English language skills and
other such necessities, as well as
preparing them to understand
Western culture and the skills of
adapting. They were also briefed
on how to engage with American
society and go about their daily
life with confidence to make it
easier for them to successfully
complete their studies in the US.
SABIC NEWS
Rayong plant
draws safety
praise
SABIC Thailand’s Rayong plant recently conducted
an elaborate emergency response drill at the plant
premises that was witnessed by over 200 people
including provincial authorities. Fire trucks rolled
into the plant premises and fire fighters in full gear
prepared to hit the facility with the water jets as
SABIC represented more than 200 companies from
the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate to stage
the plant-wide emergency response drill. The
exercise included fire-fighting, first aid, chemical
spill response and environmental monitoring.
Thawatchai Theadphouthai, Governor of
Rayong Province, praised the professionalism of
SABIC’s emergency response team: “This is one
of the best emergency response teams I have
seen in Eastern Seaboard Industrial Park. The
team was extremely professional and skillful,
and operated with a high level of efficiency.”
The demonstration was initiated by the Industrial
Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) and the Rayong
Provincial Government, and was attended by
members of the local community, government
officials, and employees from neighboring plants.
“It is critical that we are prepared for all kinds of
emergencies as part of our commitment to industrial
safety,” said Sarun Sangkatavat, SABIC Thailand
Country Leader, highlighting the importance of
emergency response readiness. “There is nothing
more important than to ensure that our people
go home safely to their families every day.”
The successful drill demonstration followed the
sixth consecutive Thailand National Best Safety
Management Award received by the Rayong plant in
July this year for its outstanding EHSS performance.
Above Fire fighters geared up in self-contained breathing
apparatus and water hoses
SAFER workshop held
in the Netherlands
SABIC’s European EHSS
(Environment, Health, Safety
and Security) hosted and
organized a four-day regional
program recently at the
Bergen Op Zoom site in the
Netherlands. The key event at
the program was the SAFER
(SABIC Assurance Program for
EHSS Risks) leadership awareness
workshop on September 28
attended by senior SABIC
staff from representing
various sites and functions.
The workshop was introduced
by Ali Al-Garni, General Manager
Global EHSS. He emphasized the
importance of SAFER to SABIC for
the effective stewardship of EHSS
risks across the company. They
include process safety, personal
and community safety, health,
environment and security. He
also stressed the importance
of early implementation on
selected sites, followed by full
implementation by 2014.
Al-Garni took the
opportunity to acknowledge
the commitment of the
Above SAyed Azhar Moin, EHSS Global
Assurance Lead, addresses the Safer
workshop at the Bergen Op Zoom site
European Region to the EHSS
operating rhythm, citing
the European EHSS Council
as an excellent example of
true regional teamwork.
Syed Azhar Moin, EHSS Global
Assurance Lead, delivered
the SAFER workshop. In the
discussions which followed, the
European leadership made clear
their recognition of the value
of the program, both to
efficiently manage EHSS risks
and to ensure the visibility,
acknowledgement and
management of these risks
at the appropriate levels of
management in each region and
within SABIC overall.
As part of the program, SABIC
Corporate EHSS also presented
the SAFER awareness workshop
to mark the ‘European Process
Safety Day’. The audience,
made up of process safety
experts from the European sites,
expressed their support for the
SAFER program. They said that
it will further strengthen the
process safety requirements that
are already defined within SHEMS
(Safety, Health and Environment
Management System).
SABIC NEWS
above TAl-Shraihi receives the honor from Dr. Al-Othman
Honor for sponsoring Fourth
International Chemistry Conference
Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman AlOthman, Rector of King Saud University
(KSU) in Riyadh, has honored SABIC
for its participation in the Fourth
International Chemistry Conference
in Riyadh from November 19 to 21
as the Diamond sponsor. Dr. Fahd
Al-Shraihi, General Manager, SABIC
Riyadh Technology Center, received the
honorary plaque on behalf of Mohamed
Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO.
The Saudi Chemical Society and
the Department of Chemistry,
KSU, organized the event to mark
the UN-proclaimed International
Year of Chemistry (IYC) 2011. The
IYC is being observed worldwide
to highlight the achievements of
chemistry and its contributions.
The conference discussed several
important topics, including analytical
chemistry, environment chemistry,
green chemistry, physical chemistry,
electrochemistry, organic chemistry,
chemistry of natural products,
nanotechnology, renewable energy,
water research, and industrial chemistry.
Mitsubishi delegation visits SAFCO
A delegation from Mitsubishi Japan, visited SABIC
affiliate SAFCO (Saudi Arabian Fertilizer Company) on
September 10, and was received by Fahad Rashed
Al-Otaibi, the company President.
The two sides discussed the prospects for
developing cooperation between the two
companies. The delegation was briefed about the
company and its local and global achievements.
The guests toured the company’s
LEFT The
plants and control room. They
visiting
praised the company’s achievements
delegation
in the SAFCO
in all respects, including safety and
control
room
environment.
innovation
the regions to proceed to the Innovation Camp.
At the SABIC Innovation Camp, the teams will
receive special training to transform their ideas into
a business opportunity plan. The business plans will
eventually be presented to the ‘SABIC Grand Jury’
consisting of Al-Mady and Executive Vice Presidents
in June 2012.
‘MY IDEA’
goes global
SABIC infused new life to its slogan
of ‘culture of innovation’ with the
launch of ‘Market Your IDEA’
(MY IDEA) as a pilot program in
Europe. Following the huge success
of the pilot, MY IDEA has been
rolled out across SABIC global
Unprecedented at SABIC, the program is running in
five regions – Europe, the Middle East, the Americas,
West Asia and South-East Asia. MY IDEA provides
every SABIC employee a potential opportunity to
originate and lead a new $50 million business.
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO,
launched the global My IDEA program on November
14. Under the program, new innovation ideas have
been invited from all staff. Ten most promising ideas
would be selected from each region. Once selected,
the idea owners would be asked to form a team to
develop the idea into business concepts.
SABIC regional operations will hold ‘marketplace
events’ to enable the idea owners present their
concepts to colleagues and to recruit members
for their team. Then the ideas and teams in each
region will be ranked according to the strength of
the idea and the team. Following this, the Innovation
Taskforce, a panel of Innovation specialists from
SBUs and Corporate Technology and Innovation, will
select one idea and team combination from each of
PORTAL
Divided into four distinct phases, the global MY IDEA
program will run for eight months until June 2012.
The opportunity being offered to all SABIC employees
is to conceive a viable and compelling new business
idea, which if successful, may be adopted with the full
development backing of SABIC resources.
Launching the program, Al-Mady described
the global program as one that empowers each
employee to help “innovate how we innovate.” In a
recorded video message to SABIC’s staff worldwide,
he said: “The successful pilot project in Europe has
already shown the strength of Market Your IDEA
and resulted in the incubation of five business
opportunity plans that were created during the MY
IDEA process. Therefore, we now have decided to
run MY IDEA on a global scale. We look forward to
hearing your new business ideas.
“Ideas are the core of the program, and between
now and the end of the Idea Submission phase,
regional teams of Technology and Innovation
specialists will evaluate and give feedback on each
and every idea submitted by SABIC employees
through the Innovation Portal,” he said.
“You could be the leader of one of those teams
and your journey starts today. To guide and inform
below The marketplace events organized as part of the MY IDEA
pilot program in Europe drew enthusiastic participation from
staff. Similar events will be organized in all five regions as part
of the global program
innovation
SABIC Ventures
to invest in
innovative
technologies
SABIC has announced the launch
of a new global corporate venture
capital arm, SABIC Ventures, in the
Netherlands, with the primary goal of
seeking out innovative technologies
and businesses consistent with
the company’s global strategy.
SABIC Ventures aims to build up a
portfolio of technology options for the
company’s future businesses. It will
do this by investing directly both in
seed stage, early stage and late stage
companies. The new organization
will lead or co-lead investment
while also investing in projects
alongside other venture capitalists.
Commenting on the launch of the
organization, Mohamed Al-Mady,
SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO,
said that SABIC Ventures has been
developed as an investment vehicle to
accomplish profitable growth. “SABIC
aspires to be the preferred leader in
chemicals. We will accomplish this
through organic growth by investing
in new assets and expanding current
assets, mergers and acquisitions in
targeted areas, and new business
creation. Venturing provides growth
opportunities for new businesses.”
SABIC Ventures will be funded by
an Innovation Fund, which will be
managed by the organization. The
Fund will cover investments in start-up
companies. Amongst the areas which
have been designated for investments
are advanced materials and composites,
alternative feedstocks for chemicals
and materials, and alternative energy
and cleantech. At the same time,
the organization will be constantly
exploring new areas of interest.
The targeted countries for sourcing
venturing investments are the USA,
Europe and Asia. “The organization will
have a global reach. We are building
a global organization with deal flow
and investment management support
from all over the world,” Al-Mady said.
you about every detail of the program, we have
opened an Innovation Portal that each of you can
visit to learn more about Market Your IDEA. This is an
exciting and unprecedented opportunity for each of
you to showcase your full potential,” Al-Mady said.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
For every region, a champion has been appointed to
coordinate and facilitate all the activities involved in the
program. The champions have been thoroughly briefed
on all phases of the project and their responsibilities.
They have also heard about the enthusiasm that
MY IDEA generated among the employees who
participated in the pilot Innovation Camp.
“Innovation is at the heart of what we do every
day,” says David Wildgoose, Commercial Operations
Leader at SABIC Innovative Plastics and champion
for the Americas. “Market Your IDEA allows us to tap
even deeper into the innovative spirit of our people.”
The champions are David Wildgoose, The Americas;
Guang Liu, East Asia; Henk Verhoogt, Europe;
Mohammad Hamdalla and Abdul Al-Shamrani, Middle
East; and Sudhakar Marur, South Asia.
“I believe that the program is an exciting
opportunity for all SABIC employees to submit
the ideas that they believe to have a potential for
success and develop them into something tangible,”
says Mohammad Hamdalla, Innovation Engineer
at SABIC Metals, and one of the champions for the
Middle East.
Henk Verhoogt, Head of IDEAtion & Innovation
and Market Your IDEA Project Leader, says: “We are
very happy to have a global team of champions who
are the all very enthusiastic to take part in MY IDEA.
I am convinced that these champions will be a great
support to making the Market MY IDEA program a
global success.”
“The successful
pilot project
in Europe has
already shown
the strength
of Market
Your IDEA and
resulted in the
incubation of
five business
opportunity
plans that were
created during
the MY IDEA
process”
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC
Vice Chairman and CEO
CORPORATE INCUBATOR
SABIC has launched a new organization,
Corporate Incubator, which will invest corporate
funds and provide support to internal ventures
that are distinct from the core business of the
company. The function of the Corporate Incubator
is to be a breeding ground for internal ventures.
The purpose is to bring ideas to market by providing
financial support and by helping the internal
ventures to succeed.
Incubator projects will be funded through
an Innovation Fund installed by the Executive
Committee. The Fund covers investment in startup companies within the Corporate Incubator. It
provides room to acquire Intellectual Property (IP)
and other assets to reduce time-to-market.
The Corporate Incubator is the place where
business plans selected under MY IDEA are
incubated. At the moment the business plans that
were approved at the MY IDEA pilot project in
Europe are being incubated.
Exhibitions & conferences
GPCA Annual Forum
Regional players urged to focus on
developing downstream industries
Above Prince Faisal and
Al-Mady at the inauguration
of the GPCA Forum
Prince Faisal Bin Turki Al-Saud, Advisor, Saudi
Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources,
lauded the theme of the Gulf Petrochemicals
and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Annual Forum,
‘Moving Downstream – Creating Added Value and
Sustainable Growth’, and called it the defining
challenge of the regional petrochemicals industry.
Delivering the inaugural address at the Sixth Annual
GPCA Forum in Dubai on December 13, he urged
regional players to focus on increasing the supplies
to the conversion industry.
More than 1600 delegates were present for his
keynote speech on the first day of the region’s
flagship petrochemicals event. The GPCA Forum was
held from December 13 to 15.
“Exporting the vast majority of the petrochemical
production means jobs are being created elsewhere
and this is a growing concern. With a fast growing,
well-educated population who want jobs, economic
diversification and downstream expansion have
become a necessity. This is needed to attract wider
industrial investment to create the sustainable
growth necessary to meet the aspirations of the
next, and future, generations. Much of this will
be focused on creating and capturing the value
that is currently captured by the region’s export
customers,” he said.
He went on to focus on Saudi Arabia, calling this
the ‘golden era’ for the Kingdom, with production
expected to grow to 100 million tons by 2016, a 250
% growth since 2006. The future is looking bright,
he said, with 120 new chemical and petrochemical
products coming into the market.
“Sustainable value creating opportunities lie
downstream and are linked to the development
of industrial clusters across the region, particularly
those being established to provide materials for
the automotive, flexible packaging and appliances
sectors,” he added.
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO
and Chairman of GPCA, expressed optimism over
2012 being another positive year for the region’s
petrochemical industries despite concerns over
Europe slipping back into recession as a result of
the ongoing sovereign debt crisis. In his opening
remarks at the Forum, Al-Mady based his optimism
on the general consensus that the Eurozone will
have a slightly positive growth, and the US will avoid
a double dip recession.
“If this growth forecast prevails in 2012, it should
be a good year for our industry. Financial results
should receive an additional boost due to improved
industry operating rates in 2012 as there will be less
new capacity coming on stream.” He also pointed
out to the good profitability enjoyed by most
chemical producers in 2011.
Al-Mady stressed that Innovation will always
be the key driver in the petrochemical industry’s
efforts to remain competitive and relevant players.
“Comparative advantage is not static but is
dynamic and industries must maintain continuous
improvement, continuously learning and achieving
technological upgrading,” he said.
On the issue of Sustainability, Al-Mady said that
just as the petrochemical industry has provided
the technology that has contributed tremendously
to good health, good lifestyles and global
mobility, it must now provide business solutions
for a sustainable planet. “The Gulf petrochemical
suppliers must possess the most material and energy
efficient processes and we must produce products
that enable the entire value chain to be more
sustainable.”
While noting that the GPCA has made significant
progress in establishing the Responsible Care
initiative in the Middle East and Gulf region, Al-Mady
said: “The Responsible Care Committee has done
an excellent job in designing an implementation
program for the region and building alliances with
peer associations around the world.”
Al-Mady regretted the fact that the slowdown
in global economic growth was providing an
environment that leads to protectionist activities. “As
an industry and as a trade association that believes
in the value and benefits associated with free trade,
we must do our best to advocate against unfair trade
practices wherever they may appear,” he said.
Stephen Pryor, President, ExxonMobilL Chemical
Company, Peter L. Cella, CEO, Chevron Phillips, Jim
Gallogly, CEO, LyndollBasell and Tom Crotty, Director,
INEOS Group also shared their insights and expertise
on the first day of the Forum.
Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General,
GPCA, delivered the welcome address on Day 2 of
the Forum. Other key speakers on the second day
of the event included Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi,
Deputy Chairman, Qatar Petroleum, Hassan Ahmed,
Partner, Head of Research, Alembic Global, Brad
Bourland, Advisor, Chief Economist and Managing
Director of Proprietary Investments, Jadwa
Investment, Koos Van Haasteren, Executive Vice
President - Performance Chemicals, SABIC, Luther
C. Kissam IV, CEO, Albermarle and Andrew Monro,
Global Advisory Lead for Petrochemicals, KPMG.
ABOVE Al-Mady addresses
the opening session
GPCA Talent Convention
HR Benchmark launched
for regional industry
Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association
(GPCA) held its first Talent Convention in Dubai on
October 9, 10 and 11. A highlight of the event was
the launch of the GPCA HR Benchmark, an initiative
designed to benchmark GPCA members against the
world’s best performing companies. The objective of
the benchmark is to help companies in the region to
ascertain areas of improvement in HR management
and adopt world-class standards.
On the final day of the event, GPCA also signed a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Arabian
Society for Human Resource Management (ASHRM) to
collaborate on research, workshops and events.
Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC’s Executive Vice President
Human Resources, was a key speaker at the event,
which was themed “Achieving sustainability through
agile organizations.” In a presentation titled “The way
to become an agile organization,” Al-Benyan stressed
the importance of corporate values and strong
leadership, with HR focusing on three main objectives
for employees: Attract, Retain and Develop.
Sharing SABIC’s vision of becoming an agile
organization, he said the company’s employment
value propositions are geared to attract, retain
and develop staff. The most important of these is
the need to create opportunities for growth and
development for individuals through competencybased career paths and ladders, a holistic talent
review process and individual development
above Al-Benyan addresses
the GPCA Talent Convention
in Dubai
“Issues such as
the importance
of human
development,
creating agile
organizations
and the
implementation
of HR best
practices have
truly been
driven home”
Dr. Abdulwahab Al
Sadoun, Secretary General
of GPCA
programs. He said SABIC Learning and Development
(L&D) programs and the SABIC Academy will play
a vital role in creating growth and development
opportunities for staff.
Al-Benyan listed rewards, optimal utilization of
knowledge and skills of employees to make their
work challenging and interesting, a value-based
organizational culture that empowers employees
and ensures participation at relevant levels,
open and honest communication and constant
measurement of employee engagement and
actions to improve their involvement as key HR value
propositions for an agile organization.
He said it is important to develop leaders in line
with corporate values and leadership competencies.
It is vital to ensure development of future leaders
through succession planning, executive coaching
and by providing L&D challenges, he added.
Dr. Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, Secretary General of
GPCA, described the inaugural Talent Convention
as hugely productive. “Not only was the high-level
program incredibly well-received by delegates and
speakers alike, the spirit of dialogue throughout the
three days was heartening and uplifting,” he said.
“Issues such as the importance of human
development, creating agile organizations and the
implementation of HR best practices have truly
been driven home. I am certain that delegates are
now well-armed with the knowledge they have
garnered here to truly enhance and improve their
HR practices,” he added.
The convention, which took place at Park
Hyatt Hotel, Dubai, was designed to give local
and regional company executives a platform to
exhibit their knowledge in the fields of strategic
organizational capabilities and development and
talent management.
Ms. Maha Mulla Hussain, GPCA Board Member and
Chairperson GPCA HR Committee, President & CEO of
Kuwait-based Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC),
opened the convention proceedings by highlighting
the importance and relevance of the event.
Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehyan, Chairman,
Bin Zayed Group, was the keynote speaker at the
inaugural session.
“Paying attention to the human element has
become so integral to the success of any organization
in this part of the world. Today you can acquire
any resource but unless you have the talent to
efficiently use these resources and create competitive
advantage, it means very little. People are key and it is
our responsibility to harness this talent and make our
communities, be it our companies or our countries, as
efficient as possible,” he said.
Dr. Donald Sull, Professor of Management Practice
in Strategic and International Management and
the Faculty Director of Executive Education at the
London Business School, spoke at the convention
after conducting a pre-conference workshop the
day before for delegates.
GPCA Supply Chain Conference
Maritime piracy cited
as major threat
“Strengthening the GCC supply chain against
challenges and threats” was the key theme of the
Third GPCA Supply Chain Conference, held in Abu
Dhabi from October 18 to 20. Over 300 supply chain
professionals and business representatives from
around the world attended the event, where experts
reviewed key supply chain issues for the region.
While maritime piracy was singled out as a major
potential threat to the supply chain, the event
also focused on other regional issues such as GCC
customs regulations, human resources, sustainability
and responsible care, third party logistics and
strategies to overcome the challenges posed
by long supply chains. The keynote address was
delivered by Rashed Saud Al Shamsi, Petrochemicals
Director, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) and
Chairman of Borouge.
Hamad Al Terkait, Chairman - Supply Chain
Committee, GPCA and President and CEO, EQUATE
Petrochemical Co. of Kuwait, welcomed the
delegates and highlighted the diversity of this
year’s participants. He noted that the supply chain
is increasingly seen as a business that needs to be
invested in and not just a support service.
Saleh Al-Shabnan, SABIC’s Project Executive,
Supply Chain Management Project (EMDAD), and
Vice Chairman of GPCA Supply Chain Committee,
was a key speaker at the pre-conference
workshop that focused on measuring and
mitigating the effects of piracy on trade flows
in the petrochemical and chemical industries.
Al-Shabnan also delivered the reconvening
remarks on the second day of the conference.
Meshal Al-Ghaith, SABIC’s Global Supply Chain
Execution Manager Chemicals, spoke of overcoming
the challenges of the GCC region’s long supply
chains. Al-Ghaith, who also participated in the panel
discussions, used SABIC’s success with its EMDAD
project to explain effective ways of tackling the
region’s challenges.
Dirk Van Den Bosch, Chief Commercial Officer UAE Region, DP World noted that 34 port projects
are underway in the GCC worth US $ 42.5 billion,
which will significantly expand the supply chain
sector in the region. Gulf governments are moving
to meet increased demand, and 2013-2015 is a
critical period when port utilization is expected to
average 80 percent.
The session on “Meeting the challenges of piracy”
was addressed by Dan Starta, Managing Director and
Partner – Middle East, A.T. Kearney and the panel
included Captain Ranjan Mookherjee, Managing
Director, Vega Ships Management, Toralf Sorenes, VP
for Risk Management, NCC Odfjell Chemical Tankers
JLT and Captain Gamal Fekry, Owners Representative
and General Manager, Safety and QA Dept, Bakri
Navigation Company.
According to official statistics, organized piracy has
become a major threat to regional trade and maritime
security, costing the global economy between $7 and
$12 billion per year. Piracy attacks have also been on
the rise this year throughout the region as the use of
mother ships facilitated piracy activity.
Starta provided an overview of the pre-conference
workshop that focused on mitigating the effects of
piracy on petrochemical and chemical trade flows.
He shared some staggering statistics with delegates,
including the fact that piracy is likely to be the second
largest generator of money in Somalia, bringing
in over USD $200 million annually because of an
increase in attacks and the size of the ransom and
improvement in attacking and negotiating tactics.
“The impact of piracy on the supply chain
is immense and must be tackled strategically.
Establishing contingency plans and considering
piracy in supply chain planning are just some of the
anti-piracy actions that petrochemicals companies
can employ,” according to Starta.
The session on rail developments in the region was
addressed by Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, CEO, Saudi Railway
Company (SAR) and Richard Bowker, CEO, Etihad Rail.
below Al-Ghaith delivers
SABIC’s presentation at the
supply chain conference
SABIC at CPCIC
Committed to China’s priority
for sustainable growth
SABIC recently reaffirmed its commitment to
support China’s national development priority for
sustainable growth as detailed in the country’s 12th
Five Year Plan. The support is evident in the key
investments that SABIC is making in the country,
and this was reiterated at the China Petroleum and
Chemical International Conference (CPCIC) 2011,
held during September 7-9 in Tianjin. SABIC had a
major presence at CPCIC, and was also a sponsor of
the event.
Themed “The Next Five Years: Building a
Foundation for Sustainable Growth,” the annual
event proved to be an effective platform for SABIC,
its partners and other industry players to discuss
China’s petrochemical industry growth strategies in
the context of the country’s new 12th Five Year Plan.
CPCIC is supported by China Petroleum and
Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF). At the
conference, SABIC’s participation was led by Abdullah
Saeed Bazid, Executive Vice President of Corporate
Strategy and Planning, and Li Lei, Vice President and
Regional Head of Greater China Region.
Lei and Lim Pung Loi, Regional Manager,
Oxygenates Asia Pacific, held several meetings
during the event, networking with government
officials and industry partners. CPCIC was attended
by 600 delegates.
Bazid and Lei also met with Huang Xingguo,
Mayor of Tianjin Municipal Government, Cui Jindu,
Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipal Government and He
Lifeng, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of
China Tianjin Municipal Committee.
Addressing the conference, Bazid reaffirmed
the commitment from SABIC to support China’s
above Abdullah Bazid (second
from right) at the CPCIC
inaugural function
“This highlights
good
opportunities
for China and
Middle East
petrochemical
industries to
cooperate as
growth partners
to optimize
the usage of
the scarce
hydrocarbon
resources in
the global
marketplace”
Abdullah Saeed Bazid,
Executive Vice President
of Corporate Strategy and
Planning
national development priority for sustainable
growth. Expanding his key message of “growth
partner in one global market,” he highlighted the
strong bilateral trading relations between China and
Middle East. This trading partnership continues to
strengthen between the two dynamic economies.
“Middle East has been one of the leading crude
suppliers globally and to China over the years. In
2010, China alone imported some US$65 billion or
16 percent of the total crude export from the Middle
East. In addition, China also imported and exported
petrochemical, chemicals and various finished
products from and to GCC countries,” Bazid said.
China petrochemical and chemicals growth is
expected to continue with strong linkages to its GDP
growth rates. Domestic production growth is also
likely to continue with aggressive development of
new projects. “This highlights good opportunities for
China and Middle East petrochemical industries to
cooperate as growth partners to optimize the usage
of the scarce hydrocarbon resources in the global
marketplace,” he said.
Against this backdrop, Bazid elaborated on the
strategic importance of China to SABIC: “As a global
market leader in the petrochemical industry, SABIC
has already established a strong market position in
China, generating double digit growth year-on-year.
The Chinese Government’s focus on developing
the western regions in China is in line with SABIC’s
ambition to assiduously explore investment
opportunities, especially in the western regions to
better serve our customers and new industries in
these emerging markets.”
Since its establishment in China in 1985, SABIC
has been growing rapidly and is now a leading
petrochemical and engineering plastics products
supplier, investor and employer in China.
SABIC’s aggressive growth plans in the country
were announced during Chinaplas 2011, including:
• A new partnership with Sinopec to build a US$1 billion
Polycarbonate (PC) plant in Tianjin with a 260 kilo metric
ton annual capacity when fully operational in 2015. The
new PC plant will be located at SSTPC (Sinopec SABIC
Tianjin Petrochemical Co. Ltd), Tianjin.
• A new 60,000 sqm Technology and Innovation Center
and Greater China Regional Headquarters in Shanghai.
The new center will be fully operational in 2013.
Expressing SABIC’s confidence that the 12th Five
Year Plan will provide greater impetus for growth, Lei
commented: “The Chinese Government has created
a very conducive environment for businesses to
operate and continuously invest in China. In line
left SABIC representatives
with visitors at the SABIC stand
at Saudi Agriculture 2011
SABIC at Saudi Agriculture 2011
Focus on the role of fertilizers
The role of SABIC as a leading global fertilizer
producer was highlighted at Saudi Agriculture
2011, which was held at the Riyadh International
Convention and Exhibition Center from September
19 to 22. The 30th edition of the event, also
known as the International Agriculture, Water and
Agro-Industry Show, attracted over 200 exhibitors
from all over the world.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Waleed
Abdulkarim El Khereiji, the Director General,
Grain Silos & Flour Mills Organization, on behalf
of Dr. Fahd bin Abdulrahman Balghunaim, Saudi
Minister of Agriculture. The show was attended
by high-ranking agriculture officials, major
producers, equipment manufacturers, dealers,
agents and distributors, as well as agriculture and
food industry experts from the world over.
SABIC’s pavilion at the entrance to the
exhibition included a large digital screen
displaying messages that projected the
company’s status as a leading global industry
player. The SABIC presence at the event was
represented by the Fertilizers SBU, and the team
was headed by Fahad Al-Sheaibi, SABIC Executive
Vice President, Fertilizers. Several general
managers from the SBU also attended the event.
The annual show is held under the patronage
and support of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture.
SABIC has traditionally been a major supporter
and participant in this leading agriculture show
in the region. The show is accredited by UFI, the
Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.
The Saudi Agro-Food 2011 exhibition ran
concurrently with Saudi Agriculture 2011.
with our commitment to inclusive development
and growth for the nation, SABIC has been stepping
up its efforts to drive technology development,
innovation, local partnerships, and enhance the skills
of our workforce.”
The three key areas where SABIC has been a keen
supporter and will remain so in the 12th Five Year
Plan are: Commitment to inclusive development,
nurturing new industries and helping industries
move up the value chain. SABIC believes that it has
an important role to play in support of inclusive
economic growth and development across the
world. SABIC provides key ingredients for the
creation of products across multiple industries. Its
commitment to innovation and customer focus will
help drive new possibilities for China’s seven priority
industries – new energy, energy conservation
& environmental protection, biotechnology,
new materials, new IT, high-end equipment
manufacturing, and clean energy vehicles.
SABIC’s focus on research will enable its
manufacturing customers to innovate and
accelerate their progression up the manufacturing
value chain. Its commitment to building successful
partnerships with local petrochemical producers
such as Sinopec also enables the transfer of worldclass research and manufacturing petrochemical
capabilities to China.
SABIC at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2011
High-end thermoplastic solutions
serve aviation industry needs
SABIC’s leadership in the development of highperformance thermoplastic solutions that help
aviation customers reduce weight and cost,
enhance safety and sustainability and optimize
the flying experience was amply displayed at
the September Aircraft Interiors Expo in Seattle,
US. The SABIC stand at the event once again
demonstrated that SABIC’s unmatched expertise
and global resources are enabling aircraft OEMs
to meet current and future challenges.
SABIC’s Innovative Plastics SBU displayed its
extensive portfolio of resin, sheet, foam and
composite technologies at the show. These
products and technologies are playing a key role
in conserving fuel and lowering emissions; they
meet increasingly stringent flame-smoke-toxicity
(FST) regulations and enhance the comfort
and aesthetics of the cabin environment.
SABIC displayed a diverse number
of game-changing interior aircraft
applications at its booth including:
• Crystal Cabin’s award-winning ultra-light inflight trolley from LSG Sky Chef and Norduyn
featuring ultraviolet (UV)-resistant Ultem* resin for
the extrusion profiles and door latch, and tough
Noryl* resin for the frame and other components;
• A passenger service unit engineered and
supplied by PECO Manufacturing for the new
Boeing 737 BSI using Lexan* FST and Ultem resins;
• New seat cladding, window pane and trim parts
from C&D Zodiac Aerospace using Lexan XHR sheet;
• Crane Thermoplastic Composite Aerospace
Boards (CAB) molded from Ultem resin
and used for sidewalls, cockpit panels,
ceiling panels, door liners and dividers;
• Seat-padding, cushion and fire-blocker products
from National Non-Wovens, using Ultem resin; and
• Tray table arms that demonstrate
successful replacement of aluminum with
LNP* Thermocomp* specialty compound.
below SABIC staff interact
with visitors at the Aircraft
Interiors Expo 2011 in Seattle, US
Opposite left New aircraft
seating for Carribean Airlines’
“Armonia” Interiors using
Lexan* XHR Sheet
Opposite right Passenger
Service Unit engineered
and manufactured by PECO
Manufacturing for the new
Boeing 737 BSI, molded from
Lexan* FST and Ultem* Resins
“The dynamic nature of the aviation industry
demands flexible high-end solutions that can
address multiple challenges, including the
ever-present need to control costs,” said Jack
Govers, General Manager, Specialty Film & Sheet,
Innovative Plastics. “Our continued investment
in innovative material technologies, together
with our commitment to closely collaborate
with aerospace customers, underscores SABIC’s
leadership in developing space-age thermoplastic
materials for next generation aircraft.”
WEIGHT REDUCTION
According to Enviro.aero, an initiative of the
commercial aviation industry body Air Transport
Action Group (ATAG), an aircraft will burn an
average of about 0.03 kg (.06 lbs) of fuel per hour
for each kilogram (2.2 lbs) carried on board. Given
that the total commercial fleet flies approximately
57 million hours per year, cutting one kilogram
per flight would save roughly 1,700 tons of fuel
and 5,400 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
(Geneva-based ATAG is a global association that
represents all sectors of the air transport industry,
and its mission is to promote aviation’s sustainable
growth for the benefit of global society.)
SABIC’s high-performance, lightweight materials
for aircraft interiors can make a significant
contribution to fuel economy and emissions
reduction. For example, using Lexan F6000
polycarbonate (PC) sheet to replace traditional
polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/acrylic products on
seating frames, an airline could reduce weight
by approximately 23 percent, which is 80 kg
(176 lbs) based on a plane with 190 seats.
SABIC’s new LNP Thermocomp* EC006PXQ and
EC008PXQ specialty compounds are respectively
30 and 40 percent carbon-filled materials that
are based on Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resin
technology. They provide exceptional stiffness and
flow, which allows for the production of highperformance, thin-wall molded parts to replace
airline grade die-cast aluminum in structural
components, resulting in major weight savings
and an increase in strength of up to 40 percent.
SABIC recently completed a proof-of-concept
study further validating the performance of these
two specialty compounds in aircraft food tray arms
and found that the materials – together with an
optimized design – reduced part weight by up to
46 percent and cut costs by up to 77 percent vs.
aluminum components. Other potential applications
include structural supports, arm rests, foot rests,
and galley applications such as coffee maker chassis.
Also capitalizing on SABIC’s PEI resin technology,
Ultem foam is a rigid, open-cell core material that
is 10 to 20 times lighter than traditional plastic
components. It is an excellent choice as a core
material for composite applications requiring
noise abatement, low moisture absorption,
high thermal properties and compatibility
with thermoset and metal laminates.
Another high-tech SABIC product – Lexan XHR
(extremely low heat release) 6000 sheet provides
superior weight-out of up to 12 percent against
traditional PVC/polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA)
products for better fuel economy. Geven S.p.A.,
a leading aircraft seating and interior solution
provider, has chosen Lexan XHR sheet for their
new aircraft seating for Carribean Airlines’
“Armonia” interiors, designed by Giugiaro. The
challenging goal of limiting the seat weight to a
maximum of 9 kg (19.8 lbs) persuaded Geven to
select the high-performance SABIC material.
STRINGENT STANDARDS
SABIC’s high-end thermoplastic products also
provide a host of other benefits for global
aircraft designers ranging from long, useful life
to regulatory compliance. Using these materials
can help OEMs provide maximum comfort
and appeal for passengers while ensuring a
high level of safety and controlling costs.
Transparent Lexan F2000A sheet offers excellent
FST performance and impact strength, and complies
with FAR 25.853 and ABD0031 requirements (FAR
25.853 is FAA [Federal Aviation Administration, US]
regulation related to flame, smoke, heat release
and ABD0031 is toxicity requirement of Airbus) at 2
mm and 3 mm, respectively. It is an ideal candidate
for windows, light diffusers and signs where
clarity is requested. Lexan F2000A sheet provides
environmentally responsible flame retardance
according to DIN/VDE 0472 part 815 standard.
Extem* UP thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) resins
are flame-retardant, extreme high-heat materials
that meet UL 746B requirements at a relative
thermal index (RTI) of 240 C, indicating retention
of certain mechanical and electrical properties
at this temperature over a 10-year period. Extem
UP resins also offer up to five times greater flex
strength and up to five times higher stiffness than
unfilled polyetheretherketone (PEEK) at 200° C.
They provide a coefficient of thermal expansion
(CTE) of up to 30 percent lower than unfilled PEEK.
Ultem CAB sheets, co-developed and
manufactured with Crane & Co., provide a superior
alternative to thermoset aramid fiber-reinforced
honeycomb composites. The Ultem CAB sheets
can be quickly thermoformed, offer a broad range
of high-performance properties, are recyclable
and offer great potential to be refurbished
with a newly developed decorative film layer
to extend useful life while still meeting Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements.
Building upon Ultem resin’s proven capabilities
for aircraft interiors, carbon-fiber-filled Ultem
resin complies with FAR 25.853 and the smoke
density and heat release requirements of the
Ohio State University (OSU) standard 65/65.
Ultem foam can be used as part of a composite
system with a decorative film or surface layer
such as phenolic prepreg or metal. Potential
applications for transportation include flooring,
sidewalls and ceiling panels. Processes such
as machining, vacuum bagging, compression
molding and thermoforming can be utilized with
Ultem foam for potential system cost savings.
* Trademarks of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
“Our continued
investment
in innovative
material
technologies,
together
with our
commitment
to closely
collaborate
with aerospace
customers,
underscores
SABIC’s
leadership in
developing
space-age
thermoplastic
materials for
next generation
aircraft”
Jack Govers, General
Manager, Specialty Film &
Sheet, Innovative Plastics
STIM 2012
The STIM event has evolved considerably over the
years as a genuine SABIC-wide collaborative effort
that offers a unique opportunity for scientists,
researchers, chemists, engineers and technical
experts to network and build on their knowledge
and experience. The theme of STIM-10, to be held in
Jubail Industrial City from November 12 to 14 2012,
is “Innovations that matter”.
STIM, which has served as a biennial SABIC event
to share knowledge and best practices, will now
become an additional internal platform to advance
the company’s ‘culture of innovation’. The event
is designed to enable SABIC’s experts to network,
present their innovation efforts and share success
stories, contributing to a global culture of innovation.
Ernesto Occhiello, SABIC’s Executive Vice President,
Technology and Innovation, who is also the Chairman
of STIM-10 Steering Committee, recently announced
the theme of the 2012 event. He reiterated SABIC’s
determination to make Innovation integral to the
company’s positioning. “It is our key driver for
sustaining SABIC excellence,” he said.
STMs, the predecessor of STIM, had built a
solid reputation for enabling SABIC’s technical
staff, including research scientists as well as plant
operations and technical managers, to tap into
a pool of hands-on knowledge and experience.
The event was created to enable SABIC’s multiple
manufacturing facilities and businesses to leverage
theoretical and practical knowledge related to
manufacturing as well as research and development.
Originally, STM was primarily intended to enable
SABIC’s multiple manufacturing affiliates in Saudi
Arabia to share their technical expertise and
experiences. With the integration of overseas
facilities and businesses into the new global SABIC,
the scope of STIM has grown enormously, in terms of
size, participation and the diversity of topics.
The STIM-10 Steering Committee is striving
to provide that global flavor and strengthen the
Countdown
to STIM-10
The 10th edition of what has been
hitherto known as STM (SABIC
Technical Meeting) will be held in
November 2012 under the new
event name of STIM (SABIC Technical
and Innovation Meeting). The name
change highlights the importance of
Innovation for SABIC
BELOW STIM-10 KICK-OFF MEeTING
WITH DR AL-UBAID
experience of participants at the 2012 edition of
the event. “We have a wealth of professional talents
to draw from, and we are assured of the strong
commitment of the organizing teams as well as full
support from SABIC management,” says Occhiello.
Occhiello assumed responsibility as the EVP
Technology & Innovation and Chairman of Steering
Committee earlier this year, and has taken the
challenge of ensuring STIM’s success very seriously.
STIM planning was a key item on his agenda when
he visited Jubail in August and held discussions with
Hassan Al-Ghannam, President of HADEED and STIM10 Vice Chairman. They reviewed the preparations
for the event and various activities of the teams
involved, and expressed their appreciation of the
team efforts.
The planning and preparations for STIM-10 got
well underway in March this year when the Steering
Committee held its kick-off meeting at the HADEED
beach camp in Jubail. The assembly was hosted by
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Ubaid, then EVP, Technology &
Innovation as Chairman and Al-Ghannam. The meeting
also had representatives and leads of the various
organizing committees who pledged to work hard to
ensure that STIM-10 would be a resounding success.
In May, Al-Ghannam hosted a brainstorming
session for all STIM organizing committees where
the focus was on generating creative ideas that
would make the event different, interesting
and valuable for participants. Here again, the
collaborative approach of the teams won the day,
with cross-team brainstorming helping to generate
new ideas. The ideas pool was captured and
translated into a database for further processing by
the respective teams.
STIM 2012
LEFT AL-GHANNAm LEADING THE
EVENT PLANNING SESSION WITH
TEAM LEADS
A SABIC global contest was held in June to decide
on the theme of the event. The competition
guidelines asked SABIC staff to consider the
company’s core values – Inspire, Engage, Create
and Deliver – along with the motto of “Culture
of Innovation” and the principle of collaborative
working while coming up with proposed themes.
The first meeting of the “affiliate focal points”
in Saudi Arabia in June was another key milestone
in the preparations. The affiliate focal points –
representatives from SABIC affiliates in Saudi
Arabia – held a kick-off meeting on June 15,
which was inaugurated by Ali Al Beed, Technical
Team leader. He explained the objectives of the
meeting and key project milestones for the team’s
activities. Dr. Abdullah Al Refaie, member of the
Innovation Team, highlighted the importance of
Innovation at the 2012 event, and Yousef Al Saleh,
Communication & Publicity Team Leader, explained
the communication strategy for the event.
The global invite from the Technical Committee
to SABIC employees to share their knowledge,
experience, and innovative achievements at
the event went out on June 26. Staff were
encouraged to submit paper abstracts under
six main topics: Technology Development &
Improvement (Product/ Process); Plant Reliability
Management; Electrical & Control Systems;
Sustainability, Environment Protection, Safety and
Health; Quality Assurance & Analytical Technology;
and Business Development, Management,
Quality Systems, and Information Technology.
The collaborative spirit of STIM has been
evident at the several preparatory meetings
held over the past months. On October 1, the
affiliate focal points met at the SABIC Technology
Center in Jubail for a drill down session on
innovation, success story nominations and
the importance of keeping confidentiality.
Dr. Joachim Von Heimburg, General Manager,
Innovation & Corporate Programs and member of
the STIM Innovation Committee, shared SABIC’s
strategy to make Innovation the key to attaining
business growth and strengthen competitiveness in
the global industry.
Dr. Abdullah Al Refaie, of the innovation team,
explained to the participants the new trend in
STIM-10 of making room for success stories from
within SABIC. Abdullah Awwad of Technology and
Innovation walked the participants through the
process of ensuring confidentiality of information
and associated legal aspects.
As the various STIM teams continue to work hard on
their assignments, the progress achieved so far point
to a significantly improved and value-added event
in 2012. STIM organizing teams are elated about the
response to the invitation for abstracts. By September
27, the deadline set to receive the abstracts, a total
of 2186 submissions were received for STIM-10 as
against 1327 for STM-9. In terms of the number
of submissions under each topic, Plant Reliability
Management tops the list, closely followed by Process
Product and Technology
below Occhiello (center) with
with STC- Jubail management
and Sustainability,
during his visit to Jubail
Environment Protection,
far below FULL TEAM CREATIVE
IDEAS BRAINSTORMING SESSION
Safety and Health.
“We have
a wealth of
professional
talents to draw
from, and we
are assured
of the strong
commitment of
the organizing
teams as well
as full support
from SABIC
management”
Ernesto Occhiello, SABIC’s
Executive Vice President,
Technology and Innovation
sustainability
Life Cycle Analysis
confirms key benefits of
SABIC’s steel products
right The Lifecycle Analysis has
highlighted the sustainability
strengths of HADEED’s steel
production, from the raw
material extraction phase
right up to the point of
delivery to the distributor
As part of SABIC’s Sustainability Program, the Metals
Strategic Business Unit (SBU) has completed a
rigorous Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the 10 main
product lines at the HADEED (Saudi Iron and Steel
Company) complex. Environmental data collected
from all key processes indicate that SABIC’s steel
products have lesser carbon dioxide emission
and energy consumption, compared with similar
products manufactured using alternative routes.
After completing the analysis earlier this year, the
Metals SBU will now obtain third-party verification
and certification of their results, in accordance
with ISO guidelines. The third party verification is
expected to be completed by the end of 2011.
The company’s business teams will also
share these results with customers who are
keen to advance sustainability goals, making
way to forge strong partnerships to work
together on improving the sustainability
performance of products and businesses.
LCA is a rigorous process used to measure the
environmental footprint of products including
the extent of greenhouse gases emitted and the
energy used at each stage of a product’s life.
Typically LCAs start with raw material extraction
and continue through materials processing
and manufacture. The LCA also may continue
through the distribution, use phase, disposal or
recycling. The Metals SBU’s LCA was conducted
for the raw material extraction phase through
to delivery of the products to the distributor.
Hamad Al-Tassan, General Manager - Technology
Management (Metals SBU), explains: “This was
a real team effort involving representatives
from diverse functions such as the Metals
SBU Technology Management, Sustainability
Core Team at HADEED and SABIC Technology
Centers of Jubail and Bangalore, completing
extensive work to measure every key process
and analyzing the sustainability impact to
calculate the total environmental footprint.
“We also completed a thorough competitive
study. The results were very positive. We found that
our manufacturing processes – which make the
sustainability
“We now
can see our
results that
show SABIC
steel products
can meet the
sustainability
solution and
we are able
to produce
greener steel”
Hamad Al-Tassan, General
Manager - Technology
Management (Metals SBU)
use of natural gas-based Direct Reduced Iron and
Electric Arc Furnaces – have a significantly lower
environmental footprint than that of coal-based
Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnaces process.”
Elaborating on other benefits of conducting the
assessment, Al-Tassan says: “The LCA tells us where
our internal big energy consumers and CO2 emission
sources are. It enables us to identify potential low
hanging fruits to make quick sustainability gains. This
will have a good impact on the business, because
when we save natural gas or electricity or reduce
emissions, we are increasing the efficiency of the
plant, saving money and making a payback.”
Within the flat steel market in the region, most
of SABIC competitors are providing products made
from blast furnaces. The Metals SBU will seek to
leverage the distinct sustainability advantages
offered by SABIC’s DRI and EAF processes. “In the
past, we have not seen a lot of pull from the market
for this distinct advantage, but when we approach
individual customers, things might look different
given the growing demand globally for more
sustainable solutions,” explains Al-Tassan.
“Everyone at the HADEED site and within the
Metals SBU is proud because we now can see our
results that show SABIC steel products can meet the
sustainability solution and we are able to produce
greener steel”.
HADEED, wholly owned by SABIC, is one of the
largest integrated steel manufacturers in the world,
producing steel rebar, wire rod, steel sections and
flat steel. The main HADEED complex is located
in Jubail. The company was established in 1979,
came on stream in 1983 and has undertaken
several expansion
projects since then.
LEFT from top A night shot of
the HADEED complex in Jubail;
steel rolls inside the plant;
steel rods produced at HADEED
LOgistics
ADS takes supply chain
efficiency to a new level
Adaptive Dynamic Sourcing (ADS), a project that resulted
in a hybrid supply chain management model for distributing
millions of tons of polymers every year to customers in Europe,
was born out of SABIC’s focus on the customer. The project
recently won the 2011 Netherlands Logistics Award from the
country’s Logistics Management Association
SABIC’s Supply Chain Polymers Europe division
is responsible for the logistics handling of several
millions of tons of polymers, mainly polyethylenes
(PE) and polypropylenes (PP). Four European
production plants, imports from SABIC’s plants in
Saudi Arabia and a network of distribution sites are
involved in meeting customer demand. Around twothirds of the volume is transported in bulk, while the
remaining third is packed in bags on pallets.
Thus transportation is a key factor in logistics,
both in terms of imports and the dispatch of
products to customers from European production
sites and distribution centers. The majority of the
products have a low value density, with transport
costs representing a large proportion of the total
cost. For economic reasons, products are therefore
only delivered by road transport to customers within
a radius of approximately 600 km (also on account
of the short lead times to customers).
Key drivers
SABIC’s transportation strategy is built on several
principles: safety, security (guaranteed transport
capacity), reliability (full compliance with the
agreements made with customers), competitive
pricing and sustainability (intermodal transport for
longer distances). Erik Kessels, Manager Sourcing &
Contracting Supply Chain Polymers Europe explains
why ADS was developed: “In 2005, several factors
prompted SABIC to introduce ADS. These included
the transformation of the company’s supply chain
from a network into a more sophisticated model to
manage larger volumes, the prospect of a doubling
of demand and the corresponding increase in
transportation costs and the rise in imports.”
There were other reasons too. Logistics service
providers were rapidly growing in size and adopting
newer and more modern ways of managing
business, expanding the scope of closer cooperation.
At the time, transportation was mostly planned on
a reactive basis and often resulted in an imbalance
between the desired customer service and low-cost
provision of logistics services.
The administration involved in transport
necessitated a great deal of manual work, both for
SABIC and the logistics service providers. This meant
that the workforce needed to grow in line with the
transport volumes. Besides, transportation costs
kept rising in a shrinking transport market.
Says Kessels : “ADS process was conceived
to guarantee transport capacity to meet the
anticipated increase in the volume of European
orders. The central idea was to create a system that
would proactively inform hauliers about expected
transport requirements over a period of time,
ensuring that 80 percent of the order stream is
executed without interruption.”
Four elements
ADS consists of four basic elements that have
added tremendously to the efficiency of the supply
chain: tendering on an annual basis, tendering in
the interim on the basis of Transport Requirements
Planning, Loading monitor and xRFQ, which is an
e-bidding tool for ad hoc sourcing.
Communication between all the functions in
ADS takes place entirely via a web portal. Nearly
90 percent of the volume is shipped via a System
to System (S2S) connection. The portal serves as
a back-up should the S2S connection fail, and also
for the remaining 10 percent of the mostly smaller
hauliers for whom an S2S connection has currently
not yet been implemented.
The processes for planning, transport orders,
LOgistics
FROM LEFT Bemelmans, Mieke
Damen (Chairman, Association
of Logistics Management), Jhr.
dr. Walther Ploos van Amstel
(Jury Chairman) and Kessels
loading and unloading sites, up-to-date loading and
unloading information (track and trace), transported
weights and invoicing are carried out in a paperless
and contact-less manner. In 2011, ADS included the
entire plan-do-check-act cycle.
Raf Bemelmans, Director Supply Chain
Polymers Europe at SABIC, says that the unique
advantage of ADS is that it integrates the planning
process for sales, production and transportation
into one magnified process. “There is no other
integrated and automated system with this endto-end scope as far as we know. Under this system,
we integrate our planning with hauliers’ planning
incorporating all stages of the supply chain process
including customer orders and shipments,” he
explains. “It is of utmost importance that we
organize order entry and shipment call-off hand-inhand with transport contracting.”
Jury’s praise
In its award citation, the jury described ADS
as an inspiring example of mutually successful
collaboration between a shipper and logistics
service providers, during which planning information
is shared proactively and operational processes
are paperless and controlled. It said the project
sets an example for transport-intensive businesses
in the chemical sector, but also applicable for
construction products, foods, container transport
and agro-logistics.
During the assessment process, the jury spoke
to some of the logistics service providers involved.
These service providers were unanimous in their
enthusiasm for the project and their collaboration
with SABIC. They cited proactive capacity planning
based on predictions, and paperless processes as
key advantages.
The jury noted that by organizing so-called
‘haulier days’, SABIC actively involves service
providers in finding solutions for key issues such
as safety, sustainability, loading and unloading,
preventing empty kilometres and capacity planning.
In its final report, the jury concluded: “Supplying
products promptly and most of all at low costs is
one of the success factors for the chemical sector.
SABIC shows how this can be realized in practice.
Supply chain management has clearly been taken
to a higher level at SABIC and makes a strategic
contribution to the company’s success.
“Summarising, the combination of the four
elements of Adaptive Dynamic Sourcing in
European distribution (tendering on an annual basis,
tendering in the interim on the basis of Transport
Requirements Planning, Loading monitor and xRFQ)
is of immense added value for SABIC. SABIC has
achieved demonstrable benefits; lower costs and a
higher level of service.”
Says Bemelmans: “This award is not only
recognition of our state-of-the-art sourcing
process for transportation, but also of 10 years of
process optimization and automation. It allows us
to guarantee high service levels to customers by
securing transportation in a volatile market.”
The Dutch Logistics Award, a silver sculpture
with certificate, was presented by the Chairman
of the Jury, Walther Ploos van Amstel Esq., in
Amsterdam on November 3. The annual award
is given by the country’s Logistics Management
Association to honor innovative projects and
extraordinary performance in logistics. The
Association aims to encourage innovation and
professionalism, and says the awarded business
must be a source of inspiration and serve as an
example to other businesses.
“This award
is not only
recognition of
our state-ofthe-art sourcing
process for
transportation,
but also of 10
years of process
optimization and
automation”
Raf Bemelmans,
Director Supply Chain
Polymers Europe at SABIC
Cover Story
Nurturing
talent,
grooming
leaders
The SABIC Academy adds new meaning
to the corporate emphasis on leveraging global
Learning and Development to support talent
acquisition and retention
Cover Story
Cover Story
H
Above Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, poses with the SABIC Academy team and participants at the launch of the first
Executive MBA program at the Academy
“Our teams can
be proud of this
achievement.
SABIC’s HRD
has evolved
considerably
over recent
years to meet
the challenges
of growth as a
global company
and to support
the vital elements
of corporate
strategy. The
Academy will
support this
evolution in a
big way”
Mohamed Al-Mady, Vice
Chairman and CEO, SABIC
uman Resource Development
(HRD) is one of the most important
pillars of modern corporate
strategy and competitiveness.
The reason is quite simple and
straightforward: in a highly
competitive world, the company
needs highly competitive people
and visionary leaders. But then, beyond that
simple statement, modern HRD is about talent
acquisition, talent retention and grooming the
leaders of tomorrow on a wider scale, and what
companies can do to achieve these key objectives.
Gone are the days when HR was merely a
recruiting, benefits and training function. Today’s
corporate HRD typically strives to live up to the
literal sense of the term, and goes much beyond
providing routine on-the-job training and sponsored
scholarships to include an ambitious agenda of
Learning and Development (L&D). The essential
purposes of corporate L&D are to groom leaders,
provide continuous education and training to staff
in line with a company’s business strategy and to
enable it to meet the rapidly changing marketplace
requirements and emerging challenges.
The just-constructed SABIC Academy complex
at the corporate headquarters in Riyadh is a
historic milestone in implementing SABIC’s
ambitious HR and L&D agenda. By virtue of the
vital role of human resources in strengthening
and sustaining the company’s competitiveness,
the Academy’s completion is also a key turning
point in SABIC’s journey towards Vision 2020.
SABIC has traditionally laid considerable
emphasis on learning and training, especially in
the context of being a Saudi company pursuing
nationalization of its workforce at its home base.
As Saudi Arabia leapfrogged from being a remote
desert nation to a modern and rapidly developing
nation, the national government has over the
decades emphasized the need to encourage
learning, training and employment of nationals.
SABIC’s transition into a global company and the
demands of a diversified international business have
dramatically changed the company’s HRD landscape
and priorities over the past decade. While the
emphasis on nationalization continues at home as
a national commitment, the scope and objectives
of corporate L&D function has grown substantially
to meet the local, regional and global challenges
of the new SABIC as it races to become the world’s
preferred chemicals supplier.
PROUD ACHIEVEMENT
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC’s Vice Chairman and
CEO, describes the SABIC Academy as yet another
important milestone in SABIC’s journey towards
excellence. “Our teams can be proud of this
achievement. SABIC’s HRD has evolved considerably
over recent years to meet the challenges of
growth as a global company and to support the
vital elements of corporate strategy. The Academy
will support this evolution in a big way,” he says.
Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC’s Executive Vice
President, Human Resources, says that the company
is very proud of its new Academy and the global
L&D program. “HRD is at the center of SABIC’s
corporate strategy, and our key long-term role
is that of an enabler to help our businesses have
the right resources. There are many ways of doing
Cover Story
This page: An inside view of
the complex, which hosts
well-equipped conference
halls, class rooms and
computer labs
Cover Story
this, and global L&D will play an important and
integral role in enabling businesses by bringing
in the most appropriate people development
and training programs,” says Al-Benyan.
“Leadership development is of course one
important objective, but the Academy and L&D
are much more than that. Our emphasis is on
equipping the businesses with the talent, skills and
knowledge that they need on an ongoing basis to
remain globally competitive,” adds Al-Benyan.
Al-Benyan asserts that today’s SABIC L&D is an
agile and adaptive organization whose objective is
to serve all four regions of global SABIC: Asia Pacific,
Middle East and Africa, Europe and Americas. The
organization consists of Regional Learning Leaders
(RLLs) and functional Learning Product Leaders (LPLs)
who work closely to respond to each region’s needs.
“Leadership
development
is of course
one important
objective, but
the Academy
and L&D are
much more
than that. Our
emphasis is on
equipping the
businesses with
the talent, skills
and knowledge
that they
need on an
ongoing basis to
remain globally
competitive”
Yousef Al-Benyan,
EVP, Human Resources
THE ACADEMY COMPLEX
The SABIC Academy is a state-of-the-art education
and training complex located at the headquarters
in Riyadh. The complex boasts a mix of large
conference rooms, small breakout rooms, medium
and small-size class rooms and discussion rooms. It
is equipped with advanced video conferencing and
‘live’ meeting facilities, computer lab and interactive
white boards. The Academy building will host the
offices of over 25 staff who make up the L&D.
The Academy building will be primarily
used for a wide variety of learning programs
including assessments, workshops,
summits and training classes.
Abdullah S Al-Alweet is SABIC’s Chief Learning
Officer (CLO), Learning & Development Center of
Excellence (CoE). He says SABIC L&D is focused on
providing competence-based learning to enable
leadership development. “Our vision and programs
are geared to supporting employee learning and
development at both functional and leadership
levels. We care about developing SABIC people’s
capabilities and skills and we want to help them
grow and achieve their ambitions,” he explains.
Al-Alweet says that the Academy and L&D
CoE will play a key role in promoting learning
across SABIC global, and strengthen the
company further as a learning organization.
“We intend to achieve all these objectives by
bringing in best-in-class practices and learning to
the SABIC Academy, which will play a vital role in
managing the concept of learning intervention
to enhance business objectives. A top-quality
L&D program will go a long way in attracting
and retaining talent,” adds Al-Alweet.
SABIC L&D also aims to open its doors to help
with national leadership development goals.
This would be done by inviting government
leaders to attend selected SABIC L&D programs
that are relevant for the wider community.
BUSINESS NEEDS
While people are at the center of L&D’s vision and
activities, it must be remembered that its strategy
and program content are driven by business
needs. The ultimate aim of the L&D function is
to create and sustain a learning organization
within SABIC that will strengthen the business
competitiveness and performance of the company.
Salah Suood Al-Eissa, SABIC’s Global Learning
Manager, Technical, Learning & Development CoE,
says the L&D provides guidance, the necessary
tools and support for staff to strengthen their
learning and capabilities. The department strives
to remain knowledgeable and up-to-date about
SABIC’s businesses and industry management
trends so that it can effectively respond to current
and emerging competency needs of the people
who are involved in running those businesses.
“We offer an integrated, interactive and
progressive learning system. By integrated, we
mean that L&D enables comprehensive learning
using multiple channels and formats. It is interactive
and progressive because our programs are
constantly evolving and improving in content,
and we are committed to implementing positive
changes over time to respond to the needs
of the organization and business,” he says.
L&D PROGRAMS
SABIC has a come a long way in building a
collaborative and internationally effective L&D
program. With major acquisitions happening
in different parts of the world over the past
decade (DSM, Huntsman and GE Plastics),
the organization’s learning, training and
development scenario had to undergo significant
churning to produce a new structure and
new sets of guidelines for global SABIC.
When eventually the SABIC Leadership and
Core Business Skills programs were rolled out
worldwide in late 2009, it involved internal and
external partners who brought the necessary
expertise. Internally, the program relies on experts
from various functions while externally, it partners
with leading international business schools.
The renowned global institutions that
SABIC L&D has partnered with include the
London Business School, Babson Executive
Education, Center for Creative Leadership and
Thunderbird School of Global Management.
SABIC has already begun running learning and
development programs with these institutions.
The global curriculum guide lists dozens of
courses that are currently organized in five
distinct portfolios: Executive, Leadership, Core
Business Skills, Technical, Sales and Marketing,
and Supply Chain. The curriculum and programs
are drawn up in a way that helps SABIC people
Cover Story
ABOVE Al-Alweet addressing a ‘Culture Matters’ session conducted by L&D in Singapore
at all levels in all businesses sharpen their skills
and knowledge to grow within the company.
Culture Matters, Looking Glass, Leading A Team
and Experienced Leaders are examples of effective
programs that are being implemented by SABIC
L&D. Culture Matters is an initiative to build on
global SABIC’s cultural diversity while recognizing
cultural differences; the other three are leadership
development programs that are designed for
an international workforce. The programs are
conceived and structured in a way that enables
incorporation of feedback from participants
as well as global networking opportunities and
cross-functional and cross-cultural learning.
The Global Corporate Leadership Curriculum
is now implemented across all regions to ensure
consistency and uniformity of learning content
and delivery. The programs are not limited to
management, but extend to technical and highly
specialized fields. For example, the Process
Engineering Development program enabled
over 350 professionals in SABIC strengthen
their technical competencies. Similarly, Finance
simulation, a finance training program using new
technology and conducted entirely online has
also enabled SABIC professionals to share their
knowledge and strengthen professional skills.
LEARNING PORTAL
Internal collaboration is a key element in the
L&D strategy, which has developed a Web
2.0-based learning portal that facilitates two-
“We care about
developing
SABIC people’s
capabilities and
skills and we
want to help
them grow and
achieve their
ambitions”
Abdullah S Al-Alweet,
SABIC’s Chief Learning
Officer (CLO), Learning &
Development Center of
Excellence (CoE)
way communication. Eventually, the portal will
become a hub of collaborative informal learning
for SABIC staff around the world. The portal will
support the L&D’s “SABIC teach SABIC” approach
that encourages knowledge sharing among
experienced managers and professionals. The
programs also include effective e-learning modules
that supplement face-to-face instructor-led sessions.
L&D will effectively use technology – mobile, wiki
and blogs – to allow staff worldwide to learn from
anywhere and everywhere according to their needs.
Al-Alweet explains that SABIC’s is a truly global
Learning Management System that enables the
whole organization to have access to a common
knowledge pool and harmonize the process of
learning across the world. The system is equipped
to constantly make adjustments and improvements,
and redefine programs based either on participant
feedback or on new information and technology
that become available every now and then.
The SABIC Academy symbolizes SABIC’s total
commitment to grooming talent and skills. According
to management consultancy firm McKinsey, “the
war for talent” among global companies is far
from over. As the ‘knowledge worker’ continues
to hold the key to competitiveness, and as long
as there are not enough of talent for competing
companies around the world, that ‘war’ will
continue. SABIC leaders are hoping that the
Academy and L&D, along with the host of other
corporate programs and policies, will provide SABIC
the vital edge in acquiring and retaining talent.
Corporate Social Responsibility
SABIC-funded Autism Research
Center launched in Riyadh
institutions having long experience in academia and
An Autism Research Center funded with SR 45
research, particularly in the field of autism research,
million grant provided by SABIC was launched at
will help acquire knowledge and provide support for
the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research
autistic children and their families in Saudi Arabia.
Center (KFSH&RC) in Riyadh on September 27.
The Autism Research Center aims at improving
The KFSH&RC also signed two agreements on the
local diagnostic and rehabilitation capabilities. It
same day with the University of North Carolina
will review the methods and outreach programs
and Autism Speaks Center, both based in the
for autistic children and their application in
United States, to conduct autism research.
the Saudi environment to strengthen the
Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud,
skills of people working in the field. It will
Chairman of SABIC and the Royal Commission for
also offer rehabilitation training and develop
Jubail and Yanbu, said that the Autism Research
rehabilitation programs for autism centers across
Center is a major milestone in SABIC’s Corporate
the country. The Center will coordinate with
Social Responsibility (CSR) program. SABIC considers
universities and specialized centers in Saudi
social responsibility as a long-term investment.
Arabia to establish close cooperative relations
He said SABIC hopes that the Autism Research
in education, training, research and services.
Center in Riyadh would become the world’s leading
KFSHRC, which has considerable experience
institution in the field, offering new knowledge
in the diagnosis and care of autism cases in the
and high-standard rehabilitative services.
country, seeks to become more
Dr. Qasim Al-Ghasabi, KFSH&RC
active in autism research locally,
General Executive Supervisor, thanked
below Prince Saud (center),
Dr. Al Qasabi (right) and Dr.
regionally and globally, he said.
Prince Saud and SABIC for their
Sameul Odom (left) of the
He noted that the hospital had
University of North Carolina
support to the center and other
at the announcement of the
diagnosed the first case of autism in
community programs. He said that
SABIC-funded Autism Research
Center in Riyadh
the country more than 20 years ago.
the agreement with the two US
Corporate Social Responsibility
Above Prince Sultan with Prince Saud, Al-Mady and other SABIC executives at the
check handover ceremony
‘Pay Every Month’ for
Disabled Children’s
Association
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Chairman
of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and
Chairman of the Disabled Children’s Association (DCA), visited
SABIC headquarters in Riyadh on September 25. Prince Sultan
symbolically presented the donations from SABIC employees
under the ‘Pay Every Month’ initiative, to Custodian of the Two
Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in celebration of the
Saudi National Day (September 23).
Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud, Chairman of
SABIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, received
Prince Sultan. Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO,
the company’s executive vice presidents, and DCA officials and
children attended the reception.
Prince Saud lauded Prince Sultan’s encouragement to several
charitable associations, and his strong support to the DCA
programs, setting a clear vision for the association to pursue
over the next 20 years. He praised Prince Sultan’s role in
extending DCA services to most regions of Saudi Arabia, and
building strategic partnerships with organizations in diverse
sectors. SABIC has responded to these initiatives as part of its
commitment to social responsibility, he said.
Prince Saud expressed his sincere appreciation to Prince
Sultan for encouraging the ‘Pay Every Month’ initiative of SABIC
employees, who have set a good example for others to follow.
He thanked SABIC employees and the CEO for their response to
the ‘Pay Every Month’ initiative.
SABIC’s relations with the association dates back to the years
when the company began participating in the ‘Pay Every Month’
initiative. Under the initiative, the participating employee agrees
to have a fixed sum deducted from their monthly salary to
support the association.
Prince Sultan thanked SABIC employees for supporting the ‘Pay
Every Month’ program, which was launched in January, 2008. Over
the past three years, a total of SR 1,454,179 has been collected.
Above Prince Saud receives a memento from the ADHD Support Society
ADHD Society
thanks SABIC
for support
Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud,
Chairman of SABIC and the Royal Commission
for Jubail and Yanbu, and Mohamed Al-Mady,
Vice Chairman and CEO, received a delegation
from Saudi Arabia’s ADHD (Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder) Support Society on
September 25 at the SABIC headquarters in Riyadh.
The representatives of the Society expressed
their appreciation of SABIC’s continuous
support. They also noted SABIC’s prominent
role in serving the community and caring
for the younger generation by supporting
research and helping to raise awareness about
diseases, their prevention and treatment.
The ADHD Support Society delegation included
Dr. Suad Al-Yamani, Chairman of the Society,
Princess Nouf Mohammed bin Abdullah AlSaud, Vice Chairman of the Society, Princess
Madawi Saad bin Khalid Al-Saud, Board member,
and Munira Khaled Al-Sudairi, Chairman of
the Society Development Committee. Senior
SABIC officials also attended the meeting.
Prince Saud lauded the Society for its voluntary
activities in the Kingdom and its role in raising
awareness about ADHD. He noted that the
Society has been using all available means to
educate people and invite specialists to shed more
light on the disorder. He said 15 percent of the
population in Saudi Arabia suffer from ADHD, which
is three times more than the global average.
success story
Flux Chair made
from SABIC
polypropylene
is a seating hit
success story
If there is one product that has made waves
recently in Europe’s modern furniture market, it is
the Flux® Chair. The foldable and easily portable
chair, which has taken the design world by storm
and won several awards, bases its simplicity on a
single-part, single-material approach. And that
single material is SABIC’s polypropylene (PP).
Flux Furniture B.V. selected the SABIC® PP PHC
series of impact block copolymers to mold the
complex, hinged part that unfolds from a flat
package into an attractive, comfortable and
highly practical chair. The Flux chair design was
inspired by origami, the traditional Japanese art
of paper folding, which transforms a flat sheet
of material into a finished sculpture primarily
through folding and sculpting techniques.
The company chose SABIC PP PHC series to
make the chair because the high-performance
material not only meets the demanding
usability and aesthetic requirements of the Flux
Chair, but also supports environmental goals
of easy recyclability and weight reduction.
The SABIC PP PHC series of impact block
copolymers, featuring high impact strength, high
stiffness and good flow, were the solution to a
dilemma: how to produce a chair that combines
flexibility for easy folding and unfolding, excellent
strength (supporting up to 140 kg/300 lbs) and
stiffness for stability. The materials offer an ideal blend
of properties that allow thin hinges to be incorporated
into the thicker, rigid chair body. Other attributes
of the SABIC resin include custom colorability and
an excellent surface finish for luxury aesthetics.
The Flux Chair is offered in eight stylish colors: jet
black, anthracite grey, classic red, bright orange,
lemon lime, pebble grey, ice blue, and pure white.
The product was launched at the international
lifestyle fair at Maison & Objet in Paris and the
Tendence in Frankfurt in August-September 2010,
targeted at worldwide design chair markets.
Sales of the chair have been rocketing since.
Flux has won significant design Awards such
as Grand Designs Product of the Year, Excellent
in Product Design Award and Philips Innovation
Award; earlier it had won the New Venture Award.
The Flux Chair is also used in promotion campaigns
partnering Mini Cooper, the Amsterdam Dance
Event, British Next Top Model and SABIC.
Although primarily the Flux Chair is a design chair,
it is also very practical: easily foldable, easy to carry
and store, easy to clean and comfortable feel. For
example, 121 Flux Chairs can fit in a Mini Cooper
Clubman. Thanks to the tough SABIC PP material
the Flux Chair has a high durability. It can easily
be folded more then 1000 times. It combines
design excellence with environmental responsibility
because the ease of bulk transportation helps to
reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption.
According to Douwe Jacobs, co-founder and lead
designer for Flux Furniture, “SABIC polypropylene
helped to make our complicated product look
simple. This material was the most important factor
in the successful commercialization of our design.
Also, the local assistance that SABIC provided was
invaluable. Not only did the SABIC representative
personally deliver trial samples the next day, but a
technical expert worked with our injection molder
to optimize the tool and processing parameters for
this very large and tricky part. Based on the success
of the original Flux Chair, we are creating a child’s
version that also uses SABIC polypropylene.”
“It was a great experience for us to work with an
innovative design team on this award-winning chair,
and we look forward to continuing our collaboration
with Flux,” said Paul Wanrooij, Technical Marketing
Engineer SABIC. “The Flux Chair epitomizes the
creative use of our polypropylene technology and
shows what can be achieved with a single, versatile
plastic. SABIC continues to develop its SABIC PP PHC
block copolymer series so that customers like Flux can
find solutions to their most challenging projects.”
Designers Douwe Jacobs & Tom Schouten,
having graduated in 2008 from the TU Delft,
The Netherlands, won in 2009 both the New
Venture entrepreneurs competition and the Philips
Innovation Award. The Flux Chair is the fruition
of Douwe Jacobs’ graduation project. In search
of inspiration for a line of folding furniture, he
became fascinated by the art of paper folding.
Driven by the possibility of creating elegant
shapes with curved fold lines and a single flat sheet,
the miniature scale models quickly found the
chair’s unique form. Together with fellow student
Tom Schouten, Douwe formed the company Flux
Furniture. This partnership enabled them to launch
the innovative product that was already patented
and ready to be mass produced. Flux Furniture is
located in Marcel Wanders’ Westerhuis, Amsterdam.
“The Flux Chair
epitomizes
the creative
use of our
polypropylene
technology and
shows what can
be achieved
with a single,
versatile plastic”
Paul Wanrooij, Technical
Marketing Engineer SABIC
success story
Lexan* solar shading
panels offer multiple
benefits at Westminster
Green Campus
success story
New solar shading panels made from lightweight,
durable Lexan* Exell* D polycarbonate (PC) sheet
from SABIC’s Innovative Plastics strategic business
unit, are making a major contribution to energy
efficiency and comfort at the new flagship City
of Westminster College in Central London. The
high-performance panels filter out direct sunlight
to minimize solar effect and glare on computer
screens while at the same time allowing generous
amounts of natural light. These advantages are
expected to significantly reduce building energy
requirements, and maintenance and lifespan costs.
The City of Westminster College is another example
of SABIC’s ongoing investment in environmentally
responsible materials for the global building and
construction industry helping customers meet their
sustainability goals with new eco-progressive products.
“The success of this project called for an advanced
material that could deliver a combination of highperformance properties: excellent aesthetics,
insulation, ultraviolet protection, flame retardance,
durability and light weight,” said Simon O’Hea,
Director, Colt Group Ltd. “Based on our history of
working with SABIC, and after researching all our
options, we recommended Lexan Exell D sheet to
the architect. SABIC supplied the customized sheet
with the precise balance of light transmission and
heat reduction, greatly enhancing the building’s
energy efficiency while adding to the striking
architectural impact of the building’s design.”
DESIGN FEATURES
The distinctive, cantilevered building for City
of Westminster College – a leading continuing
education college offering over 200 vocational and
academic courses to students – was designed by
Schmidt Hammer Lassen architects to minimize
energy usage and carbon footprint. This sustainability
strategy includes full-story, vertical solar shading
panels fabricated by Colt using custom-colored,
translucent Lexan Exell D sheet, which flank
the windows on the east and west façades.
The solar shading panels, also referred to as a
“brise soleil” system, are fabricated by framing
3.5 m by 5.76 m rectangles of solid Lexan Exell
D sheet. They are mounted on either side of the
building’s windows on the façades that receive major
exposure to sun. SABIC provided color-matching
services and technical support to Colt, and backs
the material with a 10-year limited warranty against
breakage, yellowing and loss of light transmission.
Weighing only half as much as glass, Lexan Exell
D sheet reduces the amount of material required
for structural supports. The PC sheet also provides
high impact strength (250 times that of glass) and
flame retardance (compliant with the European
fire standard EN 13501-1) for safety, and complies
with glazing security impact resistance according
to Pr EN 356. Other key properties are dimensional
The new flagship Paddington
Green Campus of City
of Westminster College
using solar shading
panels made with SABIC’s
Lexan* Exell* D PC Sheet
“Specialty Lexan
sheet products
can play an
important role
in the overall
sustainability
of commercial
and residential
buildings that
would otherwise
call for air
conditioning
by reducing
infrared
radiation”
Jack Govers, General
Manager, Specialty Film &
Sheet, Innovative Plastics
stability; ease of handling and installation; and
resistance to yellowing, graffiti and breakage.
“Specialty Lexan sheet products can play an
important role in the overall sustainability of
commercial and residential buildings that would
otherwise call for air conditioning by reducing infrared
radiation,” said Jack Govers, General Manager, Specialty
Film & Sheet, Innovative Plastics. “At the same time,
our Lexan sheet solutions allow architects to create
designs that feature high natural light levels, which
create a pleasant working and living environment.
These materials can help architects and designers
succeed in the lucrative sustainable building space and
have potential to contribute to eco certifications.”
SUSTAINABILITY AND STYLE
SABIC’s robust Lexan PC sheet products are
lightweight, flame-retardant materials, available
in monolithic and multiwall configurations,
which are used worldwide for roofing, cladding
and glazing massive stadiums, hotels and other
impressive structures. They are designed to
allow penetration of natural, filtered daylight
into living areas without heat build-up.
Lexan sheet products can address performance
challenges such as color fading, marring and
scratching, cracking, rusting, and paint peeling
that occur with metal, wood, stone, glass, and
other materials. They can be designed with
capabilities such as double-sided ultraviolet
protection and special coatings that provide a selfcleaning feature or protection against graffiti.
Lexan sheet can be cold formed and bent into
complex shapes using conventional equipment,
and can be enhanced with colors, textures and
special effects. Further, the lighter weight of
plastics compared to glass allows these materials
to be used in large structural components. Lexan
sheet offers extremely high impact resistance
to minimize the risk of breakage – even when
subjected to violent blows by heavy objects.
* Trademarks of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Aiming for
long-term
excellence
below The Manufacturing
Competence Center control
room in Cartagena, Spain
A global automation
project is drawing up plans
that look a full 10 years into
the future to ensure that
SABIC maintains the highest
levels of manufacturing
excellence
In the battle to build leaner, more efficient
processes, SABIC’s Manufacturing Competence
Center based in Cartagena, Spain, is taking a
close look at automation. It has set up the Process
Automation Domain (PAD) that brings together 35
engineers from SABIC affiliates and business units
under the PAD umbrella.
PAD Manager Agustín Reinaldos, a technical expert
in the field based in Cartagena, says the goal is to
maximize value creation. “Basically, we’re looking
at ways to advance our level of technology and
leverage process automation resources, processes,
knowledge and technology,” says Reinaldos. “More
specifically, we want to improve operator excellence
and process optimization while modernizing the
maintenance life cycle.”
BEHIND THE SCENES BEHIND THE SCENES
Range of benefits
To do this, five groups – Production Management,
Supervisory Process Control and Optimization,
Regulatory Process Control, Ergonomics and
Operator Excellence, and System Infrastructure – are
seeking ways to improve their performance and
achieve better results.
They are examining issues including process
optimization, life cycle management, knowledge
sharing and supplier relationships. Benefits include
lower costs and risks, improved quality and
throughput, plus enhanced sustainability.
The overall strategy is based on a 10-year period.
One example is the development of a Control Systems
Life Cycle program. Why will it take so long? A simple
reason is that replacing systems is a major undertaking
that can only really take place when the plants are
closed for maintenance. This happens infrequently.
“But we are also working on projects with shorter
cycles of 12 to 18 months,” explains Reinaldos. He
sees the key to achieving best-in-class results as
“joint effort and integration.”
Cultural challenge
In addition to the technical side, the program has
a specific challenge that Reinaldos enjoys. “It’s very
international and multicultural. We are based in
Cartagena, but collaborate with SABIC people in
Europe, the US and Saudi Arabia. Managing the
communications and human relationships is the
main challenge for me.”
The engineers spend about a third of their time
working on PAD projects. However, Reinaldos and his
team of four – Jos Oelers, WalterJacobs, Jan Versteeg
and Joep Bazelmans – dedicate their full time for
PAD. “We have team members such as William
Horner and Richard Hughes in the UK, Stefan Saur in
Germany, Darren Atkinson in The Netherlands and
Francisco Cegarra in Spain, and we are also looking
to expand the team,” he notes.
Unique process
SABIC is not the only company looking at
improving processes. “However, I’d say that
the way we do it is pretty unique,” emphasizes
Reinaldos. “Normally, producers have to rely on
suppliers to plan projects like this. SABIC is running
the process itself in collaboration with internal
functions from the Manufacturing Center of
Excellence, Global Procurement, Engineering
and Project Management, Technology and
Innovation, Area Manufacturing Services, as well
as with external organizations and suppliers. This
means we are determining when and how to
proceed to achieve the best results possible.”
“It’s very
international
and
multicultural.
We are based in
Cartagena, but
collaborate with
SABIC people
in Europe,
the US and
Saudi Arabia.
Managing the
communications
and human
relationships
is the main
challenge for
me”
Agustín Reinaldos,
PAD Manager
Above Process engineers
in discussions in the
control room
Left Agustín Reinaldos, Process
Automation Domain Manager
lifestyle
lifestyle
Welcome to the
world of 3D
Single screen movie theaters gave way
to multiplexes; 2D movies came with
unbeatable picture quality and Dolby
sound. Just when one thought the movie
experience could not get any better, 3D has
become all the rage for aficionados
There was a time when walking into a studio or a
theme park wearing 3D polarized glasses to see a
short 3D movie was a novelty – and an experience
to brag about. However, times have changed. A
thriving show business and the unending quest
for constantly improving viewing experience have
ensured that 3D is now everywhere – including
your neighborhood theater and your living room.
3D may be counted as one more example of
technological refinement driven by popular demand.
The movie Lion King is a classic example of
popular demand behind the evolution of 3D.
The movie, when released in 2D in 1994, was
a runaway success and grossed $936,648,474
at the box office worldwide. The same movie
was re-run in 3D – after more than one-and-ahalf-decades – and grossed a whopping $ 71.9
million. That’s what 3D has done to Generation
Z – and the rest of the world. We are mesmerized,
amazed, and thrilled by this new technology.
Considering its chequered history, the fact
that 3D has become a global multi-billion-dollar
industry today may almost entirely be attributed
to technological improvements. When the
first 3D movies hit the screens in 1950s, many
predicted a golden era for the new technology.
Several 3D features were released by Walt Disney
and Universal – International studios, Columbia
Pictures, Paramount as well as 20th Century Fox.
Despite the release of several popular films such
as Hannah Lee (1953), Robot Monster (1953), The
Tingler (1959), and House on Haunted Hill (1999),
the 3D phenomenon was unable to sustain itself
owing to technical anomalies, which resulted
in a lack of enthusiasm among audiences.
The failure of 3D to catch on in the early years
was primarily because the technology was not
mature enough. For one, the 3D effect was too
unrealistic compared with today’s very realistic
images; then there were issues with imperfect
technology causing eye strain as well as other ill
lifestyle
effects on health such as headaches and nausea.
Yet another problem was the poor color fidelity.
3D saw a revival in the 1960s when IMAX
introduced improved technology. Soon, Disney
theme parks and Universal Studios followed
suit. The last decade of the 20th century saw
several movies released by the three studios, but
only some were well received by the audience.
However, by 2004, more than 54 percent
of the IMAX theaters were 3D-enabled.
More recently, 3D movies including Avatar
(2009), Monsters vs Aliens (2009), Final Destination
4 (2009) and 5 (2011), How To Train Your Dragon
(2010), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
(2010 & 2011), and Alice in Wonderland (2010)
have been immensely popular among audiences
of all age groups. It is this popularity of the 3D
experience that has given rise to an increase in the
number of 3D movie theaters and 3D LED TVs.
MOVIE THEATERS
Today, a 3D movie experience is not restricted
to theme parks or specialty studios anymore.
In most countries across the world, the 3D
experience is a short walk away. There are over
538 3D-enabled movie theaters across the
world. Apart from the widespread presence of
IMAX in most countries, there has been a boom
in the number of other new 3D theaters.
These include ‘Maxoom’ & ‘Cinemagnum
Reichsbrücke’ in Austria, ‘Scotiabank Theatre’ in
West Edmonton Mall and ‘Silvercity’ in Canada,
‘Hong Kong International Airport 4D Extreme
Screen Cinema’ and ‘Changying Century City
Futurescope Giant Screen Theaters’ in China,
‘Cinemagnum’ and ‘Berlin Event Cinema’ in Sony
Center, ‘Thessaloniki Science Center & Technology
Museum Giant Screen’ in Greece, ‘UGC Extreme
Screen’ in Scotland, ‘Singapore Discovery Centre
iWERKS’ in Singapore, ‘Nu Metro Megavu’ in South
Africa, ‘Maxxima’ in Sweden, ‘CineMec’ in the
Netherlands – and many more. Judging by the
enormous popularity of 3D movies now, the world
seems ready for many more 3D-enabled theaters.
“Considering
its chequered
history, the
fact that 3D
has become a
global multibillion-dollar
industry today
may almost
entirely be
attributed to
technological
improvements”
recently, 3D movies including
Up (above) and Kung Fu Panda
(right) have been immensely
popular among audiences of
all age groups
3D in the living room
The 3D rage is having a major impact on television
manufacturers, and all indications are that the
battle for 3D supremacy is underway among
the big boys of the industry. As the 3D television
brings the 3D experience to our living rooms, the
experience would not be just about the movies
but with almost anything that’s up on TV.
Popular brands such as Panasonic, LG, Samsung,
Philips and Sony have all entered the 3D TV market
in a big way, promising the best viewing experience
and amazing color reproduction, as well as addons for style, size and overall quality. Some come
bundled with 3D glasses while others don’t bother.
Prices for these new living room embellishments
range from about US$1,500 to $6,000 plus. Then,
there are those ultra extravagant ones priced
up to over US$100,000 – with oversized plasma
screens and multiple options of luxury and class.
Word of caution
A study initiated by Samsung’s R & D at the
University of Berkeley found that 3D images cause
more strain and fatigue to the eyes than 2D
images do. The study also found that 3D content,
when viewed up close (using desktops, laptops, or
smart phones),is visually more uncomfortable. It
may be a while before more conclusive research
is done on the health effects of viewing 3D, but
for now, the movie buffs do not seem overly
concerned about becoming sick after watching
a 3D movie in the theater or on television.
Theaters across the world are now combining 3D
movies with other elements to give the viewer a
‘real-time’ experience – incorporating environmental
elements such as rain, wind, snowflakes and odor
as well as the seating movement. Does adding the
fourth (or fifth, or sixth, depending on which part of
the world you’re in) dimension enhance the moviewatching experience? Many may find it ridiculous
to have water sprayed on them in the theater
when a raining scene comes on screen – or for the
chair to start rocking during a roller coaster scene
– but there is little doubt that 3D is here to stay.
The winter chill in Saudi Arabia is an occasion to
celebrate the desert charms of open skies, sand dunes
and campfires
IT TAKES PARTNERSHIP, POLYMERS
AND 420 MILES OF PIPELINE TO
QUENCH HER THIRST.
Water is life. And a clean, fresh, sustainable supply helps communities thrive.
At SABIC our vision of safe water for all drives our polymer innovation. And it’s
why we work with materials engineers to develop solutions for the world’s
expanding water networks. It’s the collaborative approach that has made us
a global leader not only in polymers, but also in chemicals, highly engineered
thermoplastics, metals and fertilizers. For more refreshing thinking, visit sabic.com

SABIC Academy

Transcription

Similar documents

e4de uee4 OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEP

StaMax in Automotive Applications: Developments in Thermoplastic

Engineering - Times of India

Equity | Saudi Arabia | Chemicals How about the super cycle? Buy

Magazine November/December 2010

Magazine January February 2011