Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has signed, on Thursday July 14, 2005, a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Toyo Engineering Company of Japan for the design, supply and construction of an Ethylene Glycol (EG) Plant at YANSAB complex. The plant will have capacity of 700,000 mt/y.

Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, President YANSAB signed the LOI for SABIC. Mr. Takiyo Morashi signed the LOI for TEC.

This is the third plant for which SABIC has awarded a contract within this complex, located at Yanbu Industrial City on the west coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. YANSAB is the most recent SABIC affiliate in the Kingdom which will be the largest petrochemical complex with annual capacity exceeding 4 million MT of various petrochemical products including 1.3 million MT of Ethylene, 400,000 MT of Propylene, 900,000 MT of Polyethylene, 400,000 MT of Polypropylene, 700,000 MT of Glycol Ethylene, 250,000 of benzene and xylene and toluene, and 100,000 MT of butene-1 and butane-2.

Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman & CEO said, "SABIC owns 55% of YANSAB capital. SABIC has allowed its partners in IBN RUSH and TAIF (17 Saudi and Gulf companies) to hold 10% of YANSAB capital. SABIC plans to allocate 35% for subscription.

"YANSAB is expected to employee 1,500 employees in phase I and phase II. This will allow promising job opportunities to Saudis. YANSAB uses the latest world-class state-of-the-art technologies in its plants including SABIC license owned technologies such as Scientific Design high-tech which is 50:50 owned by SABIC and Sud-Chemie of Germany for the production of ethylene glycol as well as LLDPE and butane-1 tech.

"HDPE together with pure aromatics high-tech shall be applied for the first time to meet YANSAB customers requirements.

"YANSAB is part of SABIC strategic to boost its contributions to the national development programs and enhance its competitive capabilities towards the excellence to become a leading global petrochemical company."

Mohammad S Al-Motawa
General Manager, Corporate Communications