Koos van Haasteren, Executive Vice President, Performance Chemicals, SABIC.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) announced that it has signed a technology agreement with Montefibre S p A granting SABIC an extensive international license on carbon fibre technology developed by Montefibre. SABIC will first use the technology for a new carbon fibre plant to be built in Saudi Arabia. The plant enables SABIC to serve the growing demand for carbon fibre and composites in such fast-growing markets as alternative energy, transportation and infrastructure.
SABIC and Montefibre also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the companies to study the feasibility of a new carbon fibre production plant in Spain to be integrated into Montefibre’s existing acrylic fibre production site-and thus allowing SABIC to accelerate product development and material qualification activities with customers and end-users.
Once complete, the carbon fibre project is expected to establish a domestic supply of more than 3,000 metric ton of industrial grade carbon fibre to serve emerging local markets in the Middle East as well as international markets.
“This carbon fibre project will be the basis for the creation of a world-class carbon composites value chain in Saudi Arabia. We are looking forward to developing many new and exciting applications as we grow our ability to supply competitive industrial grade carbon fibre products,” said Koos van Haasteren, Executive Vice President, Performance Chemicals, SABIC.
The project will also include the creation of a new carbon fibre product development centre and composite plastics application development capabilities at the SABIC Plastics Application Development Centre (SPADC) which is currently under construction at the Riyadh Techno Valley research complex at King Saud University.
© WOC News