Sabic (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) and Sinopec (Beijing, China; www.sinopec.com) have announced that the polycarbonate plant at their 50/50 joint venture, Sinopec Sabic Tianjin Petrochemical (SSTPC), has started commercial production.

Sabic said the 260,000 t/y plant at Dagang, Tianjin is “a vital component” of its PC growth strategy in China, “allowing for further collaborations with global and local customers”. It plans to market its share of PC resins produced at SSTPC under its Lexan brand. 

“By working in partnership, Sabic and Sinopec are unlocking significant and mutual growth opportunities that complement the national agendas of Saudi Arabia and China,” said Sabic CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh. 

He added, “Building on our position as one of the world’s leading polycarbonate manufacturers, our first-ever PC plant in Asia underlines our commitment to operate and manufacture in markets that are close to our customers to increase service capabilities, agility, and supply reliability.”

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Output from the plant is primarily destined for customers in the Greater China region, targeting industries such as electrical & electronics, consumer goods and appliances, automotive, healthcare, and building and construction. 

The companies expect demand for PC and other engineering plastics to grow in the future, supporting rising production of electronics, cars, and building materials.

SSTPC is a mega-complex comprising world-scale plants for petrochemicals and plastics. According to Plasteurope.com’s Polyglobe database (www.polyglobe.net), the complex produces 1.3 mn t/y ethylene and 450,000 t/y propylene, feeding downstream plants that include 450,000 t/y PP, 350,000 t/y LLDPE, 320,000 t/y HDPE, and 200,000 t/y PET, among others.