Sabic’s Plastics Application Development Centre (SPADC) has opened at the Riyadh Techno Valley, King Saud University.

The SPADC facility, which aims to collaborate with customers to create dependable technical solutions, is the newest among the company’s research centres and comes close on the heels of recent launches in China and India.

The new world-class facility confirms Sabic as the leading driver of innovation in the Middle East, and establishes the company as a strategic partner for industry. The centre covers an area of 42,000 sq m, and was built at a cost of SR472 million. It will house over 200 Sabic scientists, engineers and technicians working in close research and development collaborations with customers, academia and industrial research communities within SABIC’s global technology and innovation network.

SABIC has grown to the point that it now has one of the highest number of patents per researcher in the top chemical companies. SPADC will be augmented over time by the establishment of a Home of Innovation which will provide a meeting ground between specifiers, customers and businessmen for growing new opportunities in areas such as construction materials and consumer goods.

The Riyadh Techno Valley centre was opened by Riyadh Governor Prince Khaled bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz. Present was Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud, chairman of Sabic and chairman of the  Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu

In his address, Mohamed Al Mady, Sabic vice chairman and CEO, said: “The new centre is yet another important step for Sabic to evolve further as an innovation-driven company, besides being an important driver of economic growth within Saudi Arabia’s efforts to become a knowledge-based economy. SPADC’s role will be to introduce innovative plastics solutions to Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurs, delivering new applications for businesses.”

 Al-Mady added that plans call for a further strengthening of the innovation footprint. “We have just set up a new research facility at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; and we now have about 2,000 researchers worldwide, with the number growing rapidly. These facilities are focused on developing innovation strategies that will help the company deliver strong business results,” he said.

Prince Faisal bin Turki bin Abdulaziz, advisor at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, commented on the important role this research facility would provide for Saudi Arabia’s downstream development and for the kingdom’s overall energy value chain – adding value to its hydrocarbon resources and further diversification of its economy.

NEW SHANGHAI CENTRE

Meanwhile, earlier opened its state-of-the-art Sabic Technology Centre (STC) in Shanghai, built with an initial investment of $100 million.

The centre, one of Sabic’s 17 Sabic global R&D centres of excellence, was inaugurated by Prince Saud.

The 60,000 sq m state-of-the-art complex houses close to 500 employees including 170 application development and materials technologists. In addition, it also serves as the new Greater China head office for all Shanghai-based employees including R&D and supporting functions.

“Sabic is a company grounded in developing material solutions and has innovation, ingenuity and collaboration at its core, helping us to achieve a deeper understanding of our customers and their business. Sabic is committed to being an inclusive growth partner in the markets we operate in.” said Al Mady.

“The new STC in Shanghai will be leading the development for portable consumer electronics, working closely with OEMs across the globe.”