• Plant will meet growing demand in Asia-Pacific
• The facility caters to high-tech end-user industries, such as Aerospace, Healthcare, 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Electric Vehicles (EV).

November, 13, 2024 - SABIC announced on November, 7 the official launch of its new USD 170 (S$220) million Ultem resin manufacturing facility in Singapore, marking the company’s first specialty chemical manufacturing facility in the region producing the high-performance Ultem polyether imide (PEI) thermoplastic resin. The new facility is a strategic move to support SABIC’s goal of increasing global Ultem specialty resin production by more than 50%, responding to the growing demand from high-tech and manufacturing industries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and China.

The facility opening was officiated by Ms. Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Eng. Khalid H. Al-Dabbagh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SABIC, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, SABIC Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Omar Al-Harthi, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Singapore.

Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the new Singapore facility emphasizes SABIC’s commitment to localize a reliable supply of high performance materials that support complex and demanding supply chain requirements.

SABIC CEO, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, said: “We’re excited to leverage SABIC’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to produce one of the world’s most advanced plastics in Singapore. The Ultem resin facility reflects our long-term commitment to the region’s high-tech economies and advanced manufacturing sectors, supporting the growth of advanced applications. Singapore’s widely networked trade agreements also provides us with competitive access to markets in the region.”

Lim Wey Len, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Executive Vice President, said: “The opening of SABIC’s new ULTEM plant reflects its confidence in Singapore as a hub to capture the growing demand for high-performance specialty chemicals in Asia. We look forward to how the new plant’s advanced manufacturing capabilities will boost our chemicals sector to meet customers’ needs in growth areas such as mobility and electronics. We continue to welcome like-minded partners like SABIC to invest in our talent and capabilities here in Singapore, to create cutting edge material solutions for the world.”

SABIC says it has empowered its workforce by enabling global knowledge transfer and upskilling local talent to effectively manage the production of one of the most technologically advanced plastics in the world. According to the Saudi chemical giant, this holistic approach to the expansion integrates human capital development and leverages global expertise to establish an Asian hub built on a foundation of regional talent.

New developments at SABIC comprise a portfolio of drop-in Ultem bio-based resins with sustainability benefits and performance and processability identical to the traditional Ultem resin. Applications for Ultem resins include consumer electronics (wearables and mobile devices); under-the-hood parts in the automotive industry like connectors, sensors, and valves; aerospace interior panels; medical devices and sterilization trays; in addition to electrical/electronics applications (for example, 5G networking infrastructure).

SABIC’s advanced materials have become integral to Singapore's leadership in sustainable, high-tech manufacturing, extending to the automotive, healthcare, and telecommunications sectors. With strong support from the Singapore government, the new facility benefits from the nation’s strategic position as a regional hub and its extensive free trade agreements network, enabling SABIC to efficiently operate in the region.

Source: SABIC