2007-11-13 Manufacturing News

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SABIC Innovative Plastics divests BASF JV

Focusing on future production and development of environmentally responsible plastics technologies SABIC Innovative Plastics exits Schwarzheide JV with BASF.

SABIC Innovative Plastics today announced it has signed an agreement, subject to regulatory approvals, to divest itself of its share in a 12-year Joint Venture (JV) with BASF Aktiengesellschaft, which produces polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin in Schwarzheide, Germany. As part of this divestiture, SABIC Innovative Plastics will ensure continuity of supply for European customers through a contract to purchase PBT resin from BASF for a defined period of time. The transfer is expected by December 31st, 2007.

This re-alignment of resources allows SABIC Innovative Plastics to focus on different PBT technologies including resins based on terephthalic acid (TPA) feedstocks and iQ PBT resin, which uses an environmentally responsible process that reduces CO2 emissions and energy usage.

Heiner Markhoff, president of SABIC Innovative Plastics, Europe, stated, “This was an important strategic decision for our company, which will enable us to better support our customers here in Europe and across the globe with new and innovative PBT materials. As we accelerate the development of these products, we also will ensure an uninterrupted source of supply.”

SABIC Innovative Plastics offers several new advanced PBT-based materials with specialized properties. These include:

• Valox* Super High Flow resins – a family of glass-filled PBT materials aimed at helping automakers and tiers achieve thinner, larger parts with greater detail at lower injection pressures without sacrificing performance. These plastics materials are available in both flame retardant (FR) and non-FR grades.
  
• Valox ENH resins – a PBT-based, environmentally progressive resin family that meets the requirements for halogen-free parts. These products deliver better ductility and strength than other environmentally focused, flame-retardant PBT materials, and better electrical properties than standard FR PBT resins. Valox ENH resins can help electrical/electronics (E/E) manufacturers and suppliers comply with regulations restricting use and disposal of hazardous substances.
  
• Valox iQ* and Xenoy iQ* PBT resins – new environmentally responsible plastics materials created via a unique process that reduces CO2 emissions and energy usage by 60 percent. In addition to automotive components, the materials are good candidates for applications in the consumer electronics and transportation industries.

Richard Crosby, general manager of the PBT business for SABIC Innovative Plastics, said, “This development underscores how our company is taking the important steps needed to serve our customers in Europe and around the world in the best way we can. This means providing them with the most advanced PBT resins available and the technical support they need to enhance their competitive advantage.”

The joint venture with BASF, which was formed in 1995 and began production in 1997, was designed to share the capacity of a 60,000-ton manufacturing facility, later expanded to 100,000 tons/yr. The facility produces PBT using DMT feedstocks. SABIC Innovative Plastics also produces PBT resins in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, USA.

* Trademarks of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP BV, part of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the 10 largest petrochemicals manufacturers in the world.

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