Sipchem affiliate launches facility ​, utility​ unit ​s​ of PBT plant

Saudi International Petrochemical Co. (Sipchem) said on Monday its affiliate, Sipchem Chemicals Co, had started ​operations ​at the facility and utility units of ​its Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) plant in Jubail Industrial City.

The trial operation of the plant, which has an annual capacity of 63,000 tons of PBT, will start in the first quarter of 2015, the company said in a statement to the Saudi bourse, Tadawul.

PBT is a thermal highly specialized polymer used in the making of automotive parts, electrics, and electronics. It is also used in manufacturing IT-based materials used in the polymers and plastics engineering industries.

The Butandiol produced by International Diol Company (IDC), another affiliate of Sipchem, will be used as feedstock to produce the PBT. This will help Sipchem benefit from the integrated series of products and strengthen the value-added chain, the company added in the statement.