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At Pharmapack 2012, SABIC Launches New Resins to Reinforce Strong Portfolio of Thermoplastics for Healthcare

Sittard, the Netherlands - January 30, 2012 - Saudi Basic Industries Corporation ( SABIC ) will be at Pharmapack Europe (Paris, February 15-16), the annual European Healthcare event, with a wide range of polyolefins and engineering thermoplastics developed specifically for the global healthcare industry. The company plans to reinforce its position as a "one-stop shop" for high quality-thermoplastics, with a growing portfolio compliant with the strict regulations of this industry.

In target applications such as drug delivery device internal components and external housings, typical industry requirements range across biocompatibility, sterilizability, chemical resistance, impact resistance, wear resistance and anti-static properties, through ease of processing and aesthetics, to constancy in product formulations. SABIC has numerous options to meet these challenges, including grades based on ABS, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyesters (PET and PBT), polyphenylene oxide and siloxanes, as well as high and low density polyethylenes and polypropylene. The company has cost-effective solutions for syringes, injection pens, inhalers and other related products.

To emphasize this point, SABIC is using Pharmapack as a launchpad for new grades, including a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin featuring high flow properties that can significantly reduce injection moulding cycle times for various healthcare products. With a melt flow rate of 30 g/10 min, SABIC^® HDPE PCG300054 provides important processing advantages that yield lower system costs for healthcare product manufacturers.

SABIC^® HDPE PCG300054 resin is typically suitable for injection moulding thin-wall, long flow parts such as disposable syringe pistons, as well as caps and closures for medical and pharmaceutical packaging. High flow facilitates complete mould filling and enables the use of thin-wall geometries that cool rapidly for cycle time reduction. This translucent resin balances stiffness with good levels of environmental stress cracking resistance to ensure durability under a variety of use conditions.

SABIC 's broad product offering of more than 50 high performance materials is backed up with the security of a strong logistical network and ample material supplies to ensure continuous, global availability.

In addition, the company has developed a comprehensive healthcare product policy designed to help OEMs achieve regulatory compliance. The policy aims at ensuring high consistency and biocompatibility of SABIC healthcare grades. Specifically, SABIC 's healthcare product policy provides device manufacturers with:

• Compliance with EP 3.1.5 and USP Class VI;

• Compliance with 21 CFR par. 177.1520 of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA);

• Drug Master File listing;

• Healthcare product nomenclature for easy identification;

• Products subject to formula lock and change management process.

"Our leadership in healthcare materials can benefit customers who are seeking new ways to accelerate processing while maintaining high performance and quality," says Philippe Rasquin, Technical Marketing Engineer at SABIC .

-Ends-

About SABIC

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation ( SABIC ) ranks among the world's top petrochemical companies. The company is among the world's market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.

SABIC recorded a net profit of SR 29.21 billion (US$ 7.79 billion) in 2011. Sales revenues for 2011 totaled SR 190 billion (US$ 50.67 billion). Total assets stood at SR 332 billion (US$ 88.5 billion) at the end of 2011.

SABIC 's businesses are grouped into Chemicals, Polymers, Performance Chemicals, Fertilizers, Metals and Innovative Plastics. SABIC has significant research resources with 18 dedicated Technology & Innovation facilities in Saudi Arabia, the USA, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, India and South Korea. The company operates in more than 40 countries across the world with more than 33,000 employees worldwide.

SABIC manufactures on a global scale in Saudi Arabia, the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Headquartered in Riyadh, SABIC was founded in 1976 when the Saudi Arabian Government decided to use the hydrocarbon gases associated with its oil production as the principal feedstock for production of chemicals, polymers and fertilizers. The Saudi Arabian Government owns 70 percent of SABIC shares with the remaining 30 percent held by private investors in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

About SABIC in Europe

In Europe SABIC has 12 world-scale production facilities which manufacture polyethylenes, polypropylenes, engineering thermoplastics and chemical products. An extensive network of local sales offices and logistical hubs are responsible for sales of these products as well as those manufactured elsewhere in the world. In addition SABIC has three research facilities based in the region, which form part of its global Technology and Innovation organization.

SABIC employs approximately 6000 people in Europe.

About Innovative Plastics

SABIC 's Innovative Plastics strategic business unit is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics with an 80-year history of breakthrough solutions that solve its customers' most pressing challenges. Today, Innovative Plastics is a multi-billion-dollar company with operations in more than 35 countries and approximately 9,000 employees worldwide. The company continues to lead the plastics industry with customer collaboration and continued investments in new polymer technologies, global application development, process technologies, and environmentally responsible solutions that serve diverse markets such as automotive, electronics, building & construction, transportation, and healthcare. The company's extensive product portfolio includes thermoplastic resins, coatings, specialty compounds, film, and sheet. Innovative Plastics (www.sabic-ip.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation ( SABIC ).

Media Notes

· As an acronym, SABIC should be all caps whenever it appears in print.

· ® Trademark of SABIC

SABIC media contact
Rachel Kundra
Polypropylenes and Chemicals
SABIC Communications Europe
The Netherlands
T +31 46 722 2399
E rachel.kundra@ SABIC -europe.com

Press Agency contact
Kevin Noels
Marketing Solutions
Belgium
T +31 164 317 011
E knoels@marketingsolutions.be

Aline Stanworth
Innovative Plastics
Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands
T +31 164 29 2217
E aline.stanworth@sabic-ip.com

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© Press Release 2012