Sabic and its partner SK geo centric (SKGC) have announced their intent to expand capacity for polyolefin elastomer and plastomers (POEs/POPs) and metallocene LLDPE at their joint venture Sabic SK Nexlene Company (SSNC). The new capacity, due on stream at Ulsan, South Korea, in quarter two of 2024, targets application in solar panel encapsulation, automotive, footwear and flexible packaging as reported by PlasticsToday.
MLT Analytics understands that 60,000 tonnes/year of capacity will be added at Ulsan, taking overall capacity to 290,000 tonnes/year.
Sabic and SKGC market mLLDPE and POE/POP products independently through their own brands. Sabic’s portfolio includes Fortify POE, Cohere POP, and Supeer mLLDPE. SKGC’s brands are, Solumer POEs and Supreme POPs, and Smart mLLDPEs/mMDPEs.
They will be joined in the market in the 2023–2025 by as many as six newcomers to the POE/POP business from China, including the likes of Wanhua Chemical, Wison Group and Satellite Chemical. The implications of the emergence of these Chinese players and more are detailed in MLT Analytics’2022 report Global Ethylene-based POE/POP Report— A detailed market and technology overview (2019–2030).
Kim Doo-Gyum, Mayor of Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea (center left) and Sami Al-Osaimi, Vice President of PE & Sales, Sabic, and Board Chairman for SSNC (center right) holding the agreements. Image: Sabic. Image: Sabic
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