• SABIC was first conceived in 1976, and began production in 1981.

• Since beginning production, SABIC has held a 5% share of world petrochemical markets, and a larger market share in key products such as ethylene, ethylene glycol, methanol, MTBE and polyethylene.

• We forecast that annual production capacity will reach 51 million metric tons (mmt) in 2006 and 60 mmt in 2008.

• Basic Chemicals, SABIC’s largest strategic business unit, accounts for around 40% of the company’s total production.

• SABIC is the world’s fourth-largest producer of polyolefins. It is the world’s third-largest producer of polyethylene and the fourth-largest producer of polypropylene.

• SABIC is also the world’s single largest producer and exporter of granular urea and one of the world’s top producers of olefins.

• The Saudi Iron and Steel Company (HADEED), based in Al-Jubail, is the largest steel-manufacturing company in the Middle East

• More than two-thirds of SABIC's production is exported; more than half of these exports go to Asia.

• SABIC Europe, SABIC’s European subsidiary, sells 2.5 mmt of polymers and 3.1 mmt of basic chemicals, mainly in Europe, and employs 2,350 people.

For more about particular products please see our Products pages.