• 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 sixth-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 and North Africa.

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

• SABIC Europe [link to website], SABIC’s European subsidiary, sells 2.3 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.