SABIC in the Americas

For more than 30 years, SABIC has been operating in the Americas—a key market in driving our vision to be the preferred world leader in chemicals. Today, we employ about 3,800 people in the region and operate from 17 offices and manufacturing sites across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.

COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION

The SABIC innovation ecosystem bridges the gap between research and the marketplace. Our success in the Americas is driven by innovation and collaboration in the provision of services and solutions to our customers across the region.

Operating in the Americas since 1987, SABIC expanded further in 2007 with the acquisition of GE Plastics—a major manufacturer and supplier of highly engineered thermoplastics.

Our Americas headquarters is in Houston, Texas, and we operate 13 manufacturing sites across the region with locations in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Burkville, Alabama; Columbus and Mt. Vernon, Indiana; Ottawa, Illinois; Selkirk, New York; Wixom, Michigan; Cobourg and Long Sault, Canada; San Luis Potosi and Tampico, Mexico; Campinas, Brazil; and Tortuguitas, Argentina.

To support our commitment to research & development (R&D) in the Americas, we also have a stand-alone Technology and Innovation Centre in Sugar Land, Texas, and supporting R&D sites in Wixom, Selkirk, Mt. Vernon, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Our customers in the Americas represent a wide range of industrial sectors including agriculture, automotive, building and construction, consumer goods, electrical and electronics, healthcare, industrial products, mass transportation and packaging.

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP

Protection of the environment, human health, safety, and security (EHSS) is intrinsic to SABIC operations in the Americas and across the globe. In 2020, our Americas region shared our chemical data reporting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of our commitment to compliance to the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act 1976 (TSCA).

As part of the SABIC Responsible Care® commitment, we engage with the world’s leading chemical associations to share best practices and drive industry-wide improvements. In 2021, SABIC was presented with three Responsible Care® awards: two for energy efficiency and another for COVID-19 response from the American Chemistry Council.

In 2020, SABIC participated in the Chemical Facility Safety Initiative (CFSI) working group to review and revise ACC supplier assessment protocols. Together with the ACC, we are working to increase metrics on product safety and human health to provide transparency, increase public confidence, and create programs based on sustainable chemistry.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, SABIC integrated information on virus transmission from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to safeguard value chain communication and SABIC product stewardship for the benefit of our customers in the Americas and across the globe.

In 2021, the ACC recognized SABIC with an Outstanding COVID-19 Response Efforts Award for playing a critical role in the provision of essential materials for products such as personal protection equipment (PPE). SABIC also directly assisted the crisis effort through 44 separate aid programs rolled out in parts of the Americas including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina by providing US$1.5 million in monetary and in-kind support to vulnerable groups and our neighbours in need. A major effort went towards producing more than 74,000 face shields, made using LEXAN™ sheets, which were donated to hospitals, nursing homes, and medical facilities throughout the region. From Canada to Brazil, our employees used their expertise and resources to collaborate with community members to produce much-needed products using our materials.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Our people are the key to SABIC’s success. We are investing in the talent of the America’s outstanding scientists, engineers, and students. To date, we have partnered with more than 20 colleges and universities across the US including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Texas A&M University.

SABIC initiatives to develop our human capital across the region includes engagements with training facilities such as the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Centre at Texas A&M University. In 2020, 438 SABIC employees participated online in virtual learning programmes at Texas A&M.

In 2021, we announced our participation in the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), the chemical industry’s diversity, equality, and inclusion scholarship program. This program aids students from underrepresented backgrounds studying at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to access Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers in the chemicals industry. SABIC invested $500,000 to sponsor 10 FOSSI scholars over the next two years.

BEING THE CHANGE

Our leadership development model, the SABIC Leadership Way (SLW), encourages our people to “Be the Impact.” As part of this initiative, we encourage our future leaders to be and implement the change they want to see not only in our business, but throughout society.

In 2020, employees in the Americas region demonstrated leadership in raising awareness to accelerate progress around diversity, equality, and inclusion. To mark Juneteenth, more than 800 employees joined a virtual town hall, which culminated in SABIC leaders pledging to work to prevent racism and inequality across our organisation.

The town hall event facilitated a powerful dialogue led by members of the SABIC Young Leadership Council (SYLC) and Young SABIC Professionals (YSP). This meaningful discussion on racial equality with the SABIC Americas corporate team focused on SABIC values, SLW, and our purpose to deliver Chemistry that Matters™.

At SABIC, we recognise the wealth of innovation and diversity that makes the Americas essential to the growth of our global business. Through collaboration with customers, industry, and academic partners, we will continue to innovate and invest to safeguard the growth and success of our business, our partners, and communities across the Americas.