SABIC Opens New State-of-the-Art Pilot Facility in Mt. Vernon, Ind., to Streamline Polymer Research and Product Development for Customers

Pittsfield, MA, December 24, 2011 --(PR.com)-- The new 3,000-sq.-ft., world-class facility is an innovation resource that will enable SABIC to more rapidly produce new polymers – particularly custom formulations – for customers. It will also significantly increase customer access to SABIC research scientists, product development specialists and the intricate application development process. Previously, piloting was done externally; now this work will be seamlessly integrated into product research and development and scale-up to commercial production. The new facility demonstrates SABIC’s ongoing commitment to true innovation, working side-by-side with customers to provide high-performance, tailor-made solutions for greater end-product differentiation and business success.

“This is a critically important addition to our capabilities in Mt. Vernon and is the latest in a history of new investments to this site, which has long been a hub for major innovation breakthroughs and the source of 500 patents,” said Sanjay Mishra, global high-performance polymers technology leader, Specialty & Performance, Innovative Plastics. “Mt. Vernon is the ideal location for the new pilot facility because it takes us to a new level of high performance polymers technical innovation and dedicated support that our customers expect of us, especially those in growing, high-demand sectors like aerospace and healthcare.”

A Seamless, Collaborative Process

Customers wishing to reformulate material properties of an existing application or create a new product using SABIC’s high-performance plastics can choose from the company’s extensive portfolio or collaborate on solutions for unique application needs. SABIC will work with a customer as it engineers a solution. The new pilot facility becomes a critical enabler for new material development, production support of the Mt. Vernon commercial plant and customer application testing. Once the customer is satisfied that a material has met its requirements, the SABIC team may produce bulk quantities at its full-scale manufacturing operation in Mt. Vernon.

SABIC’s high performance polymer portfolio consists of Ultem* polyetherimide (PEI) resins, which have been produced in Mt. Vernon for 40 years, are known for their high heat, chemical and flame resistance and high strength and stiffness. They are widely used in aerospace and transportation and the medical device industry. Siltem resins are amorphous materials that combine the high heat resistance of Ultem PEI resin with the flexibility of silicone elastomers. Applications include wire and cable coatings.

Extem amorphous thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) resins deliver high performance at prolonged extreme temperatures and exceptional dimensional stability for thin-wall molding. Extem grades offer the potential to replace ceramic and metal in applications where thermoplastics are not suitable, and bring advantages of weight-out, excellent design flexibility and system cost reduction. They are inherently flame retardant without the use of halogenated additives that can pose environmental risks and raise regulatory compliance issues. Applications include wire and cable insulation, high-performance connectors and accessories, and semicon plasma chamber components and pickup systems.

The pilot facility will begin operations in the first quarter of 2012.

For additional information on SABIC’s high-performance polymers, please go to www.sabic-ip.com. For technical product inquiries, please contact us at www.sabic-ip.com/prtechinquiry.

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