Borouge breaks ground for a new Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi

Borealis’ joint-venture Borouge, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, was breaking ground for its new Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on April 27, 2010. With a total investment in excess of US$ 70 million in equipment and facilities, Borouge’s Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi will work together with the European innovation centres of Borealis as well as with local and international educational institutions such as the Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi, to further develop the competence of polymer science in the United Arab Emirates. It is expected to be completed at the end of 2011.

More than 50 international researchers and engineers will focus on innovations for compounding as well as innovative plastics solutions for the pipe, automotive and advanced packaging industries in close cooperation and partnership with Borouge’s customers throughout the value chain, ensuring that specific customer requirements are met.

"For Borouge, value creation through innovation is an essential success factor," says Rashed Saud Al Shamsi, Chairman of Borouge’s Marketing Company. “Putting customers’ needs at the centre of our planning is reflected in this investment. Through ongoing research and development, we can react to the market needs much quicker and we can work more closely with our value chain partners identifying together product development opportunities.”

Borouge’s significant expansion of its petrochemical complex in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to come on stream during the middle of this year, thereby expanding its annual production capacity from 600,000 to 2 million tonnes. The innovation centre is an important part of its increased product offering to its customers.

Currently, Borouge’s innovation capability is based at its petrochemical complex in Ruwais, thereby supporting the imminent start-up of the new manufacturing facilities. The company also has recently announced an Application Centre at its manufacturing plant in Shanghai focussing on innovative solutions for the fast growing automotive and appliances businesses in China.

Borouge will also establish a training centre alongside the Innovation Centre in Abu Dhabi for the Gulf Plastic Pipes Academy (GPPA) that was established by Borouge with the major players in the industry, thereby fulfilling its commitment to improving standards and the application of polyolefins for high quality pipe systems.

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For further information, please contact:

Kerstin Meckler, Head of Communications, Borealis
Tel. +43 1 22 400 389, kerstin.meckler@borealisgroup.com  

Craig Halgreen, Vice President, Global Communications, Borouge
Tel. +971 2 6070807, craig.halgreen@borouge.com 

Katinka Brodahl, Trade Media Relations, Borouge
Tel. +65 63114252, katinka.brodahl@borouge.com