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02 Jul 2008  -  Saudi Arabia

Capacity Increase to Service growing Middle East Composites Sector

Saudi Industrial Resins Limited has successfully commissioned a significant capacity increase at its Jeddah [western Saudi Arabia] factory. This latest addition further strengthens SIR’s position as the leading supplier of unsaturated polyester resins and vinyl ester resins in the MENA region. 

The company is a joint venture between Ashland Inc and private Saudi Arabia shareholders. In addition to its successful locally-produced Siropol® and Hetron® ranges [manufactured under license from Ashland], SIR distributes a wide range of composite auxiliaries - including glassfibre, catalysts, and accelerators. The company also distributes Ashland’s Derakane® range. 

With manufacturing operations in Jeddah and in Jubail [eastern Saudi Arabia], SIR has already started its next round of expansions, and so continues to advance its well-established track record in the regional composites industry. Existing site-infrastructures allow the company to add capacity at relatively low cost and - importantly in these times of project delays - in minimal time. 

SIR has received significant additional capital from its shareholders, which funds the projects underway. The company’s expansion projects in other significant regional markets, and into additional product ranges, are progressing rapidly. 

Strong infrastructure development throughout the region has placed GCC polyester manufacturers under pressure for further availability, and these supply deficits have been magnified by recent global shortages of some key raw materials. 

However, since SIR’s expansions include growth in its storage capacities, the company’s expansions will ensure that the regional growth in consumption is matched by availability of cost effective quality materials. SIR will be well-supported by the increasing range of petrochemical based raw materials, produced in Saudi Arabia from low-cost feedstocks. 

At the same time, SIR is upgrading its technical-service and development capabilities, to guarantee that it continues to be a leader in provision of fit-for-purpose quality materials. The company’s technical association with Ashland ensures its access to global leading-edge polyester and vinylester technologies, supplemented by an ability to customise materials to local conditions. 

Joint product-development projects, underway with several leading regional resin consumers, emphasise SIR’s and Ashland’s joint technical strengths. 

As an ISO-9002 company, SIR continuously reviews and improves its business processes, to ensure that its customer service abilities improve. 

About Ashland
Ashland Inc (NYSE: ASH), a diversified, global chemical company, provides quality products, services and solutions to customers in more than 100 countries. A FORTUNE 500® company, it operates through four divisions: Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Distribution, Valvoline, and Ashland Water Technologies. 
Derakane® and Hetron® are registered Trademarks of Ashland Inc
Siropol® is a registered Trademark of Saudi Industrial Resins Ltd
FORTUNE 500® is a registered trademark of Time Inc

Source : Ashland