CMAI Outlines SABIC's Strategic Chemical Business Position

HOUSTON, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI): CMAI's Chemical Company Analysis (CCA) on Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), the sixth company report of the 2009 Edition, is now available. The report features comprehensive overviews of the chemical businesses of SABIC, including strategic direction and corporate structure; global chemical operations, and business positions of SABIC and its competitors within major product markets; manufacturing site flowcharts and descriptions; as well as vertical product integration and market exposure.

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The report aims at providing clients with a thorough understanding of not only the present situation, but also the impact of future developments by assessing SABIC's opportunities and risks within the framework of CMAI's outlook for the global petrochemical industry. Rapidly changing industry structure and dynamics will necessitate company-specific responses that will determine the success of chemical producers in the future.

SABIC is the largest petrochemical company in the Middle East and ranks among the top ten global chemical producers. SABIC's access to abundant, low-cost hydrocarbon resources in Saudi Arabia provides a tremendous advantage vis-a-vis their competitors in other regions. The advantaged cost position together with ample financial resources allows SABIC to build world-scale, state-of-the-art petrochemical complexes in the Middle East almost regardless of global market conditions. SABIC also used this financial strength to diversify from its Saudi Arabian base of commodity chemicals to a global company with operations in the U.S., Europe and Asia producing such specialties as polycarbonates, synthetic rubber, and MMA/PMMA. The result is a more balanced product portfolio with increasing global influence.

The impact of the severe global recession in 2008/2009 and SABIC's growing presence in higher cost regions nonetheless revealed the need for some rationalization and cost cutting, particularly among its European operations. The comparatively better performance of SABIC's Middle Eastern and Asian divisions and generally much better maintained economic growth in most emerging market economies furthermore are supporting plans to emphasize these regions for future growth.

The Chemical Company Analysis (CCA) is a multi-client service aimed at analyzing the structure, dynamics, competition and strategic issues of global and regional chemical industry participants. The 2009 Edition includes company reports on LyondellBasell Industries, INEOS, IPIC (Nova Chemicals/Borealis), Sumitomo Chemical, Sasol and SABIC. Company reports scheduled for the 2010 Edition are Bayer MaterialScience, Reliance Industries, BASF SE, and Dow Chemical.

CMAI is a petrochemical, plastics and fibers consulting firm that services a wide range of companies all over the world. Since 1979, CMAI's goal has been to provide accurate, timely consulting services for the worldwide industries that it covers. CMAI maintains offices in Houston, New York, London, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Singapore and Shanghai. Clients to CMAI services include chemical and oil companies, engineering & construction companies, banking and financial institutions, plastic converters, grocers/retailers, government agencies and trading companies.

For additional information on this analysis, visit CMAI's website at www.cmaiglobal.com or contact:

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Rick Cornelius

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SOURCE Chemical Market Associates, Inc.