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Overview
and Partners
EQUATE Petrochemical Company was founded in 1995 as a joint
venture between government-owned Petrochemical Industries Company
(PIC) and Union Carbide Corporation, now a wholly owned subsidiary
of The Dow Chemical Company, and Boubyan Petrochemical Company
- a public company traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange.
Current ownership of the organization sees Dow Chemical Company
and PIC each retaining 42.5%, Boubyan Petrochemical Company
holding 9%, and the remaining 6% owned by Qurain Petrochemical
Industries Company - a private company established in Kuwait
during 2004.
The company's petrochemical complex began production in November
1997 following inauguration by H.H. Shaikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber
Al-Sabah, the late Amir of Kuwait.
Location in the Shuaiba Industrial Area afforded ready access
to a world-class infrastructure offering reliable supplies of
electricity and cooling water, well-established maintenance
facilities, and a dedicated industrial port with capacity to
meet present and future shipping requirements.
Producing polyethylene and ethylene glycol for the markets of
Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe, EQUATE addresses the
rapidly growing global demand for high quality and competitively
priced plastics and chemicals.
The company owes its success to Kuwait's rich natural resource,
and the continuous efforts of some of the most dedicated and
skilled people in the business. It has achieved a leading market
position and has become widely recognized for its high standards
of delivery and customer service.
EQUATE produces polyethylene and ethylene glycol utilising Union
Carbide's sophisticated UNIPOL II® and Meteor® process
reactors. With over 1,000 reactor-years of successful operation,
these technologies offer the safest and most environmentally
sound polyolefin processes in the world.
Production capabilities
The company's ethane cracker produces 800,000 tonnes of ethylene
per annum utilising feedstock supplied by National Petroleum
Company's LPG plant, located close to the industrial complex.
This ethylene in turn supplies three plants:
EQUATE's polyethylene unit, producing 600,000 tonne per
annum;
EQUATE's ethylene glycol unit, producing 400,000 tonnes
per annum;
The PIC owned polypropylene plant, operated by EQUATE.
Polyethylene is marketed through EQUATE Marketing Company (EMC)
to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and other selected
areas.
Social role
The company's significance extends beyond its production activities.
EQUATE has fulfilled a vital role in the diversification of
Kuwait's economy, reducing its long-term dependence on oil revenues.
In addition to an economic return, Kuwait has benefited from
the company's introduction of new technology, research and development
in the petrochemical field, and expertise in marketing, finance
and management.
EQUATE has also been responsible for the creation of new employment
and training opportunities and has raised the benchmark for
commercial practice in the GCC region.
Customers gain a competitive edge
EQUATE meets its customers' application and performance requirements
for linear low- to high-density polyethylene. The UNIPOL®
process allows for the production of resins combining the strength
of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) with the processability
of conventional low-density polyethylene, as well as bi-model
high molecular weight, high-density polyethylene film resins.
Polyethylene is the most frequently used plastic in the world,
used to manufacture a remarkable range of items. These include
merchandise and trash bags, packaging film, containers, crates
and children's toys. Other blow- and injection-moulded applications
include agricultural film, flexible hose and tubing, insulation
and jacketing for telecommunications and power cables, storage
tanks, piping, geo-membranes
and pond liners.
The METEOR® process is central to EQUATE's ability to supply
ethylene glycol for expanding polyester fibre, resin for fashion
and home furnishings, beverage containers, anti-freeze and coolants
as well as extremely thin, high-strength films for computers,
VCR and audio tapes.
The Dow Chemical Company
Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative
chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to
many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion,
Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets
that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health
and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction,
among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development,
Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental
and social responsibilities.
For more than a decade Dow has embraced Responsible Care®
- a voluntary industry-wide commitment to the safe handling
of chemicals from inception in the laboratory to ultimate disposal.
This worldwide commitment translates into better lifestyles
and the well-being of communities, success for customers, stockholder
advantage and employee achievement.
http://www.dow.com
Petrochemical Industries Company
Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). PIC was established by
Amiri Decree in 1963 and commenced production in 1966, representing
a first for Kuwait and the GCC region.
Located in the Shuaiba Industrial Area, the company's initial
fertilizer plant comprised four units producing ammonia, urea,
sulphuric acid and ammonium sulphate. The complex was subsequently
expanded in 1970 and 1984, when PIC became the largest ammonia
producer in the Middle East. PIC is now also a leader in salt
and chlorine production and its state-of-the-art complex employs
the latest technology to meet international quality standards
and specifications.
In 1976 the private sector equity of PIC was transferred to
the State of Kuwait and in 1980, upon its formation, Kuwait
Petroleum Corporation assumed full control and ownership of
the company.
http://www.pic.com.kw
Boubyan Petrochemical Company
Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) was established following
a 1995 public share offering, with an initial capital of KD
30 million (US$ 100 million). While BPC retains a broadly based
portfolio of direct investments across the industrial sector,
its primary focus remains on the chemical and petrochemical
businesses. This includes a wholly owned subsidiary producing
polyethylene film.
In addition BPC owns 7.5 percent of Jubail Chemical Industries
Company (JANA), which produces epoxy resins and engages in the
research and development of epichlorohydrin and chloralkalis.
Qurain Petrochemical Industries
Company
Al-Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC) is a Kuwaiti
company established in 2004. QPIC is Kuwait's second company for
petrochemicals after Boubyan Petrochemical Company. QPIC owns a 6%
stake in EQUATE, making it the fourth partner in EQUATE's corporate
shareholder structure.
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