Sabic to expand Ibn Rushd affiliate

Mohamed al-Mady, chief executive of Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), has unveiled plans to expand the company's affiliate Arabian Industrial Fibers Co (Ibn Rushd), Reuters has reported. Ibn Rushd's complex in Yanbu, on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, produces aromatics, purified terephthalic acid, which is used in making polyester, and polyester staples. After the expansion, Ibn Rushd's PTA capacity would rise to 700,000 tonnes per year from the current 350,000 tpy. The expansion will also raise output capacity of polyethylene terephthalate to 750,000 tpy from 330,000 tpy, as well as boost aromatics capacity to 600,000 tpy from 350,000 tpy.