#Research & Development

2023-08-31

SABIC celebrates 10th Anniversary of its Technology Center in Shanghai with first Innovation Day

SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, yesterday celebrated the 10th anniversary of the SABIC Technology Center in Shanghai (STC Shanghai) by holding the site’s first-ever Innovation Day.

SABIC Chairman Khalid Hashim Al-Dabbagh and SABIC CEO Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh celebrated this remarkable milestone with his excellency Abdulrahman Bin Ahmed Hamdan Al-Harbi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to China; Zhu Zhisong, Member of Standing Committee of CPC Shanghai, Secretary of CPC Pudong New Area Committee; Peng Song, Executive Deputy Director of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Office; Wu Qiang, Deputy Governor of Shanghai Pudong New Area, along with SABIC executive committee, customers, and business partners.

“Multinational corporations would diligently work with others across different industries and in different countries to build up a portfolio of innovative solutions that can turn challenges into opportunities,” said Al-Fageeh. “One of the most active fronts in our campaign for innovation is right here, at the STC Shanghai. SABIC looks forward to strengthening its in-country relationships and remains firmly committed to fostering mutually beneficial economic growth in and through China.”

Established in 2013 as one of the key regional hubs and 19 global technology centers, STC Shanghai is a key part of SABIC’s global innovation network. Today, the center has 20 laboratories with three focus areas including Analytical Science, EMT (extrusion, molding & testing) and Application Technology & Industry Solutions. Over 500 employees work at the center, including more than 170 scientists, who focus on helping customers address challenges across focused segments such as automotive, building and construction, packaging, electrical and electronics, healthcare, personal hygiene and energy transition. Leveraging value-chain collaboration and partnerships with renowned universities and research institutes in China, STC Shanghai also helps drive in-depth integration between industry and academia to further support China’s high-level, innovation-driven development.

In addition to being a key source of collaborative innovation, STC Shanghai has also played an important role in SABIC’s engagement with the local community. In 2017, SABIC launched its River Conservation Program, drawing on STC Shanghai’s expertise to help improve the local community’s natural ecosystem. Over the past decade, SABIC has held several Open-to-Public (OTP) Days and ‘Lights of Our Future’ activities at the center. These events, which were made possible by SABIC local employees volunteering over 9,000 hours to provide public education services on sustainability topics, reached a total of 11,840 students from 42 local schools in Shanghai.

Innovation is the foundation on which SABIC has built its success and the core driving force of its development in China for almost 40 years. It is through innovation that SABIC has successfully delivered rapid growth and expanded its network in China to include not only the STC Shanghai but also two joint ventures and three compounding plants with operations in 17 cities. Through its ongoing focus on market-facing innovation marked by the 10th anniversary of the STC Shanghai, SABIC remains firmly committed to expanding its presence in China, contributing to the country’s high-quality development, and supporting the strategic alignment between Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

New Cotton Review examines competitiveness, market risk, and opportunities

From moving record volumes of Brazilian cotton to market, to managing price volatility, unlocking Ethiopia’s production potential, and strengthening African textile trade, the latest edition of Cotton: Review of the World Situation examines some of the most consequential opportunities and challenges facing the global cotton industry.

Long John puts KARL MAYER's RDJ 7/3 into operation and strengthens its position as a market leader

KARL MAYER has just unveiled its new RDJ 7/3 Jacquard Double Needle Bar Raschel Machine in the international trade press, and the innovation is already causing a stir in the market: The Long John Group, a leading manufacturer of performance footwear fabrics and a long-standing partner of renowned brands, was the first customer to invest in the new machine and celebrated its official launch at its Indonesian plant on August 20.

VDMA Textile Machinery with new Executive Board

At the general meeting of VDMA Textile Machinery held in Hanover at the end of September, Dr Janpeter Horn, Managing Director of A. Herzog Maschinenfabrik, was re-elected as Chairman of the trade association. Regina Brückner, managing partner of Brückner Trockentechnik, and Verena Thies, managing partner of Thies Textilmaschinen, will once again serve as vice-chairs for the next four years.