- The pilot plant in Sittard-Geleen will be operational by the end of March next year.
- Zeton is contracted for construction, using a skid-mounted system for faster implementation.
- Installation begins in December after testing in Enschede and partial disassembly into 15 modules.
- The plant will develop advanced polypropylene grades and experiment with new catalysts.
New Pilot Plant Overview
SABIC will have a new pilot plant for developing next-generation polypropylenes operational in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands, by the end of March next year. The plant will utilize gas-phase polymerization technology to support the production of superior materials for industries such as automotive, pipe, appliances, and advanced packaging.
Investment and Innovation
This pilot plant is part of a series of investments by SABIC at the Brightlands Chemelot R&D and manufacturing campus in Sittard-Geleen. A new research facility was opened there in May. According to Lina Prada, Global PP Technology Director, the pilot plant will significantly increase SABIC’s capacity to develop new PP materials for commercialization in their European assets in Geleen and Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Construction and Installation
SABIC has contracted Zeton, a leading designer and builder of pilot and demonstration-scale plants, for the construction and installation of the pilot plant. Zeton’s skid-mounted system accelerates implementation times and offers full design flexibility. Installation will commence in December after the plant is built and tested in Enschede, then partially disassembled into around 15 modules for delivery to Geleen.
Development Focus
The new plant aims to develop polypropylene grades with improved stiffness/impact, flow properties, and other specific secondary properties required by different industries. SABIC will focus on impact grades of polypropylene, random copolymers, and homopolymers, and will also conduct experiments on advanced catalysts. This facility will complement SABIC’s other pilot plants and support strategic innovation initiatives to meet evolving market needs.
