February 11, 2016 Updated 2/11/2016
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Clariant has started construction on a plant making white masterbatch concentrates in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
The site is being built by Clariant Masterbatches Saudi Arabia, a joint venture between Muttenz, Switzerland-based Clariant and Rowad National Plastic Co. Ltd. Rowad is part of Saudi Arabian industrial conglomerate Tasnee. The plant is expected to open in early 2017.
Clariant already makes masterbatch concentrates at a plant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. CEO Hariolf Kottmann said in a news release that the joint investment with Rowand “is in line with our strategy to further strengthen our position in one of the most important markets for plastic applications.”
Yanbu is an industrial city which includes production sites for 32 manufacturing sectors. Building a plant there “will allow [Clariant] to offer a broader product portfolio to customers in [Saudi Arabia] and in the Middle East/Africa region,” Masterbatches business unit head Marco Cenisio added in the release.
Clariant employs 17,000 worldwide and has annual sales of more than $ 6 billion. The firm ranks as one of the world’s largest producers of color and additive concentrates.
