Sabic Europe (Geleen / The Netherlands; www.sabic.eu) is introducing four UHMWPE grades, with worldwide pre-marketing and sales beginning in January 2009. Applications for the polymers include guide rails, bearings, pumps and seals. Peter Tackx, business development manager for UHMWPE, said that the new grades were being introduced “to increase our market share by expanding our material portfolio, particular in sectors with high added value that show growth potential”. No details have been released of possible reinforcement or other properties. Sabic intends to start commercial-scale production of UHMWPE in the second quarter of 2009 at a new facility, possibly in Gelsenkirchen / Germany. Details of the investment cost have not been disclosed.

Established competitors in this small market segment include “Utec”, which is marketed by the Brazilian petrochemicals group Braskem (Sao Paulo; www.braskem.com), “Stamylan UH” marketed by Royal DSM (Heerlen / The Netherlands; www.dsm.com) and “GUR” from Ticona (Kelsterbach / Germany; www.ticona.com ).