WAM Abu Dhabi, April 19th, 2012 (WAM) -- Borouge has strengthened its leading global position and contribution to the Chinese plastics industry through participating at Chinaplas 2012, Asia's most significant plastics trade fair, from April 18-21.

Committing to Value Creation through Innovation, Borouge is investing an approximately US$ 4.5 billion in expanding its petrochemicals complex and an innovation centre in Abu Dhabi, UAE, enabling Borouge to further support China's infrastructure growth in pipe systems, energy and communication networks, as well as the rapidly growing automotive and advanced packaging industries. The expansion will take the plants' total manufacturing capacity of polyethylene and polypropylene to 4.5 million tonnes by mid-2014.

In 2010, Borouge already invested some US$5 billion to expand the plant's annual capacity to 2 million tonnes to serve global markets including China. The Company also invested in compounding manufacturing plant with application research and development facilities in Shanghai as well as logistics hubs in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore to enhance its service to its customers throughout the region.

With a heritage of proprietary technology and corporate social responsibility for sustainability, Borouge offers innovative plastics solutions across industries that address global challenges. The solutions include lightweight plastics used in automotive components that reduce CO2 emissions; healthcare products made of plastics tailored to the needs of aging population; plastic food packaging for protecting food and enhancing freshness and shelf-life; insulation for cables enabling access to energy transmitted through power grids; and plastic pipes providing secure access to water and sanitation.

"Our robust business growth momentum represents strong customer recognition of our innovative solutions and the differentiated value we create to their businesses and the entire value chain," said Wim Roels, CEO of Borouge's Marketing and Sales Company at the opening of Chinaplas 2012.

"Moving forward Borouge will continue to invest in capacity, technology, innovation, customer and technical services, talent development as well as local infrastructure and partnerships. Together with our customers and partners, we serve industries' burgeoning demand for plastics applications generated by the continuous economic growth and urbanisation in China. We have a clear vision of shaping the future with plastics." Borouge compounds resins at its US$60 million manufacturing plant in Shanghai with an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes. These resins are compounded specifically for tailored solutions for the automotive and appliance markets. A second compounding plant, in Guangzhou, is in the planning phase.

According to recent statistics, Asia accounts for 60% of the world population with access to only one third of world water supplies. To help addressing this global challenge and providing sustainable solutions to the availability of safe water and sanitation, Borouge and Borealis launched the �Water for the World ' programme in 2007 benefiting more than 300,000 people worldwide. Through the programme, Borouge contributed to providing drinking water to the Sichuan earthquake resettlement camp in China in 2008 and more recently has worked closely with water companies in China, such as the Shanghai Fengxian and Beijing Water Group, in water conservation and asset management.

"Today, more and more companies are placing the water resources issue on their corporate business agenda. With 'Water for the World ', Borouge and Borealis take an industry champion role driving cross boundary collaboration to address the global water challenge," Roels added.

As a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world's major oil and gas companies, and Austria based Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions; Borouge is a groundbreaking international partnership at the forefront of the next generation of plastics innovation.

WAM/ES/AM