10^th April 2024, Jacqueline van Gool, industrielinqs

Sabic will start a turnaround at its location at Chemelot at the end of this week. The Olefins 3 naphtha cracker and five other installations of the cracker complex will be taken out of operation. Sabic announces that it will no longer start the cracker after that.

This maintenance project involves an investment of several million euros. Naphtha cracker Olefins 4 continues to function normally. Sabic indicates that one of the most important parts of the strategy for the site in Geleen is the development of the advanced recycling factory of Sabic Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling. This factory where it wants to chemically recycle plastics is nearing completion.

The changes to the site mark an important step in sustainability and adapting to changing market conditions, according to John Bruijooge, General Manager at Sabic in Geleen.

Two years ago there was already talk of a possible closure of one of the two Sabic squatters at Chemelot. The company then stated that it was engaged in a strategic reorientation in which closing a squatter was a possible option. The Olefins-3 cracker is more than fifty years old.