Both sides are expected to benefit from materials maker Saudi Basic Industries Inc.'s recent decision to link up with distribution firm Amco Polymers LLC.
Amco in February became an authorized distributor of Sabic's portfolio of specialty materials, including Noryl-brand polyphenylene ether, Ultem-brand polyetherimide, LNP-brand compounds and its full range of polycarbonate-based high-performance copolymers. The deal covers the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
"We'll benefit from a customer perspective by providing increased access to these materials," Sabic customer fulfillment director Cathy Hess said in an April 23 phone interview. "We see this as an extension of our own commercial team."
Hess said LNP was "a valuable brand" for Sabic and that the copolymers now being distributed by Amco were "PC on steroids."
Adding Sabic's materials "gives [Amco] access to some of the leading polymers in the industry," Jeff Schultz, Amco engineering resins product director, said April 23. "It complements our existing product line and is something that we need for customer growth."
"We're moving up the polymer pyramid with higher-heat materials."
The Sabic materials also provide Amco with "an extra-special value proposition in the marketplace," Amco application development team director Jim LeGacy added.
Amco is selling the Sabic materials into numerous end markets, including electrical, aerospace and consumer electronics. Amco will provide technical support to customers for the Sabic products.
The Sabic materials now distributed by Amco also are distributed in that region by Nexeo Solutions and Chase Plastics.
Amco has distributed Sabic's filled polypropylene compounds since 2014. Schultz said there may be some opportunities for Amco to sell Sabic's specialty materials to existing PP compound customers.
Orlando, Fla.-based Amco has a network of more than 200 distribution centers and warehouses in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The firm distributes resins and compounds from more than 25 suppliers and is a unit of global distributor, compounder and recycler Ravago Group of Belgium.
Sabic is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with North American headquarters in Houston. The firm is a global petrochemicals maker that's majority owned by the Saudi government. Sabic has more than 34,000 employees and posted sales of just over $5.7 billion in 2018.
