Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), Saudi Arabia, Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp., Tokyo, and Mitsubishi Corp, Tokyo, Japan,  have signed a strategic joint venture agreement to form a limited liability company, Saudi Japanese Acrylonitrile Company (Shrouq (sunrise in Arabic)). The company, which will be located at Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia, will be owned 50 % by SABIC and Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Mitsubishi will together own 50 %. Initial paid-in capital will amount to 40 million Saudi riyal (US$ 10.7 million).

Shrouq will manufacture acrylonitrile (AN) and sodium cyanide (NaCN), with subsequent sales and distribution to be carried out by the partners. The agreed plan is to establish world-scale plants with capacities of 200,000 metric tons per year (m.t./a) of AN (propylene process) and 40,000 m.t./a of NaCN at one of the SABIC affiliates’ sites in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia. The hydrogen cyanide byproduct of AN production will be used as feedstock at the NaCN plant to be constructed adjacently.

• Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp., Tokyo, Japan
• Mitsubishi Corp., Tokyo, Japan