Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the Kingdom's Ambassador to the U.S., yesterday opened the research and technology laboratory at the Houston Center of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) [http://www.sabic.com] located in Sugarland City, Texas.  Also present were Minister of Industry and Electricity and Chairman of SABIC's Board of Directors Dr. Hashim Yamani.  In a statement following the opening ceremony, Prince Bandar congratulated all involved in the project, and praised the status, scientific progress and global advances that SABIC has made, pointing out that the success of all industrially-advanced countries lies in their investment in research.  He went on to remark on the number of Saudi nationals working at the Houston Center.

Speaking at a banquet in Houston last night, Dr. Yamani reviewed the history of SABIC and how it has reached its position as one of the largest petrochemical companies in the world. He also spoke of SABIC's plans for the coming ten years to face the competition and challenges of the new century and remain one of the major suppliers of the world's petrochemical markets. SABIC, he said, is aware of its great responsibilities toward the global market, and works in collaboration with other international companies.
In his address, Prince Bandar spoke of the great strides the Kingdom has made in recent years in the spheres of development and advances, notably in research and technology. He remarked that although people may think that the Kingdom's natural resources are its most precious possession, the truth is that its leadership and its people consider the nation's manpower as its real treasure. This, he said, was exactly his feeling when he looked at Saudi researchers working at the Houston Center alongside their colleagues from the United States and other advanced countries.

Return