Shell and SABIC spark Saudi innovation

 SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, will support the King Saud University (KSU) engineering students participating in Shell’s Eco Marathon Competition in the coming years. 

Shell Eco-marathon is an annual event hosted in various regions (Asia, Europe, Americas). The competition aims to attract top engineering talent from all over the world in order to build energy-efficient cars. Receiving support from SABIC will help Saudi students build better ultra-energy-efficient cars.

Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, commented, “I am happy to note that the Shell Eco-marathon initiative is combining SABIC’s innovative technologies and the wealth of ideas from talented students to encourage creative eco-friendly solutions and delivering Chemistry that Matters™. It is a true ‘meeting of the minds’ in support of the sustainable economic future of Saudi Arabia.”

With student teams taking to the track to see which team can travel the furthest on the least amount of fuel, there is a great sense of excitement to see what they will achieve. Commenting on the event, Patrick Van Daele, Country Chairman of Shell in Saudi Arabia said, “Shell Eco-marathon is a visible demonstration of Shell’s commitment to a world that requires more energy and less CO2. I get very enthusiastic seeing the brightest young Saudi engineers working on making the future better, and I very much welcome the support from SABIC. SABIC provides students with access to innovative materials, as well as insight, know-how and advice from SABIC’s seasoned engineers.”

SABIC continues to invest in technology and innovation, creating market opportunities and products to contribute towards its future business success. It collaborates with universities, institutions and centers of excellence to bridge technical gaps and competencies, accelerate research and development and attract talent. The company has also instituted an Innovation Award to foster innovation in Saudi Arabia and recognize local research talent.

SABIC has developed a variety of lightweight products for the automotive industry, which will potentially make KSU’s Shell Eco-marathon car more efficient and potentially even more interesting to look at. Dr Mohanad Alata, who is Professor for System Dynamics and Control at KSU, and mentors the students participating in the Shell Eco-marathon, said, “We aim for a top three position next year, and I hope SABIC’s products will help achieve our goal. Our other ambition is to build a fully transparent car from SABIC’s polycarbonate.”

The Shell Eco-marathon car, which KSU students used at last year’s Asia competition – achieving 100 kilometres-per-litre fuel efficiency – was on display at SABIC’s headquarters recently. The car is now being featured at the SABIC Plastics Application Development Center (SPADC) in Riyadh, which is helping local and international customers develop new plastics applications in various fields, including automotive. 

This year two Saudi teams from King Saud University and another team from Alfaisal University will again join the competition after gaining the experience from their previous participation. Students are working hard to hopefully achieve their energy effiecency goal which in return will help make a better future.