Japan's Mitsubishi Rayon (MRC) and Saudi petrochemical giant Sabic have announced a start-up date of mid-2017 for their MMA and PMMA plants at Al Jubail / Saudi Arabia.

Initial plans for the investment were announced in mid-2011. The plants will be operated by the 50:50 joint venture Saudi Methacrylates.

The MMA plant, with 250,000 t/y of capacity using the "Alpha" technology of MRC subsidiary Lucite will be the world's largest, the companies said. The PMMA facility, which will use an MRC process will have an output capability of 40,000 t/y.

Asia-wide engineering group CTCI Corporation of Taiwan has been tapped to build both plants.

Gas feedstock for the complex will sourced locally in Saudi Arabia. With MMA monomer demand forecast to continue growing at 1.5-2% above global GDP, Mitsubishi said Saudi Methacrylates will be a "strategic supply base for growing emerging markets such as those of Eastern Europe, India, the Middle East and Africa.