PHOTO: Waseem Abdulla and Antonie Potgieter, sales manager for polymers and managing director of SABIC South Africa respectively, with Sipho Manjenjalo of FreightMax at the warehouse in Montague Gardens

SABIC group has expanded its footprint in South Africa with the opening of a warehouse in Cape Town.

The Saudi Arabian materials manufacturer decided in 2007 to introduce storage facilities in South Africa and subsequently opened its first warehouse in the country in Durban, to supply the Gauteng and KZN markets.

The Cape warehouse in Montague Gardens, opened late last year, will be used to stock a wide range of polyolefin materials as well as PET and PVC grades for converters in the Western and Eastern Cape which will greatly improve logistical efficiency and cost structure.

This is an important step for SABIC group as it strengthens its position in the local market and improves customer service levels, especially as regards supply reliability and delivery lead times.

SABIC South Africa director Dr Antonie Potgieter said the decision to warehouse material in Cape Town was aimed at improving the group’s service offering to customers in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and surrounding areas. Sub-Saharan Africa is a key and strategic market for not only SABIC’s polymer products, but also for its wide range of chemicals, specialty chemicals and fertilizer products, he added.

Waseem Abdulla, acting sales manager for polymers at SABIC SA, said initial market reaction to the improved Cape material supply chain was positive and first stocks had moved rapidly.

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