The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) and EQUATE Petrochemical Company, Kuwaits first international joint-venture in this industry, organized the first of its kind GCC Petrochemical Companies Procurement Directors Roundtable in Kuwait.

The roundtable was attended by representatives from GPCA, EQUATE, Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (ORPIC), National Industrialization Company (TASNEE), Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited (QAFAC), Abu Dhabi National Chemicals Company (ChemaWEyaat), Farabi Petrochemicals Company (Farabi), Borouge, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO), Qatar Chemical Company Ltd (Q-Chem), Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) and AT Kearney.

GPCA Secretary-General Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun said, Procurement organizations are playing a pivotal role in the success of the GCCs petrochemical companies. Bringing together the Directors of the Procurement from across the region allowed us to benchmark and hear from thought leaders on how to collaborate more effectively with suppliers to deliver additional value and innovation whilst minimizing costs. It also provided a good runner-up to the 7th edition of the GPCA Supply Chain Conference, which will take place 3-5 May in Dubai.

On his part, EQUATE Procurement Director Muayad Al-Faresi said, Overall collaboration between GPCA members is a strategic objective for EQUATE to embody its slogan Partners in Success. In partnership with GPCA and its members for sustainable development, EQUATE aspires to have this roundtable as a step towards setting the path for establishing a procurement committee as part of GPCA. In conclusion, utmost gratitude and appreciation to GPCA and the representatives of its member companies for attending this fruitful event that discussed several significant topics.

The GPCA Supply Chain Conference, now in its 7th edition, will be held at Dubais Intercontinental Festival City from May 3- 5, 2015. Held on the theme of Strengthening the Supply Chain Backbone Paving the Way Forward for 2020, the conference gathers top executives from petrochemical companies, ports, consultancies and customs authorities to explore strategies that improve accessibility to and from the GCC that help the region achieve its developmental goals.

Established in 1995, EQUATE Petrochemical Company is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. www.equate.com.

With EQUATE as one of its founding members, the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) represents the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Established in 2006, the association voices the common interests of more than 240 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95% of chemical output in the Gulf region. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing up to US$102billion worth of products a year. www.gpca.org.ae.