27 Jun 2013

Rob Duchateau wins DPI Invention Award 2013

Scientific output and polymers knowledge

SITTARD, the Netherlands, June 27, 2013 - On 20 June 2013 Rob Duchateau (47), Chief Scientist at SABIC and part-time Associate Professor at the Technical University Eindhoven (the Netherlands), received the DPI Invention Award 2013. Jacques Joosten of the Dutch Polymer Institute handed out the award during the biannual conference of the European Polymer Federation (EPF) in Pisa, Italy, from 16 to 21 June 2013. The award was granted for Duchateau’s scientific output in the last years and for his application of fundamental knowledge in polymer applications and properties.

Credits Rob Duchateau

The DPI jury praised Rob Duchateau for being an excellent example of bridging academic knowledge towards academic applications. In the past years Duchateau integrated fundamental knowledge as a catalyst for industrial solutions. He has worked on filing several patents in the fields of Polyolefins and Performance Polymers.

Duchateau: “I am very honoured by this award. I see it as a recognition for the scientific research within polymer applications and properties. Polyolefins and Performance Polymers are highly interesting research areas, where the expertise of SABIC and the Technical University of Eindhoven is used for industrial solutions. I consider myself very lucky to be able to work within both organizations and to bridge academic knowledge with industrial applications.”

Since he received his Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry at the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), Duchateau’s focus has been on polymerization catalysis. After an academic career of 12 years, currently he combines his new job as Chief Scientist at SABIC in polymerization catalysis with a part-time function as Associate Professor in the Polymer Materials Group at the Technical University Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

DPI Invention Award

The Dutch Polymer Institute awards this prize biannual to a researcher within the DPI network to underline the importance of new developments. The DPI Invention Award is presented on a biannual basis to a researcher from the DPI network in order to stress the importance of inventions. Main criteria are the number of inventions, combined with the scientific importance and the importance for industry.

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About SABIC

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) ranks among the world’s top petrochemical companies. The company is among the world’s market leaders in the production of polyethylene, polypropylene and other advanced thermoplastics, glycols, methanol and fertilizers.

SABIC recorded a net profit of SR 24.72 billion (US$ 6.59 billion) in 2012. Sales revenues for 2012 totaled SR 189 billion (US$ 50.40 billion). Total assets stood at SR 338 billion (US$ 90.13 billion) at the end of 2012.

SABIC’s businesses are grouped into Chemicals, Polymers, Performance Chemicals, Fertilizers, Metals and Innovative Plastics. SABIC has significant research resources with 18 dedicated Technology & Innovation facilities in Saudi Arabia, the USA, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, India and South Korea. The company operates in more than 40 countries across the world with around 40,000 employees worldwide.

SABIC manufactures on a global scale in Saudi Arabia, the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Headquartered in Riyadh, SABIC was founded in 1976 when the Saudi Arabian Government decided to use the hydrocarbon gases associated with its oil production as the principal feedstock for production of chemicals, polymers and fertilizers. The Saudi Arabian Government owns 70 percent of SABIC shares with the remaining 30 percent held by private investors in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries.