SABIC Stood Firm on the Quality Parameters of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

Saudi Arabia's state-owned polyethylene (PE) manufacturer, Sabic, announced that five of its plants have successfully met the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) quality control criteria. As confirmed in a letter to its Indian clientele, PE shipments from its plants, namely Petrokemya, Yansab, Yanpet, Sharq, and Saudi Kayan, will now feature bags imprinted with the BIS standard mark and relevant license number.

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The industry is gearing up for the BIS quality controls on PE imports, slated to be enforced from 3 October. Initially projected for October 2021, this imposition has seen four postponements, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic's challenges. This month, BIS expanded its quality regulations to include polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride.

There's a buzz in the market that other producers, spread across the Middle East, northeast Asia (barring China), and southeast Asia, have also secured BIS certifications. While a few are awaiting their audit checks this September, others, having completed their audits, are in the queue for their license issuance.

Initially, the sentiment in the industry was that of skepticism, particularly among US and European producers. Their apprehension centered on the potential breach of intellectual property during plant inspections and testing by BIS personnel. However, these concerns have somewhat diluted, with several producers now applying for BIS certifications. Due to visa constraints faced by BIS officials, there's a move towards engaging third-party inspectors to perform the required evaluations. Furthermore, resin samples from these sites will be dispatched to BIS labs in India for exhaustive tests.

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Yet, another challenge has surfaced. Key global PE producers are wary of embossing BIS logos on their resin-containing bags. The underlying fear is that this could set a precedent, prompting other countries to insist on their respective quality control insignias on these bags. To navigate this, certain producers are setting up exclusive bagging lines dedicated to the Indian market.

In the backdrop of these developments, PE cargo offers slated for September delivery in India remain sparse. Producers yet to receive certification are wary, fearing potential seizures of their cargoes at Indian ports due to non-compliance.

According to the article by Procurement Resource, Sabic, a state-controlled polyethylene (PE) producer from Saudi Arabia, has confirmed that five of its plants meet the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) quality control criteria. As the BIS quality controls on PE imports are set to begin on 3 October, producers globally are racing to comply. While some US and European producers initially hesitated due to intellectual property concerns, many are now seeking certification. However, the idea of imprinting BIS logos on PE bags has sparked concerns about setting international precedents.