Qapco is one of the leading producers of ethylene and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in the Middle East Region.
The required feedstock 'Ethane Gas' for the production of ethylene, is supplied by the State owned Qatar Petroleum.
A substantial part of ethylene is consumed for the production of LDPE of various grades, which are marketed under the 'LOTRENE' brand name. The remaining ethylene is supplied to Qatar Vinyl Company (QVC), to meet its feed requirements.
The firm is one of the companies located in the Mesaieed Industrial City along with its neighbors producing fertilizers, steel, petroleum products and natural gas liquids.
It was established in 1974 as a joint multinational venture to utilise the associated and non-associated Ethane gas from petroleum production in line with the industrialisation plan of the State of Qatar.
The firm commenced commercial production in 1981 and soon became well established in the global market for its commitment to quality and reliability.
Qapco is jointly owned by Industries Qatar (IQ) and Atofina. IQ recently purchased all shares (20 per cent) of Qatar Petrolum (QP) in Qapco.
QP is a wholly owned corporation by the State of Qatar and responsible for the developing and distributing the Country's oil and gas reserves and also in promoting downstream industries in the State.
Atofina is a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalFinaElf being a reputed international corporation.
Qapco's manufacturing facilities consist of an Ethylene Plant, two LDPE plants and a sulphur plant beside the self sufficient utilities plants and other offsite and auxiliary facilities.
Qapco Plants are situated on the seacoast with jetty facilities and are well connected to the road transport; thereby enabling Qapco to export its entire range of products worldwide.
They produce various LDPE grades to satisfy the requirements of most thermoplastics processing techniques. That includes: Blown Film Extrusion, Cast Film Extrusion, Extrusion Coating, Wire and Cable Coating, Injection Moulding and Blow Moulding suitable to all respective applications such as films, pipes, cables and wires, and other major moulded products having wide usage all over the world and touching everyone's daily life.
The firm's success in producing a variety of grades suitable to respective applications has opened up new marketing and export opportunities in various parts of the globe.
In pursuit of becoming the dominate force in the ever-increasing competitive Ethylene and Polyethylene markets, Qapco continues to maintain and develop its high international standards of excellence with the focus on customer satisfaction.
Quality, continual improvement, safety, health, environmental, and community concerns are the driving forces behind this extraordinary company's success, while proving itself to be an international symbol of excellence through its well-defined objectives and unwavering commitment towards distinction in the quality of its products and services. The ISO certifications received by it for Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Environment Management Systems (EMS), are few testimonial to this commitment.
Marketing
Qapco remains focused on identifying prospective markets and capitalising on the evolving opportunities. The synergy of the entire company inclusive production and marketing works jointly to study the requirements of every market, which enabled Qapco to successfully establish its products internationally.
Taking advantage of Qatar's strategic geographical location and utilising latest information technologies, together with fine-tuned marketing approach, the firm can have the easy access of its customers, which in turn facilitates faster execution of orders, improved turnover and yielding higher levels of customer satisfaction. Rapid processing results in cost effective dispatch of products from plant site to customer's destinations via sea and land.
The marketing infrastructure along with overseas marketing offices and agent network keep the regular contact with about 4000 customers in more than 70 countries across the globe.
By working together, they claim, Qapco provides valuable support services from logistic to technical advice to its customers.
With a view to take the advantage of its established marketing network, Qapco also markets a part of the QVC products and a part of HDPE production from Q-CHEM within the area of its marketing activities.
Human Resources
The company recognises and values the facts that human capital forms a critical part of an organisation's priviledged assets by playing a central and crucial role in a company's overall operations. Its employees are constantly trained, inspired and motivated to achieve and sustain higher level of efficiency and increased level of quality improvement and productivity.
In the framework of Qatarisation process, Qatari Nationals are given priority with regard to their intake, training and development.
Environmental and Safety credibility
The firm prides itself on managing its operations with a high concern for the environment and health and safety of employees at all levels. Safe working conditions and the awareness of surrounding hazardous conditions contributes to a significant decrease in accidents rate and man days lost in all areas of its operations. A preventive maintenance programme ensures smooth operation and optimal safety of plant.
With mounting pressure on governments and organisations to adopt more stringent laws and legislations, Qapco, as a responsible corporate citizen, considers the environment an irreplaceable treasure and continues to turn its operations as environment friendly with in the framework of Qatari laws and as per requirements of international standards.
Information Technology
Huge strides in information technology together with advancement in telecommunication are rapidly bringing down the cost of exchanging goods, services, and ideas between individuals and business. The globalisation forces demand increasing level of efficiency and effectiveness across the organization.
Qapco is not very far behind to surge with these modern trends and continues to adapt latest and proven information technologies in all areas of operations with a view to ensure a robust and dependable computing backbone in line with its diverse needs of growth.
Investment and Future plans
Forward integration by investment in petrochemical is one of the ways to expand Qatar's oil and gas based industries in order to diversify the national income and increase the economic base.
Qapco has been committed to this cause since its inception and became the prime example of such successful integration by playing a significant role in the petrochemical sector.
'Qapco not only contributes to the national income but also creates human wealth for the State of Qatar by developing skills, knowledge and career paths for the Qatari people, thereby sowing the roots of prosperity for the generations to come.' They claim.
That commitment continues as Qapco now participates in various projects promoted by Qatar Petroleum and international shareholders. Qatar Vinyl Company (QVC) and Qatar Plastic Products Company (QPPC), which are already in operations and lately QATOFIN Company and Ras Laffan Cracker Company, which are under development stage, bear testimony to this ideal.
The QVC is a joint venture project promoted by Qapco jointly with QP, Norsk Hydro and Atofina to produce and meet the worldwide requirements of VCM, EDC and Caustic soda.
Qatar Plastic Products Company (QPPC) meets Qapco's bagging and shrinkable film requirements, thereby reducing Qapco' dependency on the imports of FFS bags and films.
As the world rapidly strides further into the millennium, there comes new challenges that are more exciting than the ones before.
Currently Qapco is gearing up to meet these challenges. With a dedicated team unswerving in their commitment to quality and to national progress,Qapco accelerates further into the new age with having spurred on by a common goal to build itself into a company with enduring vitality:
Firstly Qapco is increasing its ethylene plant capacity from 525 KTA to 720 KTA and also LDPE production capabilities with a view to attain the economic scales of operations.
Secondly, Qapco with the joint association of Atofina is developing QATOFIN project to construct a polyethylene plant (LLDPE) of 450 KTA (expandable to 600KTA at a later stage) at Mesaieed Industrial City.
The feedstock ethylene requires for the LLDPE plant would be supplied from the Ethylene Cracker of 1.3 MTA World size capacity being developed at the same time at Ras Laffan Industrial City with the joint association of QATOFIN and Q-CHEM company.
These synergies also have given a rise to further development of QVC company, which is now contemplating to double its existing EDC and VCM production capacities and to have a PVC plant at a later stage.
