IPF 2000 was a demonstration of a new awareness in NPC to adapt with the consequences of globalization

About four decades have passed since the early signs of a petrochemical industry surfaced in Iran. The Iranian petrochemical sector can now tell long stories on how it turned from a fledgling producer of fertilizers into an ambitious industry producing some 15 million tons of various petrochemicals per annum. In the face of a revolution, an imposed war and economic sanctions, the Iranian petrochemical industry has been able to maintain its course of growth to increase production and diversify products.

Experiencing two five-year development plans in line with a nation-wide reconstruction endeavor, Iran’s petrochemical industry expedited its approach from local to regional and from regional to global. Decision-makers of Iranian petrochemical sector started showing greater awareness to major state policies to promote non-oil exports and sell the products with added value instead of exporting raw materials.

This awareness was concurrent with Iran’s new determination to work more closely with the world team. The economic reform agenda put forward by President Khatami’s administration paved the way for the country to term its competitive advantages for partnership: stability, abundant feedstock, cost-effective energy, ideal geographical location, immediate access to international waterways and the CIS countries, two Special Petrochemical and Economic/Energy Zones with land facilities, tax holiday, customs exemptions, educated and inexpensive human resources, a large home market, demand for petrochemicals in the neighborhood, infrastructure establishments and legal protection of foreign investment.

In an initiative taken by Iran’s National Petrochemical Company (NPC), an international conference dubbed Iran Petrochemical Forum (IPF) was held in April 1999 to build a bridge between the local and global petrochemical industries particularly by attracting foreign investment. IPF’99 was in fact NPC’s official announcement that it welcomes cooperation with the international community and gives priority to joint operations in a variety of relevant fields as well as the transfer of technology in a fair partnership.

IPF 2000 was loaded with global messages; from the future of energy resources to environment and products, to indicate that Iran is assuming a greater role in meeting the demands of the international market.

The enthusiasm shown by participants to IPF’99 revealed that the region was truly in need of an international conference that would hold regularly to bring together heads of international petrochemical companies as well as authorities in charge of regional petrochemical industries. At times visitors were impressed with Iran’s potentials in general, achievements on site and cultural merits in hearts. After all, as the frontrunner in the doctrine of "Dialogue among Civilizations", Iran was willing to host an international event where participants from different nations could exchange views.

Advent of a new millennium marks the start of Iran’s Third Socioeconomic Development Plan. The Iranian petrochemical industry has set some aggressive objectives for the Third Development Plan. One-third of Iran’s petrochemicals are currently exported. Under the Third Plan, two-thirds of domestic production should go overseas.

All these sparked a new aspiration in the NPC to adopt a wider approach toward the world petrochemical industry. Therefore, the second round of IPF was staged titled "Petrochemical Industry in the New Millennium". Held on May 6-7, IPF 2000 presented 26 articles to discuss issues such as production, marketing, prices, energy management, research and development, manpower and regional cooperation. In addition, workshops were held at the forum on alkane dehydrogenation and gas to liquid (GTL) conversion. Moreover, IPF 2000 was an occasion for NPC to demonstrate its growing awareness toward environmental issues.

The increasing production and competition in the global market demand not only modern marketing methods, but also a closer cooperation with the international community to conduct wide-scale production and market research. As one of country’s fastest growing sectors, the Iranian petrochemical industry has realized the necessities of global partnership. As a result, IPF 2000 was loaded with global messages; from the future of energy resources to environment and products to indicate that Iran is assuming a greater role in meeting the demands of the international market.

The event was in fact a meeting place of prominent members representing 90 international companies, 150 executives from over 70 Iranian companies and approximately 200 distinguished authorities in charge of industries, banks and government administrations. Most participants agreed that IPF 2000 was a well-organized conference. This was in part owing to the efforts exerted by the Iranian Incorporation for Contemporary International Conferences & Fairs (IICIC) as the co-organizer of the event.