The abbreviation “SABIC” stands for “Saudi Basic Industries Corporation”. The multinational chemical manufacturing company focuses primarily on the production of petrochemicals, chemicals, industrial polymers, fertilizers, and metals. Over the company’s history, the amount number of chemicals it delivered rose from 6.5 million tons in 1985 to 42 million tons in 2003.
The SABIC logo is an example of a successful bilingual logotype. It shows that wordmarks in two languages can merge into a single design without creating a visual cacophony and without looking too cluttered. That said, we can’t but mention that this logo doesn’t contain an emblem.
What is SABIC
SABIC is a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, which owns 70% of its stake. It has been named among the world’s largest producers of chemicals, ethylene glycol, polyethylene, polyolefins, etc. In 2020, its revenue reached USD 31.3 billion.
The company’s history started in 1976, when a royal decree was issued that dealt with turning oil by-products into various useful substances, including polymers and fertilizers. Initially, the chairman was Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi, while the post of the CEO was held by Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Al Zamil.
The result of the company’s work affected whole areas in its county. For instance, tiny fishing villages Jubail and Yanbu gradually sprawled and turned into contemporary cities.
Currently, the manufacturing facilities used by the company include around 18 affiliates. The majority of them are located in Al-Jubail. Two affiliates can be found in Yanbu, and there is one more in Dammam. In addition to it, the company also collaborates with businesses operating three local ventures in Bahrain.
The SABIC logo has an ethereal and elegant style. It’s not a kind of old-fashioned elegance coming from all sorts of spirals, and curves, and unnecessary serifs, as well as other merely decorative elements. Instead, there are dynamic, simple lines that are beautiful and at the same time functional.
Visual rhyme can be spotted at multiple spots here. Take, for instance, the “a” and the “b” in the English part of the logo. While they aren’t exact copies of each other, they do create a semblance of symmetry. If you take a closer look at the final “c”, you will also notice that the letter is based on the same shape. Moreover, even the top of the initial “s” is nothing but a smaller rendition of this shape.
If you compare this basic form with the overall look of the SABIC European Head Office in Sittard, the Netherlands, you may come to the conclusion that they have much in common.
The only glyph in the English version unaffected by this curved shape is the “i.” However, this glyph also has a “rhyme” – you can spot it in the blue, Arabic, part of the logo. For one, the shape of the dot (or should we say “a rectangle”) is the same. Also, the rounded straight angle present at the top of the “i” is echoed by virtually all parts of the Arabic name.
All this shows that the visual brand identity of the company has been done to a carefully thought-out formula, with meticulous attention to detail.
The meaning behind the palette can be interpreted in various ways. The most obvious hypothesis is that blue symbolizes the sky, while gold stands for the sand or the sun, which creates a link with the peculiarities of the nature of Saudi Arabia. Also, yellow has been used in logos of many energy companies as a symbol of oil and the energy that comes from it, while blue could be a symbol of natural gas.
The custom typeface is the highlight of the SABIC logo.