EQUATE: background
EQUATE was established in 1995 as Kuwait's first international joint venture in the petrochemicals industry.
EQUATE · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for EQUATE
EQUATE is a Kuwaiti petrochemical producer established in 1995, with its complex at Shuaiba, Al Ahmadi Governorate. Greater EQUATE brings EQUATE, the Kuwait Styrene Company, the Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company and the Kuwait Olefins Company under one integrated operational umbrella, so one site-wide safety system covers several plants. This page sets out how an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone supply route to EQUATE will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSupply
WhereEQUATE
Short answer. An ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for EQUATE cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for EQUATE
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | EQUATE: Ethylene and propylene units, Polyethylene plants, Ethane and naphtha feedstock handling | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Kuwait
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Kuwait. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The organisation · EQUATE
EQUATE Petrochemical Company: operations and where an Ex phone fits
A short profile of its operations and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
Sites and areas
- Shuaiba complex (Al Ahmadi Governorate)
Classified areas
- Ethylene and propylene units
- Polyethylene plants
- Ethane and naphtha feedstock handling
Supplier approval · EQUATE
Supplier registration at EQUATE
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams. The Ex certificate and an organisation's own vendor or engineering approval are two separate timelines; SAMS is working towards both and holds neither today.
Field notes · EQUATE
More about EQUATE that matters for portable equipment
EQUATE: background
An Olefins II complex and an aromatics project were built together on a site adjacent to the EQUATE facility at Shuaiba, so the estate holds plants of more than one construction generation.
EQUATE: rules and approvals
Kuwait's communications regulator, CITRA, follows a European documentation approach, and its type approvals were extended from one to three years.
EQUATE: industry on the ground
The group makes over 6 million tonnes a year of ethylene, ethylene glycol, polyethylene, PET, styrene monomer, paraxylene, heavy aromatics and benzene, so liquids such as benzene and styrene are handled alongside gases and polymer.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In EQUATE. An EQUATE procurement or HSE reviewer at the Shuaiba complex would expect certificate evidence before a handheld enters the ethylene, propylene or polyethylene units. With international owners and contractors, a dual ATEX and IECEx route lets one product answer both sets of paperwork. The IS-04Z1 is in certification and no certificate has been issued.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for EQUATE
There is no stock to order for EQUATE yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · EQUATE
Frequently asked questions
Can EQUATE buy the IS-04Z1 today?
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
What does an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for EQUATE cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
How does EQUATE approve suppliers?
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself; confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
How will SAMS supply EQUATE?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Why do aromatics such as benzene matter for handset selection?
Benzene, paraxylene and styrene are flammable liquids with vapours that can form explosive mixtures, and some have specific gas groups and temperature classes. Handheld devices should be certified for the gas group and T-class that the operator specifies; ask for the classification data.
What radio approval applies in Kuwait?
Kuwait's communications regulator CITRA follows a European documentation approach, and type approvals now last three years instead of one. Confirm the current renewal rules with CITRA or your importer, then check EQUATE's own rules on portable devices inside classified areas.
Who approves a handheld device at EQUATE?
Supplier registration and equipment approval are run by the organisation itself, so approval sits with EQUATE's procurement and HSE teams. Ask which evidence they need. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet, so share only the datasheet and target marking and avoid any claim of approval.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on EQUATE, and on other places in Kuwait.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for EQUATESame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for EQUATESame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for EQUATESame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for EQUATESame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KOCElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for PICElsewhere in Kuwait
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for KNPCElsewhere in Kuwait
Kuwait market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for KuwaitEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · EQUATE
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for EQUATE, Kuwait
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · EQUATE
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for EQUATE?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.