SABIC: industry on the ground
SABIC's production grew from 6.5 million tonnes in 1985 to more than 60 million tonnes by 2012, with ethylene and its derivatives among the key products.
SABIC · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Smartphone for SABIC
SABIC is a Saudi chemicals company headquartered in Riyadh, 70% owned by Saudi Aramco with the rest publicly traded. It makes chemicals, industrial polymers and fertilisers, with major industrial operations in Jubail Industrial City on the Gulf and in Yanbu on the Red Sea. If you are specifying an intrinsically safe smartphone for SABIC, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSpecification
WhereSABIC
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for SABIC: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe smartphone for SABIC
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | SABIC: Petrochemical plants, Polymer plants, Fertiliser units | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia. 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 · SABIC
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC): 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
- Jubail Industrial City
- Yanbu Industrial City
Classified areas
- Petrochemical plants
- Polymer plants
- Fertiliser units
- Chemical storage and handling
Supplier approval · SABIC
Becoming an approved supplier to SABIC
SABIC runs a Supplier Portal (supplier.sabic.com): applicants use the Supplier Registration link and complete a short form, after which SABIC's supplier relationship team sends instructions for the full registration. 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 · SABIC
More about SABIC that matters for portable equipment
SABIC: people and language
SABIC employs more than 40,000 people globally, and its Saudi manufacturing is concentrated in a few industrial cities, mainly Jubail, rather than spread across the Kingdom.
SABIC: who works there
Saudi Aramco agreed to buy a 70 per cent stake in SABIC from the Public Investment Fund in 2019 and the transaction completed in June 2020, linking SABIC closely to Aramco feedstock.
SABIC: geography and layout
Jubail is on the Gulf coast and Yanbu on the Red Sea, on opposite sides of the Kingdom, so equipment planning, logistics and climate differ between the two sites.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In SABIC. Plant rounds across petrochemical, polymer and fertiliser units and chemical storage involve gauge readings, valve checks and permit-linked inspections. A handheld designed for intrinsic safety could do the work of photos, checklists and calls in classified spots if its certificate allows. Permit rules at Jubail and Yanbu belong to SABIC.
The route · specification
Specifying an intrinsically safe smartphone for SABIC
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · SABIC
Frequently asked questions
Can SABIC 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 intrinsically safe smartphone for SABIC 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.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
How does SABIC approve suppliers?
SABIC runs a Supplier Portal (supplier.sabic.com): applicants use the Supplier Registration link and complete a short form, after which SABIC's supplier relationship team sends instructions for the full registration. Confirm current requirements with its procurement and HSE teams.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Does Aramco ownership of SABIC mean Aramco rules apply to its plants?
Aramco holds 70 per cent of SABIC, but SABIC remains a separate company with its own affiliates and procurement. Aramco-style standards may be referenced on some projects, yet requirements vary, so ask the relevant SABIC affiliate or project owner which specifications and approved equipment lists apply.
How do Jubail and Yanbu differ for field equipment?
Jubail on the Gulf coast typically has very hot, humid summers with salt-laden air, while Yanbu on the Red Sea has a hot coastal climate with dust and wind. Check enclosure ingress rating, corrosion resistance and operating temperature range, and confirm any site conditions with the affiliate.
Who approves equipment for use at SABIC sites?
The sheet states that supplier registration and equipment approval are run by SABIC itself. Requirements may differ between Jubail and Yanbu and across business units, so confirm with SABIC's procurement and HSE teams. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch with certification in progress and no certificate has been issued.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for SABIC and for Saudi Arabia.
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier for SABICSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone for SABICSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone for SABICSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone for SABICSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Saudi AramcoElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier for Ma'adenElsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · SABIC
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for SABIC, Saudi Arabia
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · SABIC
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for SABIC?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.