Aramco unveils first three ‘Shoot for the Future’ community basketball courts in Beijing

Aramco has unveiled the first three renovated community basketball courts in Beijing, China. 

These courts are part of Aramco’s “Shoot for the Future” basketball court revamp project, with the goal of injecting new energy into community basketball in China. The courts are built with innovative and advanced materials, with the flooring made partly from recycled plastic.  

The project aims to showcase the increasingly important role that advanced materials can play in a circular carbon economy, while helping with Aramco’s objective to support and empower communities and youth through sports. 

To bring the project to life, Aramco has worked closely with its chemical arm, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), and Enlio, which is the exclusive supplier of 3x3 basketball floors for the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Enlio has innovatively developed a customized advanced material formula using SABIC's advanced recycled plastic as the main material component.

The first three courts have been renovated in Dongdan, the iconic Chinese basketball neighborhood in Beijing. To drive the project forward, Aramco will continue working with its partners, aspiring to build courts across the country. 

The completion of these courts is another key milestone for Aramco in China. This project represents Aramco’s commitment as a reliable partner in China, our leadership in technology and innovation, and our goal of delivering positive impact in society through sports.
— Nader Al-Arfaj, Aramco China managing director

“Our investments in the conversion of hydrocarbons to essential materials aim to aid in achieving economic and social progress — both in China and around the globe,” Al-Arfaj added. “Advanced materials made from hydrocarbons have the potential to transform society and contribute towards a lower-carbon future.’’

Xu Jicheng, Chinese Basketball Association vice president and China Basketball League (Beijing) Sports Co., Ltd. chairman, said, “Aramco has opened up new possibilities for our partnership, and we aim to continue to work together to elevate professional basketball in China to an even higher level.”

Justin Wang, SABIC vice president and regional head, Greater China, said: “Our partnership with Aramco and Enlio highlights the strength of cross value-chain collaboration in addressing global pressing challenges and advancing the circular economy. SABIC’s innovative TRUCIRCLE^TM solutions, which transform post-consumer plastic into certified circular polymers via advanced recycling processes, have been used in these community basketball courts. 

“By leveraging our advanced materials, we are not only driving circularity and keeping valuable carbon in the material stream, but we are also demonstrating the pivotal role that chemical industry plays in driving towards a more sustainable future,” he added.

Li Yu, Enlio representative chairman, said: “The formula used for the flooring balances durability, environmental sustainability, and athletic performance, providing high-quality flooring for outdoor basketball courts. The upgraded courts will provide elasticity, grip, and friction comparable to Olympic standards, catering to diverse outdoor competitions and daily training needs. All materials can be fully recycled after many years of use.”

Caption for top photo: Nader Al-Arfaj joins in the launch of the first three renovated community basketball courts in Beijing, China.