Midland, MI -- The Dow Chemical Company has announced that its new world-scale specialty elastomers plant in Thailand is targeted to begin commercial operation on June 1, 2011, after a successful startup. A project of the SCG-Dow joint venture, the new manufacturing operation will add dedicated capacity to meet growing worldwide customer demand for a full range of elastomer products. With this new plant Dow continues to offer solutions that create value for our customers while taking full advantage of current and future growth.

A global leader in elastomers innovation, Dow is committed to offering the most technologically advanced plastomers and elastomers in the world. The opening of the plant in Rayong Province, Thailand, is further illustration of Dows investment in downstream performance businesses. The facility will increase Dows global capacity for polyolefin elastomers to over 800 kilometric tons, or nearly 2 billion pounds.

"The capacity increase with the new Thailand plant grows Dows global asset base, enables Dow to expand our reach in Asian markets, maintain a cost-competitive position, and brings leading polyolefin elastomer capabilities to the region," said Luis Cirihal, Dow Elastomers global business director. "Dow is now able to strategically source customers as they grow their business sustainably in the region. This site will offer needed supply and greater global supply chain flexibility to meet the ever-increasing demand for Dow Polyolefin Plastomers and Elastomers."

Dow Elastomers produces a wide range of high-quality flexible plastics and adhesives. ENGAGE Polyolefin Elastomers offer a distinct combination of flexibility and toughness, making them a material of choice for a wide variety of applications, including automotive thermoplastic applications. AFFINITY Polyolefin Plastomers are versatile polymers that offer excellent adhesion at high and low temperatures, outstanding processability, and excellent levels of performance in packaging and other applications.

INFUSE Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs) are polyolefins with alternating blocks of hard (highly rigid) and soft (highly elastomeric) segments. The block structure of OBCs offers an advantaged performance balance of flexibility and heat resistance. VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers are a versatile family of specialty propylene-ethylene copolymers that offer films, fibers, and molded parts with an outstanding combination of excellent optics, sealing and hot tack performance, plus elasticity, flexibility, softness and compatibility in blends.

Source: Dow Chemical Company