Dow to Expand High Melt Index AFFINITY Brand Franchise in Freeport, Texas

MIDLAND, Mich. -- As part of its focused investment strategy on the U.S. Gulf Coast to integrate advantaged shale gas, The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) confirmed today the locations for expanding four of the Companys leading brand franchises in Texas and Louisiana.

These actions, together with the Companys collective, high-return investments in this region, are expected to drive strong revenue growth and generate approximately $2.5 billion in EBITDA once fully operational, enabling Dow to address growing customer and value chain demand in attractive markets such as food packaging, transportation and infrastructure, hygiene and medical, and electrical and telecommunications markets globally.

Construction is scheduled to begin soon on these investments, which were initially announced in March 2013, and are aligned with Dows industry-leading Performance Plastics franchise.

Strategic growth in NORDEL metallocene EPDM, AFFINITY brand polymers, and ELITE polymers build on a successful legacy of Dow innovation in consumer and industrial products such as flexible food packaging, diapers and nonwoven hygiene products, packaging for medical utensils, automotive and appliances, wire casings for telecommunication cables, roofing membranes and other infrastructure applications.

"Dow Performance Plastics is the worlds leading plastics franchise and with these expansions Dow will be able to further leverage our cost-advantaged position and R&D expertise to deliver leading edge technology that provides a competitive benefit to our customers in many of our most strategic markets," said Jim Fitterling, Executive Vice President for Dow, "Our history on the U.S. Gulf Coast reaches back more than 70 years, and were proud to continue our commitment to this important region with these strategic and accretive investments."

In Freeport, Texas, Dow will expand its High Melt Index (HMI) AFFINITY brand polymer franchise. These materials deliver strongerbonding in hot melt packaging adhesives. The Company will also expand its ELITE polymer franchise which delivers enhanced durability and flexibility for food packaging, hygiene & medical, and industrial and consumer packaging markets. Both of these brands are powered by Dows proprietary INSITE catalyst technology.

In Plaquemine, Louisiana, Dow will expand its NORDEL metallocene EPDM