The  US group’s Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals business will expand propylene glycol at its facility in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, by 80,000 t/y to 250,000 t/y. Dow said that once the project is complete in 2024, the plant will be the largest of its kind in Asia-Pacific, supporting customer growth across the region and India.

Dow’s Consumer Solutions business also has several projects proposed that will come online worldwide this year. These include capacity increases for silicone elastomers and thermally conductive materials, which will meet rising demand for lighter and safer vehicles with a lower carbon footprint, along with silicone polymers and sealants, silicone engineering materials and pressure sensitive adhesives that will improve reliability and efficiency in consumer & electronics markets. Output of  cationic hydroxyethylcellulose polymers and polyethylene glycols for addressing various home and personal care applications also will increase.

“Dow is committed to investing in differentiated silicone and specialty materials assets to drive innovation and grow with our customers globally,” said Mauro Gregorio, president, Dow Performance Materials & Coatings. “There is growing demand for high-performance materials that enable sustainable solutions, and we look forward to further collaboration with our industry partners and customers following these expansions.”

These expansions build on Dow’s previous investments in its Consumer Solutions business, including more than 20 debottleneck, efficiency improvement and growth capital projects throughout 2019 and 2020.

Last month, Dow also revealed plans to build an integrated MDI distillation and prepolymers facility in Freeport, Texas, USA, supporting increasing demand for downstream polyurethane products. The new plant is due to go on stream in 2023.

Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist