Dow Chemical, part of the merged DowDuPont group, has announced plans to increase capacity for glycol ethers and alkoxylates to meet rising demand.

With regard to glycol ethers, a series of phased incremental investments will eventually double global output of Dow’s select p-series and performance product lines, including Dowanol. Starting in 2018, seven debottlenecking and expansion projects will take place over the next several years, with the first incremental capacity becoming available by the end of 2019. Details on site locations and capacities were not disclosed.

Glycol ethers are used to improve the performance and reduce the health and environmental impacts of end products in various applications. According to Dow, demand for glycol ethers continues to rise as a result of urbanization, a growing middle class, evolving and stricter regulations and increasing sustainability challenges.

The company will also invest in an alkoxylation facility at an undisclosed location on the US Gulf Coast. Start-up is expected by the end of 2021. Dow said the new capacity will support global growth in its core end-markets of infrastructure and home and personal care, along with strengthening market position for brands such as Triton,Tergitol and Ecsorf surfactants and Carbowax Sentry excipients/APIs.