Dow Moves on Its Commitment to Aid Automotive Industry

27 April 1998 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

Dow Automotive's introduction of Inspire polypropylene resins is a step toward the company's commitment to help the automotive industry meet its needs for lower cost solutions, global reach, design flexibility and enhanced quality performances.

Earlier this year, Dow Chemical Company announced Freeport, Tex., as the location of its new North American Inspire polypropylene manufacturing site, which is expected to be completed by the end of the decade.

At this point, Dow Automotive is supplying Inspire polypropylene resins based on existing supply agreements. This enables Dow to fully service its North American customers in advance of the PP train in Freeport.

With the nearly complete BSL plant in Schkopau, Germany, Dow is also enhancing its entry into the European polypropylene market and opening doors into developing markets in Central and Eastern Europe. The company says its service standards, including consistency of supply and quality of products, are in effect today and will continue through the startup of the new manufacturing sites.

Since announcing plans a year ago to make polypropylene a key part of its global strategy, Dow Automotive has obtained several OEM specifications, including global specs.

The company says it is well positioned to meet customers' global needs by delivering both products and a full range of technical support.

"Inspire polypropylene is more than just a resin," says Tim Silversides, Dow Automotive market manager for polypropylene. "It represents Dow's total value commitment to customers, based on our material science expertise, applications and design/engineering capabilities, catalyst technology and resolve to provide low-cost polypropylene products."

The company maintains that the addition of Inspire polypropylene gives it one of the broadest products portfolios of any material supplier. "Our portfolio enables us to serve our customers better, because we have the ability to deliver the most cost-effective material solution to meet performance requirements for an application," Mr. Silversides says.

He adds that Dow is planning to open a polypropylene pilot plant at Freeport in the second half of the year. "The pilot plant will be focused on developing new, differentiated polymers based on the same revolutionary catalyst technology that we created for polyethylene," he says.

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