30.10.2015 DowPolyurethanesandThermosetSystems:LeadingtheIndustryinInnovativeDevelopments

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DowPolyurethanesandThermosetSystems:LeadingtheIndustryinInnovativeDevelopments

Houston,TXOctober17,2005

DowPolyurethanes:AstheworldslargestpolyetherpolyolsproducerandanindustryleaderintheproductionofMDIandTDI,Dowhasbuiltoneofthebroadestproductlinesofpolyurethaneproductsintheindustry,supplyingqualityrawmaterialsworldwideforsegmentssuchasrigidfoamsflexiblefoamsandcoatings,adhesives,sealantsandelastomers(CASE).Dowcombinesglobalpolyurethanesproductionandsupplycapabilitiesanditscommitmenttotechnology,safetyandenvironmentalsustainability,withitsbroadexpertiseinpolyurethaneschemistryandsystemsformulation.Dowspolyurethanesareservingindustryneedsworldwideinavarietyofenduseapplications,including:

Automotiveinteriortrim,seatingandinstrumentpanelsAutomotivenoise,vibrationandharshness(NVH)andenergyabsorptioncushioningCarpetbackingandflooringCoatings,adhesives,sealantsandelastomers(CASE)CushioningforfurnitureandmattressesFlexiblemoldingInsulationforappliancesbuildingandconstruction(sheathingandroofing)OfficefurniturePackaging

InnovativeTechnologiesAsaleaderinpolyurethanesmanufacturingandwithtechnologicalleadershipasacorecompetency,Dowisconstantlyworkingtoimproveprocessingefficienciesandproductperformance,includingdevelopingagenerationofmoreeconomicallyviableandenvironmentallysustainableproducts.Dowspolyurethanesproductlinecontinuestogrowandevolvetomeetcustomerschangingrequirementsandaddressenvironmentalguidelines.Recenttechnologicaldevelopmentsinclude:

VORANOLVORACTIVPolyolsVORANOLVORACTIVpolyolshavegeneratedstronginterestamongflexibleandmoldedfoammanufacturersandwithintheautomobile,beddingandfurnitureindustriessincetheirintroductionin2001.Thesetechnologicallyenhancedpolyolshavetheaminecatalystgraftedintothem,allowingfoammanufacturerstoeliminateaformulatingstep.Thisstreamlinestheproductionprocess,generatessignificantcostsavingsandimprovesfoamconsistencyandperformance.ThepolyolsalsogeneratelowerVOCemissionsthanthoseassociatedwithaminecatalysts,therebyreducingodorsinthemanufacturingenvironmentandinkeyendusemarkets,includingfurniture,beddingandautomotive.Inautomotiveinteriors,VORANOLVORACTIVpolyolsarealsoknowntohelpreducewindshieldfogging,polycarbonatedegradationandPVCstaining.

ViscoelasticFoamDowsVORANOLVORACTIVpolyolswerespeciallydesignedforapplicationinviscoelasticfoams,whoseuseastheupperlayerinhighmattressesandluxurycoucheshasgrownconsiderablyinrecentyears.Dowisdevelopingindustryleadingsolutionsforsuperiorperformancememoryfoam.VORANOLVORACTIVpolyolsreducetheconsumptionofaminesandeliminateproductionstepsandreduceproductioncostsinthemanufactureofviscoelasticfoam.Viscoelasticfoamsoffernumerousperformancebenefits,includingtheirabilitytoconformtobodyshape,providecustomizedresilienceanddemonstrateexcellentloadbearingproperties.

NaturaloilbasedpolyolsDowcontinuestomakesignificantprogressinthedevelopmentofnaturaloilbasedpolyolsthatcanbeusedinlieuofasignificantpercentageofhydrocarbonbasedpolyolsinurethaneformulations.Thisdevelopment,beingtestedmainlyforflexiblepolyolproductsfirst,allowsnaturaloilstobeselectivelymodified,impactingfinalurethaneproductperformance.Sofar,productionsuccesshasbeenachievedatthelabandpilotplantscaleandkeyproductpropertieshavebeenmatchedwithformulationsincorporatingatleast35%soymonomer.Trialsareunderwaywithselectcustomersastheproductadvancesinitsdevelopmentalandtestingphase.TheexplorationofnaturaloilbasedpolyolsispartofDowseffortstoofferproductswithgreatereconomicstabilityandenvironmentalsustainability.

MannichPolyolsWehaverecentlyintroducedournewproduct,VORANOLWR2000Mannichpolyolsusedinsprayfoamforroofingandconstruction.ThisMannichbasedpolyetherpolyoloffersthelowestviscosityintheindustry,allowingeasierprocessingandfasterspray.Italsoprovidesgoodcompressionstrengthanddimensionalstability,inadditiontoincreasedenvironmentalbenefitsthroughreducedblowingagentuse.

CASEDowoffersawiderangeofpolyetherpolyolsandpure,modifiedandpolymericMDI,specialtyprepolymersandpolyurethanedispersionsforuseinformulatingcoatings,adhesives,sealantsandelastomers(CASE).AsthedynamicCASEmarketundergoesrapidchangesinperformanceandenvironmentalrequirements,Dowspolyurethaneschemistryandsystemsformulationexpertisebringsabouttechnologicallyinnovativechangestomeettheevolvingperformanceneedsofcustomersinarangeofapplications.Dowhasdevelopedproductsandapplicationtechnologiesthataddressthespecificperformancerequirementsofcustomers,whilekeepingwiththehighestqualityandEH&Sstandards.

DowPolyurethanesproductofferingstotheCASEmarketinclude:

SYNTEGRApolyurethanedispersionsandDisPURsadispersiontechnology,whichoffersaneconomicallyviablepolyurethanessolutionforreducingorganicsolventcontentandVOCemissionsfromCASEapplicationsVORANOLpolyetherpolyols,whichofferawidevarietyofperformanceandprocessingattributesspecificallydesignedtomeettheneedsofCASEapplications.ISONATEMDI(methylenediphenyldiisocyanate)andPAPIPolymericMDIproducts,whicharecharacterizedbytheirpurity,lowacidityandreproduciblereactivity.

DowThermosetSystemsalsomanufacturesandmarketscustomformulatedofferingsfortheCASEmarket,includingitsVORAMERandVORASTARproducts.

DowThermosetSystems:

Inadditiontoitsroleasagloballeaderinpolymerchemistryandamajorproducerofintermediatesforpolyurethanes(isocyanatesandpolyols),ourThermosetSystemsbusinessaimsatpositioningDowasapolyurethanesolutionsupplierwithafullformulationpackageofchemicalstosatisfytheneedsofalargecustomerbasewiththeknowledgeofchemistrythatproducesenduseproductsutilizingPUpolymerfunctionality.

30.10.2015 DowPolyurethanesandThermosetSystems:LeadingtheIndustryinInnovativeDevelopments

http://web.archive.org/web/20070913150113/http://www.dow.com/voractiv/news/20051017bs.htm 2/2

Dowmanufacturesandmarketscustomformulatedrigidandsemirigid,flexible,integralskin,andmicrocellularpolyurethanefoamsandsystems,aswellaselastomers,coatings,adhesivesandbinderstomeetspecificapplicationrequirements.IntheThermosetSystemsbusiness,systemsaredeveloped,producedandsuppliedtomeetpresentorfuturemarketrequirementsandaretailoredaccordingtothespecificneedsofeachindividualcustomer.

DowThermosetSystemsproducesandcommercializesthesefoams,elastomersandbindersthatbecomepartofmajorindustriessuchasconstruction,automotive,footwearandfurniture.Dow'sR&Dlaboratoriesarefullyequippedwithmoldingunitscapableofsimulatingtheoperatingconditionsofthecustomers'plantandtestingthemoldedparts.Laboratoriesarealsoequippedtomeasureallphysicalandmechanicalpropertiesandtheoverallcompliancewithenduseproductspecifications.Constanteffortsarecarriedouttodevelopsystemsandapplicationswithhigherdurability,increasedproductivityandnewrecyclingoptions.

AmongthecustompolyurethanesystemsDowproducesarethefollowing:

SPECFILproductsareusedintheproductionofgasketsforairfiltersusedinautomotive,HVACandHEPAapplications.DowsSPECFILproductlinecanbeprocessedbybothlowandhighpressuremixingequipmentandisdesignedtomeetthelatestperformancerequirementsfortemperatureresistanceanddurability.VORATRONproductsareusedaspottingcompoundsintheelectric/electronicindustryfortheproductionoflow/mediumvoltagetransformers,switchgears,capacitorsandcablejoints.VORATRONproductsfeatureULcertificationandarethematerialofchoicewhenimprovedproductivityisneeded.HYPOLHydrophilicPolyurethanePrepolymersareuniquereactiveliquidscharacterizedbyhighhydrophilicityandaresuitableforthemanufactureoffoams,gels,coatingsandelastomers,withouttheneedofcatalysts.BecauseHYPOLenablestheseproductstoholduptotwentytimestheirweightinliquid,functionaladditivescanbeeasilyincorporatedasanintegralpartofthefinishedproduct.HYPOLhydrophilicprepolymerscanbeusedinavarietyofapplicationssuchashealthcare,householdgoods,airfreshenersandagricultural.

BreadthofProductOfferingDowistheworldslargestproducerofpolyetherpolyols,aleadingproducerofqualityaromaticisocyanates(MDIandTDI),andamajorsupplierofpropyleneoxide,anessentialcomponentofpolyetherpolyols.

PolyolsPolyolsareessentialtotheproductionofpolyurethanesandfallintotwomaintypes:polyetherpolyolsandpolyesterpolyols.Polyetherpolyolsconstituteapproximately90percentoftheworldspolyoluse,withpolyesterpolyolsaccountingfortheremaining10percent.Dowoffersacompletelineofpolyetherpolyols,rangingfromdiols,triolsandmanytypesofamines,includingaromaticMannichbasedpolyols.AromaticisocyanatesMDIandTDIarepartofalargeandgrowingfamilyofqualityaromaticisocyanates.TDIisaliquidusedprimarilyintheproductionofflexiblefoams.PolymericMDI(PMDI)isahighlyversatileproductusedtoproduceawidevarietyofrigid,flexible,semirigidandpolyisocyanurateandthermosetfoams.PureMDIisusedintheproductionofavarietyofpolyurethaneproductslikeelastomers,sealants,adhesivesandcoatings.PropyleneOxideDowisoneoftheworldsleadingproducersofpropyleneoxide.Propyleneoxideistheessentialcomponentofpolyetherpolyols.

GlobalProductionFacilitiesGlobaldemandforpolyurethanesinbothtraditionalmarketsegmentsandinnewapplicationscontinuestogrow.Lookinghistorically,from19942004,globalpolyurethanesgrowth(MDI,TDIandPolyols)hasgenerallybeenabout2XGDP,orabout6%.Astheuseofpolyurethanesincreaseswithitscurrentapplicationsandmovesintoadditionalapplications,weexpectglobalgrowthtoremainstrong.PUdemandhasalsobeeninfluencedbyglobaleconomicgrowth.Growthinemergingeconomies,suchasEasternEuropeandAsiaPacific,particularlyChina,hasfueleddemandforPUrawmaterials.

Tomeetthisgrowingcustomerdemand,theDowPolyurethanesbusinessoperates23plantsin17countriesworldwide.Inaddition,DowThermosetSystemsoperates25locations,with14productionfacilitiesand11servicecentersstrategicallylocatedthroughouttheworld.DowThermosetSystemsconsistsofaglobalnetworkofSystemsHouseunitsthatenablealocalized,valueadded,serviceintensivemodel.

DowhasannualPUandsystemssalesofover4billionpoundsglobally,whichencompassesallessentialrawmaterialsforpolyurethanes,includingpolyols,methylenediphenyldiisocyanate(MDI),andtoluenediisocyanate(TDI).ThecombinedsalesrevenueforDowsPolyurethanesandThermosetSystemsbusinessesexceedsUS$3billion.

EnvironmentalCommitmentDowsPolyurethanesandThermosetSystemsbusinessiscommittedtoprovidingqualityproductsandserviceswhileprotectingtheenvironmentaswellasthehealthandsafetyofthosewhomakeanduseitsproducts.OnekeythemethatprevailsinthebusinessisDowscontinuedfocusonsustainabledevelopment.Dowoffersoneoftheindustrysbroadestproductlinesforcompaniesconcernedwithsustainability.SustainabilityisawayofbusinessatDow.Toensurethesafehandling,use,storageanddisposalofitsproducts,Dowmaintainsanongoingproductstewardshipprogramthatincludestechnicalservices,researchanddevelopmentassistanceandeasyaccesstoMaterialSafetyDataSheets.Forfurtherinformation,visitwww.dowpolyurethanes.comorwww.polyurethanesystems.com

AboutTheDowChemicalCompanyDowisaleaderinscienceandtechnology,providinginnovativechemical,plasticandagriculturalproductsandservicestomanyessentialconsumermarkets.Withannualsalesof$40billion,Dowservescustomersin175countriesandawiderangeofmarketsthatarevitaltohumanprogress:food,transportation,healthandmedicine,personalandhomecare,andbuildingandconstruction,amongothers.Committedtotheprinciplesofsustainabledevelopment,Dowandits43,000employeesseektobalanceeconomic,environmentalandsocialresponsibilities.

ReferencestoDowortheCompanymeanTheDowChemicalCompanyanditsconsolidatedsubsidiariesunlessotherwiseexpresslynoted.

Formoreinformation,visitwww.dowpolyurethanes.com.

ForMoreInformation:DanTaylorTheDowChemicalCompany(989)6365005

ForEditorialInformation:AnishaShahGibbs&Soell(212)6972600

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