The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, and BASF, Mount Olive, NJ, announced plans to jointly develop technology for the manufacture of propylene oxide (PO) using hydrogen peroxide as a key raw material. Production of PO by means of the hydrogen peroxide-to-propylene oxide process (HP-PO) offers cost-efficiency improvements and eliminates the complications of handling co-products, said representatives of Dow Thermosets, which includes Dow's Propylene Oxide and Propylene Glycol business unit and its Polyurethanes, Polyurethanes Systems and Epoxy Products & Intermediates businesses. Propylene oxide is used in the manufacture of polyurethanes, propylene glycol, chemical intermediates, flame retardants, and other industrial products. BASF and Dow are major suppliers of polyurethane raw materials and systems. Dow said it is the world's largest producer of propylene oxide, polyether polyols, propylene glycol and P-series glycol ethers.