MIDLAND, MI – The successful startup of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility convenient to major Chinese and Asian manufacturing centers has positioned The Dow Chemical Co. for anticipated growth in demand for propylene oxide-based glycol ethers in the Asia-Pacific region. Dow, the leading producer of glycol ethers, completed construction of the new facility at Zhangjiagang in Jiangsu Province of the People’s Republic of China. Trial manufacturing runs were successful, and the plant has begun producing commercial-grade products. The facility has an annual nameplate capacity of 120,000 metric tons and will manufacture P-Series Glycol Ethers such as DOWANOL™ PM Glycol Ether, which will be used by Asia’s growing electronics industry, as well as in the formulation of paints and coatings, cleaning products and other applications.

 

Zhangjiagang, an established and strategic site for Dow, is located on the Yangtze River, approximately 200 kilometers (125 miles) upstream from Shanghai. Ideally situated to serve both the domestic and export markets, this new glycol ethers plant joins three other world-scale Dow Glycol facilities in Zhangjiagang, including a converted epoxy resin plant and a styrene butadiene latex facility, as well as a joint-venture polystyrene resin plant. An additional glycol ether plant devoted to Butyl CELLOSOLVE™ Solvents is in Malaysia.