Material serves as a key ingredient in electronics, healthcare, construction and energy industries

Dow Corning has announced the opening of a multi-million dollar investment in a new silicone rubber plant to support growing demand from customers in Asia.

Located at Zhangjiagang, in Jiangsu Province, the new plant is the largest investment Dow Corning has made globally in silicone rubber in the last ten years. The 6,000 square meters site will manufacture High Consistency Rubber (HCR) and Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) for a full spectrum of industrial and consumer applications. It will serve the needs of customers in China and throughout Asia.

Dow Corning (Zhangjiagang) Silicone Co., Ltd. Silicone Rubber Plant is an integral part of Dow Corning’s world-class manufacturing site currently under development at the Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang City. This integrated site includes China’s largest facility to manufacture siloxane (basic silicone materials) with an investment of $600 million USD, as well as downstream finishing plants, which support the vigorous growth and demand for silicone materials of both the Chinese and Asian markets.

“China is one of the priority markets for us and an engine for our future growth. We are excited about the new silicone rubber plant, which plays a strategic role in our global manufacturing network. The opening of the rubber plant underscores our continued long-term commitment to China and our confidence in the huge potential of this market and those of neighboring countries in Asia,” said Tom Cook, Dow Corning’s Greater China President and Asia Area Vice President.

“The opportunities to use silicone rubber in many existing and new applications will continue to drive the overall demand growth globally,” said Ian Wilson, Executive Director of Formulated Products, Dow Corning. “We expect the demand growth in China to be higher than the world average given China’s accelerated GDP growth rate," he added.

Dow Corning broke ground at the Chemical Industry Park in Zhangjiagang in September 2006 for the siloxane manufacturing facility in a joint venture with WACKER Chemie AG. Completion is expected during 2010.

Further information

With characteristics such as excellent weather-proofing ability, a high level of stability in extreme temperatures, good fluid resistance and water-repellency, silicone rubber is used in a wide range of modern pillar industries including consumer electronics; construction; power distribution; automobiles; and healthcare.

Learn more about silicones at http://www.dowcorning.com/content/sitech/sitechbasics/default.asp

About Dow Corning

Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com.cn) provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation, offering more than 7,000 products and services. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States.