Dow opens polyurethane systems house in Saudi Arabia

On March 28th, Dow Formulated Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), inaugurated the latest addition to its global systems house network in partnership with the new Arabian Chemical Polyurethane Systems House, a branch of Juffali Chemical Products Co., Ltd. This new Systems House is well positioned to provide innovative and tailored solutions to customers in the Kingdom and neighboring Gulf States in a variety of markets and applications.

Dow operates a customer-intimate Systems House model, which provides dedicated service and speed with local flexibility. Customers are advantaged by this model in the fast turnaround time that the local business provides, as well as the team's knowledge of local applications, trends and opportunities.

Energy efficiency is a growing opportunity in the Gulf Region, and will be a key theme for the innovative, market-focused work that is done by this Systems House. HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs recently said, "The key to continuing environmental problems, including climate change, lies in continuing to develop energy efficiency technologies." With knowledge steeped in polyurethane application technology, our team is able to develop unique and tailor-made solutions for a host of customer needs.

•Products like VORATHERM™ insulated metal panels that provide excellent thermal insulation properties and meet the most stringent fire resistance requirements of the construction industry.

•Solutions like VORACOR™ polyurethane systems for professional cold chain that have zero ozone-depletion potential and low global-warming potential while still providing effective insulation efficiency.

•Technologies like PASCAL™ household appliance polyurethane insulation, which helps appliance manufacturers increase the energy efficiency of refrigerators and freezers by up to 10%.

Jon Penrice, Global General Manager for Dow Formulated Systems, spoke at the inauguration ceremony and commented on the latest addition to Dow's global system house network, "This alliance reinforces Dow Formulated Systems' commitment to our customers and the industries we serve in the Middle East. The state-of-the-art facility will help expand Dow's market leadership and deliver innovative solutions and excellent service to customers in the strategic markets of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region."

Dow Formulated Systems and Saudi Arabian industrial conglomerate E.A. Juffali & Brothers signed the alliance for the Arabian Chemical Polyurethane Systems House in 2010. The two companies have three long-standing joint ventures, the earliest dating back to 1976.

"This project marks an important milestone for Dow in Saudi Arabia and emphasizes Dow's commitment to this geographic area and this market where the value of innovation and technology are recognized" said Dr. Zuhair Allawi, vice president Dow Saudi Arabia Co., "It will further enhance our ability to combine our innovation, technology, and know-how in the PU systems business with the entrepreneurial spirit and local market knowledge of Juffali to deliver tailor made solutions to our customers throughout the region."