Dow lauded for its contributions to KSA’s economic development

The Dow Chemical Co. was commended by Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif Al- Saud for the company’s outstanding contributions to economic development and Saudization in the region.

A plaque in recognition was presented by the prince to Johanna Soderstrom, corporate vice president of human resources at Dow, and Jim McIlvenny, president of Dow India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, during a ceremony at the governor’s office.

Charles Swartz, president of Dow Saudi Arabia, also attended the event.

On this occasion, McIlvenny said: “We are most grateful for the support and recognition by Prince Saud. Dow has had a presence in the Kingdom for more than 40 years, and in the past five years, we have provided technology specific trainings for over 1,000 young Saudi talents in various Dow locations around the world.

“We are most impressed with their qualities and their ability to learn and innovate. As a result, we have been able to start up one of our most advanced ‘ Reverse Osmosis’ ( RO) manufacturing facilities in Jubail, with 99 percent Saudi employees. The facility is already setting quality and production records.”

Soderstrom said: “With the Saudi government’s launch of Vision 2030, we see unprecedented opportunities to participate in various sectors to support the national priorities, upskill the Saudi workforce, and provide technology solutions that help solve local challenges in the Kingdom. In particular, we’ll continue to look for collaborative opportunities to equip young talented Saudi men and women for the jobs of the future.”

“Our vision is to be the partner of choice for sustainable growth and innovation in the Kingdom. With Dow’s global and regional experience and expertise, we have unmatched capabilities to deliver high value, innovative solutions that support the Kingdom in key areas, such as sustainable development, energy efficiency, oil and gas, alternative energy and water,” Swartz said.

Started up in December, 2015, Dow’s first and only Reverse Osmosis element production facility outside of North America resides in the Sadara Chemical Complex in Jubail.

The plant manufactures high- tech RO elements for demineralizing brackish water or desalinating seawater for a variety of sectors and industrial applications, including water treatment, power generation, food and beverage processing, municipal desalination and water reuse. It serves customers around the world, especially growth regions such as the Middle East and Africa, Eastern Europe, India, China and Southeast Asia.