Dow opens polyol plant, adding to regional reach

US chemical producer Dow Chemical Co has opened a new polyol plant for rigid polyurethane foam in Rayong, Thailand.

The plant has annual capacity of 79,000 tonnes and is located in the Asia Industrial Estate.

Home to six Dow manufacturing plants, the site covers 515 hectares and adheres to the company’s chemical operations by using technologies to minimise its overall environmental footprint.

“This new plant further solidifies Dow’s position as a key manufacturing base in Thailand. It is an important milestone in our expansion in Asia-Pacific, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the country and the region,” said Chatchai Luanpolcharoenchai, president of Dow Thailand.

“With this boost in capacity and use of advanced technologies, we are better positioned to meet customer demand.”

This new polyol plant is expected to strengthen Dow’s upstream plant integration in Thailand and further expand its presence in Asia-Pacific, following the recent opening of new polyurethane systems houses in Lote Parshuram, India and Zhangjiagang, China.

Jane Palmieri, business president for polyurethanes, said this announcement is part of Dow’s ongoing investment in polyurethanes to bring customers a reliable supply of innovative solutions to address population growth and energy efficiency.

“The Rayong facility is an important addition to Dow’s global polyurethanes manufacturing network, further enabling us to deliver industrial products and create lasting social, environmental and economic benefits throughout the entire product life cycle,” she said.

Polyol is a key raw material for rigid polyurethane foam products, improving energy efficiency in a wide variety of construction, professional cold chain and appliance applications, such as keeping food fresh more efficiently and preventing home energy losses.

Dow Chemical’s Thailand manufacturing base is the largest in Asia-Pacific, consisting of 16 companies under two main organisation structures, operating wholly from Dow as well as joint ventures.

In 2017, Dow Chemical Thailand posted revenue of 118 billion baht, an increase of 6%, and chemical output stood at 2.13 million tonnes, up by 0.16%.

Some 49% of Dow’s products were sold in Thailand, with the rest exported to Asia-Pacific.