Expansion Management

Dow Building New World-Scale Ethylene Facility in Texas

June 25, 2014

“This ethylene facility is a foundational element in Dow’s strategy to utilize low-cost and advantaged shale gas feedstocks to enable growth in key value-add market-driven businesses,” said Andrew N. Liveris, CEO.

Adrienne Selko

The Dow Chemical Co. (IW 500/25) announced that next week it will begin construction of its ethylene production facility in Freeport, Texas.

With a nameplate capacity of approximately 1500 KTA, the company’s production facility is part of a multi-billion dollar investment. It is expected to begin production in the first half of 2017, and will employ up to 2,000 workers during construction

"Collectively, Dow’s U.S. Gulf Coast investments serve as an integral component of our global growth strategy, where we are leveraging our first-mover advantage to deliver significant shareholder value, enabling the Company to achieve our near-term $10 billion EBITDA goal and beyond,” Liveris added.

In total, Dow’s U.S. Gulf Coast investments in Texas and Louisiana will employ 5,000 workers during peak construction. The projects announced for the Freeport site represent the majority of those workers, with 4,000 required for construction of multiple feedstocks, derivatives and supporting infrastructure projects.

Dow Texas Operations in Freeport is Dow’s largest integrated manufacturing site worldwide and the largest chemical complex in North America with more than 4,200 employees and 3,800 contractors on site daily.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.