Dow Business Unit Breaks Ground on New Facility in China

Dow Electronic Materials, a business unit of the Dow Chemical Co., recently broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Zhangjiagang, China.

The facility in Zhangjiagang, which is approximately 60 miles from Shanghai, will meet the growing demand for materials for printed circuit board (PCB), electronic and industrial finishing, and photovoltaic markets in Asia, according to Dow. Startup is planned for late 2011.

"Asia has become the growth engine for electronic and solar-cell markets. As customers continue to look for advanced technologies, adding infrastructure in Eastern China is critical to provide them with the most technically advanced materials, processes and service, in as time-efficient manner as possible," said Helen Zhang, global general manager, Interconnect Technologies for Dow Electronic Materials. "The new facility is well-positioned to manufacture and supply materials to serve electronic and solar cell markets, and provide customer service and technical support locally. We look forward to growing with customers through close collaboration."

In addition to the location in Zhangjiagang, China, Dow Electronic Materials has manufacturing facilities to serve the PCB, electronic and industrial finishing, and photovoltaic markets in Dongguan, China; Taiwan; Japan; the United States; and Europe.

"Greater China represents great opportunities for growth in the electronic materials business," said Peter Sykes, president of Dow Greater China. "The new facility in Eastern China demonstrates our commitment to this important region, and is part of our ongoing growth strategy in this market. When the new facility opens in a year, it'll mark an important step in growing our presence and product offerings for electronic materials not only in China, but also in Asia."