Midland, MI - May 10, 2007
On May 5, 2007, Dow Polyurethanes, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, began work on a scheduled five-week turnaround at its MDI production facility in Stade, Germany, for routine maintenance and a government mandated process equipment inspection. The system maintenance and preparatory work will help to ensure that customers continue to receive a consistent and reliable supply of MDI from Dow.
“Recent increased frequency of facility shutdowns across the industry has put additional pressure on the supply of MDI and availability remains tight,” said Steven English, business director for Dow Isocyanates, a business unit within Dow Polyurethanes. “Over the past several months, Dow has been building inventory to help maintain supply to our customers and to minimize the potential for disruptions while the shutdown is in progress.”
This turnaround coincides with a scheduled maintenance turnaround at Dow’s aniline facility in Boehlen, Germany, which began on May 1 and is expected to last six weeks. Both of these turnarounds involve equipment repairs and replacements, reactors inspections and process adjustments, some of which are required by law every five years.
“Routine maintenance turnarounds are critical as they ensure the long term safety and performance of our facilities,” said English. “With a commitment to top-of-the-line maintenance, Dow is well-positioned to provide its customers with the best service possible.”
About Dow Polyurethanes
Dow Polyurethanes, a business group within The Dow Chemical Company, is the world’s largest producer of polyether polyols, a leading producer of quality aromatic isocyanates, such as MDI and TDI, and a major supplier of propylene oxide, an essential component of polyether polyols. Dow’s polyurethane products and formulated systems are used in rigid foams, flexible foams, adhesives, sealants, coatings, and elastomers, as well as many other applications. Dow also offers the latest in polyol technology with its VORANOL™ VORACTIV™ polyols, part of an ongoing initiative by Dow to lead the industry in providing high-performance products with reduced VOC-emissions. For more information, visit www.dowpolyurethanes.com and www.voractiv.com.
About Dow
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For Editorial Information:
Myra Dean
The Dow Chemical Company
+1 (989) 638-6969
Urszula Murphy
Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
212.697.2000 ext. 1296
