Ludington, MI - September 07, 2006
Few businesses can boast of lasting 100 years. However, in 2007, Dow’s calcium chloride business will be among them. One of Dow’s original product lines, calcium chloride continues to be a valued business, with sales in the hundreds of thousands of tons each year. With a diverse mix of product forms serving a variety of applications, the future prospects for this unique and versatile product remain very good. Dow is the largest calcium chloride manufacturer in the world.
Located in the small, quaint beach town of Ludington, MI on the shores of Lake Michigan, Dow’s calcium chloride products are produced as pellets, flakes, briquettes, and in various liquid concentrations. Major applications include snow and ice control on roads and pedestrian walkways, dust control on unpaved roads and other surfaces, stabilization of road bases, concrete set acceleration during cold weather, and the post-harvest treatment of fruits and vegetables.
Bill Berrett, General Manager for the past 6 years, comments, “Any business that can survive and deliver value for a century is special. In this case, there are three key ingredients. First is a product with a genuinely unique combination of physical properties that allow it to perform functions better than alternatives, at a reasonable cost. Second is constant innovation and reinvestment in the product mix and quality, as well as on the process side, to maintain an attractive cost. Third, our success has been driven by great employees who have dedicated themselves to serving customers.
In recent years, Dow has continued to invest in this founding product line. During 2006 the company introduced DOWFLAKE™ Xtra, a high concentration flake product, and announced a major expansion for calcium chloride flake and pellet manufacturing at its Ludington site.
Berrett concludes, “While no one can predict the future, we feel all the fundamentals are in place for another 100 successful years of our calcium chloride business. The product is unique and generates value for customers, and Dow’s supply chain strategy and process technology combine to deliver that value at an attractive price.”
About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.
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For Editorial Information:
Kelley Cone
Dow Public Affairs
(248) 853-1777
