Dow Chemical 2011 Annual Report Download - page 24

Dow’s vast geographic reach is a powerful growth driver,
connecting our transformed portfolio of solutions to new
customers and attractive end-markets in fast-growing
regions. Placing senior executives in critical leadership roles
at the local level in strategic geographies, as part of Dow’s
geographic operating model, is helping us build stronger
local relationships, deepen our local knowledge base and
enable greater development of local talent. And we are
further expanding our presence in high-growth, high-
potential regions such as Greater China, Southeast Asia,
Latin America and the Middle East.
GROWTH PROJECTS
In 2011, we advanced a number of signifi cant strategic
projects that will help accelerate growth in our downstream
businesses. Located on four continents, these projects position
us to capture rapidly increasing demand in the developing
geographies – and all from cost-advantaged positions. They
also enable us to stay connected with our customers –
forging even stronger partnerships and rapidly innovating
to address their needs.
22 The Dow Chemical Company
Expanding ur Geographic
• One of our key projects is Sadara Chemical
Company. This joint venture with Saudi Aramco
represents a major step forward in our strategy to drive
profi table growth in our downstream, innovation-driven
businesses. Backed by highly advantaged feedstocks,
the world-scale complex will produce a wide range of
performance products designed to address high-growth,
technology-rich sectors such as electronics, coatings,
adhesives and food packaging. Moreover, the joint
venture’s location is uniquely positioned to serve fast-
growing regions such as developing Asia, particularly
China, Central and Eastern Europe and India.
• Another project with attractive long-term growth
opportunities is Dow’s joint venture with Mitsui
& Co. to produce biopolymers from sugarcane-derived
ethanol in Brazil – a cost-competitive route to ethylene
and polyethylene in Latin America. Under the terms of
the agreement, Mitsui became a 50 percent equity
owner in Dow’s sugarcane-growing operation in Santa
Vitória, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The fi rst phase of the
project includes the construction of a new sugarcane-
to-ethanol production facility in Santa Vitória, slated to
begin operation in 2013. When complete, the project
will be the world’s largest biopolymers play and Dow’s
largest investment in Brazil, bringing new, biomass-based
feedstocks to Dow while diversifying the Company’s raw
material streams from traditional fossil fuels.