Dow Chemical 2013 Annual Report Download - page 7

2013 Annual Report 5
3rd Quarter
 DowElastomerslaunchesINTUNE™Olefin
BlockCopolymers,abreakthroughtechnologyfor
combiningnon-polarmaterials,suchaspolyethylene
andpolyolenelastomers,aswellaspolarmaterials,
withpolypropylene,toprovidepreviouslyunattainable
performancelevelsforamultitudeofend-use
markets,includingpackaging,consumerdurables,
transportation,andconstructionandinfrastructure,
amongothers.
4th Quarter
 AspartoftheCompany’sstrategytofocusonhigh-
margin,fast-growingbusinesses,Dowannounces
planstoexitasignicantportionofitscommodity
chlorinebusiness.Theassetstobecarvedoutfor
futuretransactionsrepresent$4billionto$5billion
inannualrevenueandincludeDow’sU.S.GulfCoast
Chlor-Alkali/Chlor-Vinylbusiness,globalChlorinated
Organicsbusiness,theEpoxybusiness,andbrineand
selectassetssupportingoperationsinFreeport,Texas.
 DowclosesthesaleofitsglobalPolypropylene
Licensing&CatalystsbusinesstoW.R.Grace&Co.
forgrossproceedsof$510million,announcingit
willusetheproceedstoremunerateshareholders,
reducedebtandfundgrowth.
 Dowretires$700millionindebtinthefourthquarter
aspartofalargereorttoimprovenancialexibility
andreduceinterestexpense.TheCompanyreduced
totalgrossdebtbyapproximately$3billionandinterest
expensebyapproximately$170millionin2013.
 DowisawardeditsninthU.S.Presidential
GreenChemistryChallengeAwardbytheEPA
forthedevelopmentofEVOQUE™Pre-Composite
PolymerTechnology.
 DowAgroSciencesLLCannouncesitisadvancing
aninsect-protectiontraitthat,whencommercialized,
willprovidesoybeanfarmerswiththebroadest
spectrumforinsectcontrolagainstlepidopteranpests.
Theinsect-protectionsoybeantrait,submittedfor
approvals,istherstthatexpressestwoBtproteins
insoybeans.
DowinauguratesitsnewNortheastTechnology
Center,astate-of-the-artinnovationhubfor
Dow’sAdvancedMaterialsbusinesses.Locatedin
Collegeville,Pa.,thetechnologycenterisoneof
Dow’slargestglobalresearchanddevelopment
hubsandserveskeyend-marketsincluding
electronics,consumernon-durables,infrastructure,
transportationandenergy.
 DowPackagingandSpecialtyPlasticslaunches
PackStudiosFreeport,therstoffourPackStudios
innovationcentersaroundtheglobe,toprovidethe
packagingvaluechainwithacollaborativeenvironment
toacceleratethedevelopmentofpackaginginnovation.
Additionally,oncefullylaunchedin2014,PackStudios
locationsareplannedforSãoPaulo,Brazil;Horgen,
Switzerland;andShanghai,China.
 SILVADUR™Antimicrobialtechnologyforfabrics
andEVOQUE™Pre-CompositePolymerTechnology
forpaintswinR&D100Award.
 Dow’sPolyurethanesbusinesslaunchestwoexpansion
projectstomeetcustomerneedsinAsiaPacicandthe
UnitedStates.Thebusinesswillconstructapolyether
polyolsfacilityattheCompany’sMapTaPhut,Thailand,
site.Inaddition,theCompanywillincreaseitspolyol
andcopolymercapacityasaresultofdebottleneckingat
itsFreeport,Texas,facility.
 Dowisnamedforthe13thtimetotheDowJones
SustainabilityWorldIndex.
DowWaterandProcessSolutionsannouncesthe
globallaunchoftheTEQUATIC™PLUSneparticle
lter.Thecost-eective,high-performancelter
willbesupportedbyanewmanufacturingcenter
inMenloPark,Calif.