Dow announces $100m investment in speciality silicones

Midland, Michigan – Dow has announced plans to invest $100 million (€870,000) by the end of 2027 to expand its global speciality silicones manufacturing and innovation capabilities across the US, China and Japan.

The projects are aimed at increasing product availability, strengthening supply chains and supporting growing demand in mobility, electronics and healthcare markets, the company said 23 June.

“These investments underscore Dow’s focus on scaling speciality silicones materials and bringing innovation closer and faster to our customers,” said Brendy Lange, president of Performance Materials & Coatings.

The programme includes expansions of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) production in Carrollton, Kentucky, and Zhangjiagang, China, with both projects expected to come on stream in 2027.

In engineered silicone materials, Dow said it was increasing capacity in Songjiang, China and Fukui, Japan this year with further expansions in Auburn, Michigan, and Zhangjiagang scheduled for 2027.

The engineered silicones, Dow said, are used in advanced electronics applications, including power electronics, semiconductor packaging and thermal and electrical protection.

Furthermore, the company expanded its ‘Cooling Science Labs’ in Shanghai earlier this year, and in Midland in June, to support the development and scale-up of next-generation thermal management technologies.

According to Dow, the latest projects complete the series of silicones investments outlined during its 2024 investor day, with updated timelines reflecting "evolving market demand and affordability factors."

The company said demand for speciality silicones is growing “faster than GDP” across mobility, electronics and medical applications, where “product performance, supply reliability and technical capabilities are critical.”

Dow added that the investments are intended to support “regional, local-for-local manufacturing that aligns capacity with customer demand.”

The added capacity, it noted, will help customers improve supply reliability, accelerate commercialisation and access manufacturing capacity closer to key markets.