« September 2006 | Main | November 2006 »

October 29, 2006

Keeping accounting close to home

KAREN RICHARDSON, THE WALL ST JOURNAL, MAY 2006

Companies continue to move some manufacturing and customer-service jobs abroad. But paperwork mostly is still done in the U.S., although not always by human beings.

Even companies that outsource their finance functions—processing accounts receivables and payables, payroll and other human-resource tasks—often send that work to units or other businesses they have an interest in rather than entrusting it to a third party in a far-off land, according to an ongoing survey. And most have no intention of using overseas auditors.

The reason for this patch of apparent corporate patriotism: Fear of running afoul of the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate-governance law. Among other strictures, that law requires companies to maintain systems for preventing financial mistakes and fraud. Sarbanes-Oxley's internal-controls requirement typically means companies need to hire auditors and use special software to examine all records of financial transactions and other accounting entries.

For companies that operate globally in several currencies and under various national accounting standards, maintaining internal controls can be complicated further if the task is outsourced to third parties—either onshore or abroad—that don't have strong, vested interests in their clients' compliance standards.

The survey findings by Hackett Group, an Atlanta business-consulting firm, are at odds with earlier predictions of a wholesale exodus of back-office functions to low-cost countries like India and the Philippines. Since 2004, Hackett has surveyed more than 100 large companies, at least 90 of which are publicly traded, on their paperwork and bookkeeping practices.

About 58% of companies reported a majority of their finance processes are centralized in onshore, company-owned facilities—also known as shared-services centers—that increasingly make use of automation software and other technology.

Only 4% of participants said they have moved such work offshore, and only 7% said they were outsourced to third parties. Just 9% of companies are even considering outsourcing back-office functions to third parties in the next few years. Only about 8% of companies in the Hackett survey have fully automated their payment-distribution processes, while 23% plan to automate them in the next three years.

"People want the functions under their own control and are investing in technology that makes outsourcing almost a moot point," says Penny Weller, a senior business adviser at Hackett.

Dow Chemical Co. set up four shared-services centers in the early 1990s, in São Paulo, Brazil; Singapore; the Rhine area between Germany and France; and at the company's headquarters in Midland, Mich. These centers handle all of Dow's finance functions and have allowed the company to cut its sales, general and administrative expenses by 50% since they were set up, says Ron Edmonds, Dow's global accounting director.

While shifting payroll and accounts offshore would save even more money, Dow would rather find ways to automate more of those functions rather than run into compliance issues, says Mr. Edmonds.

Besides maintaining control of their paperwork standards, executives are becoming concerned about protecting corporate and employee data. Reconnex, a Mountain View, Calif., company that tracks the flow of information over the Internet, says employees' Social Security numbers often are transmitted freely out of company networks without being encrypted for security.

Most such leaks occur when employee data are typed into online human-resource functions, according to John Peters, chief executive of Reconnex.

"There is a very high sense of concern by companies about proprietary information leaving companies inappropriately," he says.

Posted by bhola at 05:30 PM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2006

Where crime does pay

Sundeep Khanna, Indian Express, October 27, 2006

With Enron’s Jeff Skilling sentenced this week to 24 years in prison, it’s time to examine why India’s record of dealing with white-collar fraud is so abysmal

Is Jeff Skilling, the former CEO of Enron more guilty than some Indian corporate chieftains? What was Skilling’s crime? More than just leading a financial fraud that destroyed a company, his crime was also to trigger a run on corporate America, in which every public company came under the scanner from shareholders and regulators. US district court judge Sim Lake, while handing out the sentence, said that Skilling’s crimes “have imposed on hundreds if not thousands of people a lifetime of poverty”. In other words, the man is being sent to prison for 24 years for what he did to employees who lost their jobs and retirement benefits.

But fundamentally what Skilling and those of his ilk did was no different from what thousands of executives do routinely in India when they manipulate the rules in the Company’s Act related to reporting figures. “Creative accounting” is hardly seen as a crime in India. Yet thousands of investors read, believe and act on the created numbers, often losing their life’s savings by betting on patently misreported figures. This is no different from what Enron did. And as for depriving employees of their savings, the jute barons of Calcutta made a lifetime of robbing their employees of their PF money. How many prosecutions and convictions did this lead to?

India’s record on white-collar crime is shameful. Less than 5 per cent of white-collar criminals actually face conviction here. From letting Warren Andersen, Union Carbide’s chairman during the methane [sic] gas leak disaster in Bhopal walk free, to the limp conviction of a handful of people in the huge securities scam of 1992, the laws related to financial crime have been shown to be weak, and their enforcement even weaker. Even the extradition notice to Andersen took 10 years coming. Despite a Special Court being set up to try all those who perpetrated the securities scam of 1992, the accused stayed out of jail. Harshad Mehta, after spending some time in prison, came back to stalk the markets in the late 1990’s before his second conviction prior to his death.

The Ketan Parekh stock scam of 2002 was probably a direct outcome of the legislators failing to put in place necessary safeguards after the Harshad Mehta manipulations a decade before. The scam exposed the ineptitude of the SEBI as well as of the RBI, which seemed unaware for nearly three years of what was happening within the confines of a small cooperative bank in Ahmedabad. The Madhavapura Cooperative scam was in no way less than the stocks scam in that it impacted small depositors of the bank.

The cleansing of corporate America can be looked upon as an evolutionary process in the movement of a free market economy. After all, it’s only in the last few years that punishment for corporate crime has become commensurate with the act. Twenty years ago, Mike Milken of “junk bonds” fame, was sent to jail for a mere 22 months. But when, despite the powerful Securities and Exchange Commission and the Internal Revenue Service, auditors like KPMG and Arthur Andersen were found to be in collusion with companies to fudge numbers, the US government moved fast and hard. The Corporate Fraud Task Force was set up to investigate and prosecute executives who break the law. In fact, in August 2002, the US promulgated a revolutionary ordnance forcing managements of large companies to swear by their past numbers. The results are there to see. Last year, WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud leading to the company’s bankruptcy.

In India, special courts have been set up to set up securities frauds but few convictions have been secured. Even the joint parliamentary committee’s report on the UTI case is consigned to the archives. The CBI does have an Economic Offences Division but its teeth are pared. Even the National Crime Records Bureau has limited data related to white-collar crime.

It’s not that the Indian laws are weak. As far back as 1985, the Supreme Court, in its judgment in the Shriran Oleum gas leak case, had said, “It is those who in fact control and determine the management of the company who are held vicariously liable for commission of statutory offences”. Yet, in practice, little is done. Promoters of publicly traded companies routinely siphon off funds from the companies. Cases of excise evasion are routinely filed and equally routinely put on the back burner.

The implications of white-collar crime may not be clearly understood in India, but its impact is far-reaching. The UTI scam alone led to small investors losing anything between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore. It’s high time the apparatus to tackle white-collar crime is strengthened, before the next big shock hits.

The author is Technology & Special Projects Editor, The Financial Express

editor@expressindia.com

Posted by bhola at 01:05 PM | Comments (0)

October 27, 2006

Dow Agrisciences fingered for causing birth deformities in New Zealand

See the story in Other Bhopals

Householders of Midland, Michigan need to beware of being lulled into a false sense of security by Dow's attempts to convince them that dioxin isn't as bad as all that. (Use the search facility to find several bhopal.net reports about dodgy health studies carried out by Dow's paid stooges. Dioxin can cause cancers and birth defects, as those exposed to it in Vietnam and in New Zealand can testify.

Posted by bhola at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2006

EU extends antidumping duties on ethanolamines from three U.S. companies

The Associated Press, October 25, 2006

BRUSSELS, Belgium The European Union on Wednesday extended antidumping duties on ethanolamines imports from three U.S. companies for two years.

The three companies are Dow Chemical Co., Huntsman Corp. and INEOS Americas LLC. Such duties were first imposed on the U.S. companies in 1994.

The ethanolamines can be used in a variety of applications, ranging from herbicides and gas purification to textile softening.


BRUSSELS, Belgium The European Union on Wednesday extended antidumping duties on ethanolamines imports from three U.S. companies for two years.

The three companies are Dow Chemical Co., Huntsman Corp. and INEOS Americas LLC. Such duties were first imposed on the U.S. companies in 1994.

The ethanolamines can be used in a variety of applications, ranging from herbicides and gas purification to textile softening.

Posted by bhola at 12:35 AM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2006

Dow antes up to be official supplier to 2010 Winter Olympics

BOB MACKIN, VANCOUVER 24 HOURS, OCTOBER 24, 2006

Another week, another Alberta company says it's sponsoring the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Calgary-based Dow Chemical Canada is pledging between $3 million and $15 million for official supplier status. VANOC communications manager Mary Fraser said it's a cash deal, but VANOC will use Dow heat-transfer fluids and insulation materials to build some venues. Edmonton's Epcor became a 2010 sponsor last week.

Dow employs 1,300 people in Canada, but the company is shrinking.

The cost-cutting closure of a pair of plants in Sarnia, Ont., and Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., was announced in August.

Dow's American-based parent owns Union Carbide, notorious for 1984's deadly gas leak at its Bhopal, India pesticide plant. At least 3,800 people died. Environmentalists say Dow hasn't adequately compensated victims' families or cleaned up the mess.

Meanwhile, VANOC will release its annual report for 2005-2006 this morning.

Posted by bhola at 10:02 AM | Comments (0)

Dow Chemical to build ethylene cracker in Thailand with Siam Cement

Dow Jones Market Watch, October 24, 2006

BANGKOK (MarketWatch) -- Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) will move ahead its plan with Siam Cement PCL (SCC.TH) to set up a key ethylene cracker in Thailand on the eastern seaboard.

The planned cracker, which will be operational in 2010, will have an annual ethylene output capacity of 900,000 metric tons and a yearly propylene production capacity of 800,000 tons, Vorapong Vorasuntharosoth, Dow Chemical's spokesman for Southeast Asia, said Tuesday.

The cracker, to be Dow Chemical's second in Thailand, will help drive the growth of Dow's businesses across Asia, the company said in a statement last week. Dow Chemical previously invested in a 800,000-ton-a-year ethylene cracker operated by Siam Cement.
Dow Chemical will own a share totaling 33% in the project through direct and indirect stakes, while Siam Cement will hold the remaining stake of 67%.

"This project strengthens the company's presence in Asia Pacific and provides a competitive platform on which to develop a range of higher margin business opportunities," said Dow Chemical Chairman and Chief Executive Andrew Liveris.

The ethylene and propylene produced will be supplied to its downstream projects, which will be jointly invested with Siam Cement, Vorapong said, including a hydrogen peroxide-to-propylene oxide (HPPO) plant and a facility producing a range of propylene oxide derivatives.
The project value is still under review. Earlier this year, Siam Cement stated in its annual report that the investment value of the project would be THB44 billion ($1.18 billion), while the downstream projects would cost THB16 billion ($430 million).

Propylene oxide is used to make propylene glycol, polyurethanes and glycol ethers.

Posted by bhola at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)

Dow Chemical Canada Inc. becomes an Official Supplier to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

WebWire, October 24, 2006

October 24, 2006 - Dow Chemical Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, joins the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) as the official supplier of Insulation Materials and Heat Transfer Fluids. Building on over 30 years of Dow’s support of the Olympic Movement, Dow Canada’s six-year Official Supplier designation will provide sponsorship rights within Canada for the 2010 Winter Games, including sponsorship rights for the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Team for 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Mutually committed to the principles of sustainability, Dow Canada and VANOC will work together to support a “green” Olympics by increasing awareness of how to reduce waste. In addition, Dow’s Building & Construction business will supply insulation products that will be extensively used in the construction of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic venues.

"Dow Canada is delighted to be a supplier of the 2010 Games and to work with VANOC to achieve the shared goal of sustainable Games in 2010. A portion of Dow’s sponsorship will be directed to support VANOC’s sustainability objectives which will include a focus on recycling and litter clean-up initiatives," said Jeff Johnston, president, Dow Chemical Canada Inc. " For over three decades, Dow’s insulation materials and building solutions have been widely utilized at Olympic venues. We are pleased to have so many products that will contribute to VANOC’s venue construction program, ensuring the delivery and success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2010.”

Dow’s insulation materials and building solutions have been widely utilized at Olympic venues in diverse applications such as ice surfaces, providing for a uniform and consistent cold temperature, allowing the athletes to excel, and for keeping the buildings warm and comfortable for the enjoyment of both the athletes and the spectators.

“Dow’s contribution will be critical to the success of the Games in 2010,” said Dan Doyle, vice president VANOC venue construction. “Dow has a long standing tradition of providing building solutions that will enable the construction of high quality, sustainable venues, which now include the Whistler Sliding Centre and the Whistler Nordic Venue, and the Hillcrest Curling Venue. These venues will not only host athletes and spectators during the Games, but will contribute to sustainable sport and recreation legacies for generations to come.”

Dow offers a full line of building envelope solutions that address energy efficiency, moisture resistance and durability for residential, commercial, industrial, roofing, geotechnical and low-temperature applications. The product line features leading brands such as Dow STYROFOAM TM extruded polystyrene insulation, STYROFOAM TM, WEATHERMATE TM, housewraps and GREAT STUFF TM Pro insulating foam sealants and adhesives.

Dow’s Heat Transfer Fluids are sold under the brand names DOWTHERM TM, DOWFROST TM, and UCARTHERM TM and are widely used in industrial and commercial applications for both high temperature and low temperature applications – an example of which is the use of DOWTHERM TM SR-1 to maintain high quality ice in ice arenas and other ice sports facilities.

Dow Chemical Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, employs approximately 1,300 people in Canada. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Dow Canada and its affiliates have manufacturing locations in: Sarnia and Toronto, Ontario; Fort Saskatchewan and Prentiss, Alberta; and Varennes, Quebec. For more information about Dow Canada, please visit our web site at http://www.dowcanada.com

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. More information about Dow can be found at http://www.dow.com.

Vancouver 2010 is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.

Related Links

Vancouver 2010
www.vancouver2010.com

Posted by bhola at 12:05 AM | Comments (0)

October 22, 2006

Dow Chemical tax appeal nearing its end

PAUL WYCHE, THE SAGINAW NEWS, OCTOBER 20, 2006

MIDLAND -- After nearly a decade of legal action and budget uncertainty, the Midland City Council is poised to consider a $35 million settlement with Dow Chemical Co. over its property tax appeals.

The council meets at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 333 W. Ellsworth.

Dow's appeals have loomed since 1997. If council members approve the deal, it would end all tax appeal issues with Dow and cancel hearings before the Michigan Tax Tribunal, which postponed a meeting Wednesday in light of the pending settlement.

Under the agreement, Dow would reap a 19 percent reduction in real and personal property taxes, said City Manager Jon Lynch.

In addition to the tax reductions, Dow would receive refunds from:

* The state, $15.3 million.

* City of Midland, $9 million.

* Midland County, $5.6 million.

* Midland Public Schools, $2.6 million.

* Delta College, $1.7 million.

* Midland County Educational Service Agency, $800,000.

The city would pay its settlement from a reserve fund it set aside specifically for tax appeal refunds. Midland has saved money each year in preparation for potential refunds.

Council members have said any money they don't use will return to taxpayers.

"We're happy to be at a point where the council can consider action to bring this tax appeal to conclusion," Lynch said. He called the negotiations and outcome a "positive one for both sides."

David Dupre, vice president of Dow's Michigan Operations, said the proposed settlement is "in the best interest of both parties."

He said the deal makes Midland more attractive to Dow businesses looking to expand or build facilities, he said.

Posted by bhola at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)

Dow Chemical, Siam Cement to jointly develop liquids cracker in Thailand

FORBES.COM, OCTOBER 20, 2006

MIDLAND, Michigan (AFX) - The Dow Chemical Company said it is planning to jointly develop a liquids cracker in Thailand to produce propylene and other substances with the Siam Cement Public Company Ltd.

The cracker is expected to commence operations in 2010, it said.

Dow Chemical and Siam Cement signed their first joint venture agreement in 1987 and have since formed a total of five joint venture companies.

Posted by bhola at 01:18 PM | Comments (0)

West African plantation workers wue Shell, Dow, Dole: claim banned pesticide DBCP caused sterility

Corporate Crime Reporter, October 19, 2006

More than 600 West African plantation workers have sued Shell Chemical, Dow Chemical, Amvac and Dole Food Company alleging that the pesticide DBCP caused them to become sterile.

DBCP was banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1979 because it causes deformities, sterility, cancer and birth defects.

The lawsuit, filed last month in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that the chemical companies broke international law and committed crimes against humanity by using the banned pesticide on banana and pineapple plantations in the Ivory Coast.

The lawsuit was brought for the workers by Long Beach, California toxic tort attorney Raphael Metzger.

Metzger said that many of his clients were exposed when they were children, laboring in the plantations.

“They were never told about the hazards of DBCP nor given protective equipment,” Metzger said. “Now, half of the workers tested are sterile and many suffer from other physical injuries.”

The lawsuit was filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act – a federal law that allows foreigners to seek redress in U.S. federal courts for wrongs committed abroad.

Dole and the chemical companies have faced similar charges in the past regarding their sale of DBCP to plantations in developing countries.

The cases brought by foreign plantation workers all came decades after the EPA banned the chemical in the United States in 1979 and decades after American production workers exposed to the pesticide became sterile.

Posted by bhola at 12:10 PM | Comments (0)

Bayer agrees to $18 million settlement in price-fixing case

International Herald Tribune, October 18, 2006

KANSAS CITY, Missouri Bayer AG has agreed to pay $18 million (€14.3 million) to settle claims it conspired with other manufacturers to inflate the price of certain plastics, the second multi-million-dollar settlement the company has made this year regarding its polymer operation.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum in Kansas City, Kansas, approved the settlement, which covers the company's sales of polyester polyol-based products between Jan. 1, 1998 and Dec. 31, 2004.

The agreement also requires Bayer, headquartered in Germany, to cooperate with plaintiff attorneys as they continue their class-action lawsuit against former co-defendants Uniroyal Chemical Co. and Chemtura Corp., formerly known as Crompton Corp.

Lungstrum also agreed to dismiss defendants Rhein Chemie Corp. and Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH, subsidiaries of Lanxess Corp., which was spun off from Bayer last year.

In August, Lungstrum approved a $55.3 million (€44 million) settlement by Bayer in a separate case involving the sale of polyether polyol. Bayer also agreed to help attorneys against former co-defendants BASF Corp., BASF AG, The Dow Chemical Co., Huntsman International Holdings LLC and Lyondell Chemical Co.

A Bayer spokesman provided a company statement Wednesday confirming the two settlements but declined to comment further.

An attorney for the polyester plaintiffs didn't immediately return a phone call for comment.

Bayer disclosed in March that it had been subpoenaed by the Justice Department seeking information about its manufacture and sale of polyurethane products called MDI and TDI, along with other products.

Court documents say Bayer, Dow, BASF, Huntsman and Lyondell control the entire MDI and TDI markets and 75 percent of production of polyether polyol, a polyurethane material that is mixed with other substances to make foams used in furniture, automobile seats and other products.

Federal authorities two years ago consolidated 16 cases filed across the country against polymer manufacturers by customers who alleged the companies had gotten together to fix the price of urethane and urethane chemicals.

Posted by bhola at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

Dow to license corn biotech traits early

The Associated Press, October 18, 2006

Herculex, an artist's impression

INDIANAPOLIS — Dow Chemical Co.'s Dow AgroSciences LLC unit said Wednesday that corn growers will have access to certain insect-resistant traits in time for the 2007 growing season, under an agreement with DuPont Co.'s Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. subsidiary.

The two companies, which co-developed the Herculex family of insect resistance for corn, agreed to eliminate a provision that would have delayed when Dow AgroSciences could license Herculex RW Rootworm Protection and Herculex XTRA Insect Protection to other seed companies.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The Herculex traits protect corn against black cutworm, western bean cutworm and the European corn borer.

Black Cutworm Moth

Western Bean Cutworm Moth

European Corn Borer Moth

Shares of Dow Chemical rose 38 cents to $39.60 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. DuPont's stock gained 23 cents to $45.18, also on the NYSE.

Posted by bhola at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)

TTRI, Dow Chemical introduce new XLA "Freedom Fiber"

William C. Pao The China Post, October 18, 2006

DOW XLA fiber virtually disappears in the base fabric, so that that there is no synthetic feel. It adds move-with-youstretch and low maintenance care to the garment.

The Dow Chemical Co. and the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) yesterday announced several textile applications using Dow's XLA fiber that stresses elasticity and comfort.

The fiber, which Dow says is "not a Spandex and not a polyester," uses polyethylene (PE) as its main ingredient -- the same material used for plastic bags and other plastics-based products. PE-based fibers boast various advantages including low cost, light weight, high elasticity and high resistance to chlorine, heat and ultraviolet rays. Applications range from suits and pants to swimwear and other active wear and are highly stretchable, allowing great comfort for consumers.

"This is indeed a quadruple-win for Dow, TTRI, industry players and consumers," said Thomas Huang, TTRI chairman, at a seminar discussing XLA applications yesterday. "We have spent tremendous amount of time and energy to develop this product, and I'm proud to say the fruits of our labor are sweet."

Under the partnership, Dow provided the fiber, and TTRI provided the necessary technical support to enhance the fiber. Other materials are added to the fiber so that it becomes less vulnerable to damage during the knitting, weaving and dyeing processes.

"Dow has partners all over the world, yet it selected TTRI to be its research partner on highly advanced projects due to our capabilities," Huang said. "Improving the quality of a fiber so that is becomes more elastic and stretchable is indeed one of our core competencies."

As it is highly resistant to chlorine, swimwear made with XLA is more durable than traditional materials and presents an ideal solution for frequent beach-goers. And as the fiber is PE-based, it costs less, allowing downstream manufacturers to develop high-quality products at lower cost.

TTRI is now working on transferring the technology to downstream manufacturers and marketing it to the rest of the world.

"Market potential for this fiber is huge," Huang said.

The fiber will compete head-on with Lycra, a brand name for the Spandex fiber invented by DuPont. Lycra has been the leader in the elastic fiber market for decades.

Responding to the question whether XLA will replace Lycra in the long-run, Huang stressed that it is a non-issue. "Both brands will have to work separately to find their markets and products that suit the consumers' needs," he said.

Yesterday's seminar saw attendance by high-ranking officials from Dow, TTRI and the government including Kurt Swogger, a vice president of Dow; Luke Du, director of Dow's Taiwan Application Development Center; and Shih Yen-shiang, vice economics minister.

Info from dow.com

DOW XLA™ elastic fiber is a unique specialty fiber, which was developed by Research & Development at Dow Texas Operations. It is manufactured at Texas Operations and at a facility in Tarragona, Spain.

Also known as The Freedom Fiber™, it is based on Dow’s proprietary INSITE™ Technology. INSITE was one of the Dow innovations sited when the company received the prestigious National Medal of Technology from President George W. Bush in 2002.

DOW XLA fiber is combined with woven fabrics, wool fabrics or knitted fabrics to produce garments. It virtually disappears in the base fabric, so that there is no synthetic feel. The result is not a spandex, not a polyester, not like anything you’ve experienced before.

The Freedom Fiber™ adds move-with-you stretch and low maintenance care to the garment. It can endure multiple washings, dry cleanings, high heat and harsh chemical processes for the life of the product — something the alternatives can’t do. DOW XLA also retains color better, enabling broader options when it comes to color and textile design.

There has been a positive reception from major U.S. brand owners. DOW XLA fiber was first launched into men’s and women’s stretch cotton shirts. Today, Dow is showing fabrics and concept garments that contain DOW XLA fiber in:

* All-season stretch wool and wool-blend garments
* Knits for swimwear and intimates
* No-wrinkle stretch cotton garments

Perry Ellis, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and European retailers Marks & Spencer and NEXT have launched new stretch garments that include DOW XLA.

Posted by bhola at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)

Former Dow Chemical Chairman pledges $3 million to Oregon State University

Sara Zaske, OSU, October 18, 2006

CORVALLIS, Oregon - Robert Lundeen, the retired chairman of Dow Chemical, has pledged $3 million to support an array of programs at Oregon State University, a gift which reflects his lifelong pursuit of learning that began with his OSU education.

Posted by bhola at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

Dow Diamond is taking shape: work on new stadium goes on despite wet weather

Terry Camp, ABC12, October 17, 2006

MIDLAND (WJRT) - (10/17/06)--The weather is having an effect on construction at Mid Michigan's newest baseball stadium, but the work continues as opening day draws closer.
Aerial photos of the Dow Diamond with the newly installed playing field were taken during much better weather last week. Tuesday the rain kept falling, preventing work like pouring concrete from getting done.

"We've only got about a quarter of our crew here today," said Stadium Project Manager Fred Eddy.

Despite the slowdown, plenty of progress was revealed during the latest media tour of the $28 million facility. The foundation for the $1 million scoreboard is now in place, the playing field is installed and even the grass where fans will be able to sit on is now growing.

The warning track material is also being put down. It is made from crushed brick from Dow Chemical's 47 Building, which was knocked down to make way for the stadium project.

Dow Chemical and Dow Corning are also donating some of their products to help build the ballpark.

"Dow Corning is supplying the caulking that we use to seal all the seams in the stadium. Dow Chemical is supplying Styrofoam insulation for underneath our slabs and our side walls," Eddy said.

While the weather has caused some problems, another problem may be a sign that the economy is picking up. At times, it has been difficult to find skilled crews to do certain jobs.

"It's basically manpower -- craftsmen and women to build this project. They are a scarce commodity today," Eddy noted.

Despite a few setbacks, the entire project is on schedule and Eddy has these encouraging words with just six months to go before opening day.

"April 13, we're going to be done. We're going to be playing ball here."

On Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Dow Diamond will be open to the public for the first time as season ticket buyers have been invited for a tour.

Posted by bhola at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)

October 17, 2006

Dow gains new board member: laughing boy will add gas and gravitas says Liveris

Luke Hutson, PRW.com, October 16, 2006

John B. Hess brings oil and gas knowledge to the company.

16 October 2006 – Dow Chemical Company has announced that John B. Hess, chairman and CEO of Hess Corporation, has joined the Dow board of directors.

The global activities of the Hess Corporation, which is headquartered in New York, include the exploration, production and sales for crude oil and natural gas. The chairman of Dow’s board of directors, Andrew N. Liveris, said: “Mr Hess brings a proven track record of global leadership in the oil and gas industry to our board.

“His perspective, insight and understanding of this complex industry will be invaluable to Dow as we navigate our way through this challenging global energy environment.”

Posted by bhola at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2006

The sanctity of hypocrisy

RACHEL SELZER, PROGRESSIVEU.ORG, OCTOBER 12, 2006

Ask any so-called pro-life activist why they are against abortion and they will invariably mention the "sanctity of life", and then begin to babble about how god gives us life so we should cherish it and blah blah blah.

Then ask them what they feel when they see homeless people just trying to get a meal or find a place to sleep. If that one's too tough, ask about the sanctity of life of children who are suffering from malnourishment because their parents have to chose between paying the rent and buying food; why so many children in the foster care system are not taken care of properly. The next time you see one of these people holding a sign with a picture of a dead baby, ask them what they're doing to take care of children who are already alive.

The sanctity of life doesn't just apply to those who have yet to form lungs or are yet to be able to use their optic nerve. The sanctity of life applies to children who have been born, too. But these anti-abortion activists are about one thing: anti-abortion. Whereas if they really cared about children, they would be giving their time, energy and money to organizations like PIDD who take care of premature babies who are born addicted to drugs like cocaine and heroine. Or they'd be holding signs outisde the offices of people like DOW Chemical who have contributed to the amounts of toxic waste in our ground water -- and who are directly responsible for the condition in South Vietnam where the population still suffer from the after effects of Agent Orange.

The sanctity of life applies to people who are truly, and already alive. It applies to homeless people: how is it sacred for a man to starve or freeze to death? It's not. Freezing and starvations are much greater crimes against humanity than allowing a woman control over what grows inside of her uterus.

My point is, the greater masses of "pro-life" activists are hypocrits. They support the war. They think that food stamps shouldn't exist. They think that people are homeless because they are "lazy". Meantime, pro-choice activists are advocating for education and contraception. During the Clinton administration, abortion rates went down because Bill Clinton embraced the goal of Planned Parenthood: make every child a wanted child. But during the Bush administration, which is filled with and supported by the culture of life, abortion rates have gone up; twice the number of people who died during 9-11 have died in Bush's two poorly managed wars; people have starved, drowned, and died in many ways that have not happened before in our nations' history.

And these people dare to call themselves pro-life. They aren't. They are pro-control.

Posted by bhola at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)

October 12, 2006

Dow buys into Cambridge University discovery of light-emitting polymers

Cambridge Display Technology News

Perhaps the most exciting development in the display industry in the last fifteen years has been the discovery and development of polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs).

It all started in the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University in 1989, when it was found that 'organic' LEDs could be made using conjugated polymers. So began the history of Cambridge Display Technology (CDT).

Green flask of polyphenylene vinylene

In particular, polyphenylene vinylene (PPV) was found to emit yellow-green light when sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. The initial device efficiencies were very low, but the researchers quickly realised the commercial potential of this discovery, especially for the manufacture of displays which emit their own light. These would offer significant advantages over the main display technology we still use today (liquid crystal display or LCD), in which a separate light source has to be filtered in several stages to produce the image we see.

PLEDs today

PLEDs have a number of intrinsic advantages over liquid crystal devices:

* PLED is an emissive technology: it emits light as a function of its electrical operation.
* A PLED display consists of polymer material manufactured on a substrate of glass or plastic, and does not require additional elements such as backlights, filters and polarizers.
* PLED technology is very energy efficient and lends itself to the creation of ultra-thin lighting displays that will operate at lower voltages.

The resulting benefits include brighter, clearer displays with viewing angles approaching 180 degrees; simpler construction resulting in cheaper, more robust display modules, and fast response times allowing full colour video pictures even at low temperature.

How do PLEDs work?

PLED Developments

Since the discovery of PLEDs in 1989, significant effort has been directed into the development of red, green and blue materials that exhibit high efficiency and stability under normal operating conditions, and to enable integration into flat panel display (FPD) applications.

For a wide range of consumer electronic products, the useful lifetime (time taken for the device luminance to drop to half of its initial value) must exceed 10,000 hours. Full colour displays typically use groups of three adjacent pixels emitting red, green and blue light. Although the green and red polymers currently available can meet the stability specifications required for a range of consumer electronic products, a stable blue PLED has until now presented a greater challenge.

PLEDs can be used to provide light of almost any visible hue and beyond

In the past several years, Dow Chemical, Sumitomo Chemical, CDT and Covion (a subsidiary of Merck KGaA), have worked on developing new blue PLED materials and optimised device structures. CDT has now announced the achievement of an extrapolated lifetime of over 100,000 hours from laboratory devices with brightness 100 cd/m² at room temperature.

Posted by bhola at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

Varioptic and Dow collaborate on 'next generation' lenses

OPTICS.ORG, OCTOBER 12, 2OO6

Partners to co-research and develop liquid lenses; Varioptic launches improved autofocus model; mass production commences in China.

Varioptic and Dow Chemical have agreed to jointly work on new developments in the field of electrowetting technology for liquid lenses. The partnership is aiming to "significantly improve" optical, chemical and physical performance of Varioptic's liquid lenses and broaden the range of applications.

"Varioptic has considerable experience in the development of proprietary materials for liquid lens applications and progress has been made in the design of reliable liquid formulations for mobile phone camera modules," said Paul Morris, director of Dow Venture Capital. "As Varioptic proceeds from autofocus to other applications, such as microzoom, the requirements become more challenging.

"Dow's capability in high throughput screening is a powerful tool in optimizing electrowetting performance for these requirements. Varioptic's technology can become a major component in the evolution of mobile phones".

Jean-Christophe Robert, CTO of Varioptic, added, "The market for optical solutions in mobile phones and PDAs is poised for exponential growth, and this partnership will help accelerate the development of numerous applications. Combining our expertise will open up new opportunities so we are looking forward to working with Dow."

Varioptic extends its portfolio of autofocus solutions

In response to the growing market for small reliable but inexpensive autofocus optics, Varioptic has extended the range of its Arctic variable focus lenses. The SMIA-compliant Arctic 416 allows camera module and camera phone manufacturers to develop higher resolution sensors and to produce "DSC-like" quality pictures. Key features include: greater accuracy; unmatched response time; and a sharper and crisper focus in under 500 ms. Samples are available now and mass production will start in December 2006.

Liquid lenses go into mass production

In a related development, Varioptic and imaging systems company Creative Sensor, recently agreed a deal for the mass-production of liquid lenses in China.

Varioptic and Creative Sensor will cooperate to build the first mass production line for liquid lenses in Creative Sensor's manufacturing site in Wuxi, China, which will begin operations by the end of 2006. The first phase of co-operation is targeted to produce 100,000 liquid lenses per month, ramping to higher volume in 2007.

"This is a significant step in our development," said Etienne Paillard of Varioptic. "Creative Sensor's impressive record of supplying imaging systems to companies such as H-P and Epson and its capabilities to scale production rapidly are exactly what we look for in a partner. Our [joint] objective is to become the leading global supplier of liquid lenses for mobile devices."

Doris Hsu, president of Creative Sensor added: "This cooperation is important for us, too. The potential demand of liquid lens for mobile devices looks positive. It's great that Creative Sensor can partner with Varioptic, the world pioneer of this technology, to build the world's first mass production line for liquid lenses in China."

About the author

Matthew Peach is a contributing editor to optics.org and Optics & Laser Europe.

Posted by bhola at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2006

Varioptic S.A and the Dow Chemical Company (TDCC) to collaborate

BUSINESS WIRE, OCTOBER 10, 2006

LYON, France. Varioptic S.A (www.varioptic.com) and The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) announced today that they will combine their strength and expertise to bring new developments in the field of electrowetting technology for Liquid Lenses.

The results of this partnership will significantly improve optical, chemical and physical performance of Varioptic’s liquid lenses, broadening the range of applications for liquid lens products.

“Varioptic has considerable background experience in the development of proprietary materials for liquid lens applications and significant progress has been made recently to design reliable liquid formulations for mobile phone camera modules,” says Paul Morris, director, Dow Venture Capital “As Varioptic moves forward from AutoFocus applications to other applications (such as microzoom) the requirements are even more challenging. We consider TDCC’s capability in high throughput screening to be a powerful tool in helping optimize electrowetting performance for such requirements. We believe that Varioptic’s technology can become a major component of the evolution of mobile phones and we are happy to start this cooperation.”

“The market for optical solutions in mobile phones and PDAs is poised for exponential growth, and the partnership we’ve announced today will help accelerate the development and delivery of numerous applications,” says Jean-Christophe Robert, CTO of Varioptic “Combining our companies’ expertise will open up new opportunities in a wide range of applications that can benefit from such optical solutions and we are looking forward to working with TDCC to capitalize on this enormous market opportunity.”

About Dow Venture Capital

Dow Venture Capital has invested over $400 million in businesses based on Life Sciences & Biotechnology; Communications & Information Technology; and Physical Sciences. Dow invests, in part, through institutional venture capital firms, and also directly in start-up companies. The Dow Venture Capital team has developed a broad network of VC partners that specialize in Dow's targeted investment markets and geographies. Dow Venture Capital's investment professionals are widely experienced in discovering new investment opportunities, and supporting portfolio companies. Territories in which Dow is actively managing investments include North America, Europe and Asia.

About Varioptic

Varioptic pioneers in designing and manufacturing electrically controlled optical liquid lenses for optical designers. In order to maintain its technology leadership, Varioptic heavily invests in R&D for the further development of innovative products for various applications. Founded in 2002, Varioptic is located in Lyon (France) and headed by Etienne Paillard, CEO. For more information, please visit www.varioptic.com.

Posted by bhola at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)

UK Health & Safety Executive view on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy

UK Health & Safety Executive, May 6, 2006

Accident summary

In the early hours of 3 December 1984 a relief valve on a storage tank containing highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) lifted. A cloud of MIC gas was released which drifted onto nearby housing.

Prior to this, at 23.00 hrs on 2 December, an operator noticed the pressure inside the storage tank to be higher than normal but not outside the working pressure of the tank. At the same time a MIC leak was reported near the vent gas scrubber (VGS). At 00.15hrs a MIC release in the process area was reported. The pressure inside the storage tank was rising rapidly so the operator went outside to the tank. Rumbling sounds were heard from the tank and a screeching noise from the safety valve. Radiated heat could also be felt from the tank.

Attempts were made to switch on the Vent Gas Scrubber but this was not in operational mode.

Approximately 2,000 people died within a short period and tens of thousands were injured, overwhelming the emergency services. This was further compounded by the fact that the hospitals were unaware as to which gas was involved or what its effects were. The exact numbers of dead and injured are uncertain, as people have continued to die of the effects over a period of years.

The severity of this accident makes it the worst recorded within the chemical industry.

Failings in technical measures

* The flare system was a critical element within the plant’s protection system. However, this fact was not recognised as it was out of commission for some three months prior to the accident.

* Plant Modification / Change Procedures: HAZOP, identification of safety critical elements

* Hazards associated with runaway reactions in a chemical reactor are generally understood. However, such an occurrence within a storage tank had received little research.

* Reaction / Product Testing: laboratory testing

* The ingress of water caused an exothermic reaction with the process fluid. The exact point of ingress is uncertain though poor modification/maintenance practices may have contributed.

* Design Codes - Plant: ingress of unwanted material
* Maintenance Procedures: training and competence levels
* Plant Modification / Change Procedures: HAZOP

* The decommissioning of the refrigeration system was one plant modification that contributed to the accident. Without this system the temperature within the tank was higher than the design temperature of 0°C.

* Plant Modification / Change Procedures: HAZOP, decommissioning procedures

* The emergency response from the company to the incident and from the local authority suggests that the emergency plan was ineffective. During the emergency operators hesitated when to use the siren system. No information was available regarding the hazardous nature of MIC and what medical actions should be taken.

* Emergency Response / Spill Control: site emergency plan, emergency operating procedures/training

References

FP Lees, ‘Loss prevention in the process industries – Hazard identification, assessment and control’, Volume 3, Appendix 5, Butterworth Heinemann, ISBN 0 7506 1547 8, 1996.


http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseuncarbide84.htm

Listing of other UK H&SE documents on Bhopal

Posted by bhola at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2006

Investigation, cleanup planned at site of future NFTA hub near "Union Carbide dump"

Aaron Besecker, Niagara Gazette, October 9, 2006

Representatives of Benderson Development are looking to clean up the site of a planned transportation hub where soils are known to contain hazardous amounts of a toxic metal.

A plan to investigate the former Grossman’s Building Supply, 2250 Factory Outlet Blvd. near Military Road, is now available for public comment, according to state health and environmental officials.

Soils within 4 feet of the surface contain hazardous levels of chromium, a metal found in nature as well as a product of industrial processes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Both types of the substance, which are known to affect the human respiratory system, have been found on the site. The man-made form is a known carcinogen in humans.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority plans to spend $3.5 million to turn the site into a transportation center, which will include a 6,000-square foot bus station.

Under a deal signed in May, the authority would lease the site from Benderson.

The cleanup proposal calls for a multi-faceted investigation of site contamination, including identifying the source and possible effects on surface water and groundwater.

Plans also include the removal of the contaminated material.

That work is expected to take about four weeks and is anticipated to begin in January 2007.

A 1995 environmental assessment of the property noted the former “Union Carbide dump” was located less than 1,000 feet from the site, according to a site history provided by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Officials expect to begin the environmental investigation, believed to be a two-week process in this case, by the end of November.

The public input portion of the process continues through Nov. 20.

Members of the public can view documents relating to the proposed cleanup at the LaSalle branch of the Niagara Falls Public Library, 8728 Buffalo Ave.

Documents can also be viewed at the DEC’s Buffalo offices. An appointment can be made by calling the DEC at 851-7220.

Written comments on the proposed cleanup plan should be sent to Jeffrey Konsella, New York State DEC, 270 Michigan Ave., Buffalo, N.Y., 14203.

The site cleanup is being undertaken through the state Brownfield Cleanup Program.

Posted by bhola at 08:50 AM | Comments (0)

Dow Chemical's Global Reach: A Q&A

BUSINESS WEEK, OCTOBER 9, 2006

CIO Dave Kepler talks about the company's new technology, which combines radio frequency identification with global positioning systems

As the largest bulk chemical shipper in North America, Dow Chemical (DOW) has to keep close tabs on shipments, especially when they contain hazardous materials.

Dow is looking to step up the effort. Under the direction of CIO Dave Kepler, Dow is testing a technology that combines radio frequency identification with global positioning systems. The service, provided by Savi Technology, tracks both truck and rail shipments, and it's designed to reduce the risk of theft, spills, diversion, product contamination, and tampering, as well as other dangers.

In coming years, Dow plans to increase use of RFID and GPS as the technologies mature. The company generated $46 billion in sales in 2005, from businesses that range from chemicals to plastic materials to agricultural and other specialized products and services. Last year, Dow identified 50 projects related to RFID and GPS that it plans to pursue—not only in tracking products but also in manufacturing and plant maintenance.

Kepler joined Dow in 1975 and over the years has helped the company stay at the forefront of new technologies including enterprise resource planning, or ERP, which refers to the applications that help businesses manage a range of operations. He's also helped navigate voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP), which delivers voice communications over networks rather than traditional phone systems. BusinessWeek.com's Rachael King spoke to Kepler about Dow's RFID projects and other uses of technology.

What are your goals with RFID in the next two to five years?
We plan to drive all our hazmat rail shipments with a highly visible environment through RFID. We're already tracking workers on pipeline inspections. And we have a commitment to implement all hazmat shipments in that timeline.

What are some of the challenges you face?
One of the key ones is in rail car visibility. Today we track that through the rail system. We make 2.5 million product shipments each year, and we're the largest bulk chemical shipper in North America by truck and by rail.

So there's a real value for us to look at that asset we're shipping. If you take something like rail, for example, we've had the rail tracking system that requires that the train passes by a reader so we have certain segments where we can't see that. And if we look at hazardous materials shipments, one of the things we want to do is to get into closer proximity to where that shipment is.

So by putting a GPS system recorder on that, we can identify that. As we get into visibility, it's not only about where equipment is but it's also about the condition of the equipment. Has it been tampered with?

How does RFID help you stay on top of tampering?
We're looking at RFID smart boxes that would have things like sensors for light, humidity, temperature, and shock. Suppose something got dropped or tampered with. We could go back and put those signals together.

What are your long-term goals over the next 10 years?
If you look at our next 10 years around RFID, it's essentially to drive that supply chain visibility throughout the program for all materials. Also, we have a huge focus in terms of manufacturing process optimization—how we look at automation of some of the plants and plant maintenance.

We also look at asset management tracking, so when we're building plants to make sure all the materials are there in time is the key application. Another key area is product inventory and warehouse management.

Is the idea to save labor in tracking all these things?
Labor is actually a minor component of it. If you think about it in the supply chain it's really about product optimization. It's the ability to know where the product is and to route it. One of the long-term objectives we have is to improve the safety and security and reliability of delivery. There's also a huge performance opportunity here. Ensuring where products are allows you to route things differently.

How do RFID and GPS work together?
If you can imagine you're usually using several sensor technologies, so you might have an RFID smart box on a container and that may be communicating to a box or embedded with a box that has GPS and you don't just need GPS, you need two-way communications. You have to communicate where you are and you have to be able to communicate through satellite links or other communications vehicles to pass that information on as we go forward.

How much money do you plan to invest in RFID?
We're spending millions of dollars over the next several years in RFID. The sensor technology is a small part of it when you're dealing with track and trace because you're thinking about one unit per train or one unit per truck.

We're spending tens of millions of dollars in systems implementation to integrate these in. Everything you do has to return some value so we're driving it by value as we go forward. The early pilots are going to demonstrate how much we're going to invest, but we're spending significant money on applications like improving our maintenance management process. If you can integrate RFID into that, then you can add a lot more value.

How soon are you looking for payback on these projects?
We do invest for the long term, but in general, we would say that a very good return for automation is a one-and-a-half-year payback.

Turning to the broader topic of technology in business, can you give me a sense of what technology has made the biggest difference for your company over the last year?
I would say the integration we've done with Voice over IP. That really lays a foundation for how we're going to build all these other applications. The fact that we're building a network infrastructure that integrates voice, data, and video applications helps us enable sharing information a lot differently between people and the application.

We're about two-thirds of the way done in that process. That's allowed us to do something as simple as putting smart phones with some of our sales folks so they can share information with these applications to [something as complex as] integrating container tracking systems with our enterprise systems. That's probably been the biggest enabling application that we see right now.

What is the one thing that technology vendors could do to make your life easier?
One thing is that they can make sure their code runs well. That's always a good thing. The quality and performance in software really needs to continue to improve. And I think [we need] effective standards and open standards so that these things can plug and play as we go forward.

The value is in the integration and companies have to be able to move forward in that. That's why Dow does try to work with open standards and get that built into the industry because it's not just about what we do at our company, it's how we integrate with all our partners around the world.

What is the most important technology your company will grapple with over the next few years?
There are two things we look at. We have a business strategy and then we have to look at technologies that we have to put in to enable that and I would say the biggest one is in the area of our integration points, things like SAP's (SAP) NetWeaver and their mySAP are key integration points for us. They provide us with a service-oriented architecture. We look at new technologies coming in the market that are pervasive, that we can start to think about how to change the way we do work because of what's available in the market.

Then I would say that this whole area of sensor technology, wireless capability, the fact that employees can work from anywhere now. The whole idea of being able to identify who people are and what components are and access to our systems. The whole idea of sensing external performance, whether that's on supply chain visibility or assets—these are things that will change the way things work. So with huge bandwidth you're getting more and more to the individual applications. You can see this in your personal life, but you can also automate a lot of different practices in that kind of environment.

Rachael King is a writer for BusinessWeek.com in San Francisco

Posted by bhola at 08:44 AM | Comments (0)

Dow and Nova Chemicals sue each other

Bloomberg, October 10, 2006

Nova Chemicals Corp. (NCX CN): The largest Canadian chemical maker countersued Dow Chemical Co. (DOW US), the largest U.S. producer, for $300 million as the companies accused each other of wrongfully diverting products from their Alberta joint venture. Nova rose 60 cents, or 1.7 percent, to C$35.34.

Posted by bhola at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)

October 07, 2006

Dow Chemical to shut down plants

Chemical Business Newsbase October 6, 2006

Dow Chemical aims to boost the competitiveness of its operations worldwide by closing several plants. Structural costs may be cut by around $160 million a year when the plan is fully implemented. The closures include plants in Porto Marghera in Italy and Sarnia and Fort Saskatchewan in Canada.

These will result in a charge of $550 M-$650 million in the company's third-quarter 2006 results. The suspension of ethylene shipments via the Cochin pipeline will force Sarnia to close the low density polyethylene plant soon, stop polystyrene production before the end of 2006, and close the latex and polyols plants by the end of 2008.

The company's chlor-alkali and direct chlorination dichloride plants in Fort Saskatchewan will be closed by the end of Oct 2006, while the toluene diisocyanate plant in Porto Marghera will not be restarted after a planned maintenance shutdown in early Aug 2006.

Posted by bhola at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)

'Hot spot' toxics don't belong in shipping channel spoils dump

The Bay City Times, October 6, 2006

Dow Chemical Company's interest in a dump on the Saginaw-Bay county line for Saginaw River dredgings spoils threatens to blow the whole project apart.

The Lone Tree Council is trumpeting memos from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the local activists claim is proof that Dow has considered the dredgings dump as a place to put hazardous chemicals if the company is forced to dredge contaminated "hot spots" in the river.

True, Dow officials say. In fact, they're making no secret of their interest in the dump.

Dow even gave the Saginaw River Alliance between $300,000 and $500,000. The river-shippers' group gave more than $1.5 million toward the $5 million river dump project.

Yet, in order to intentionally put waste from toxic hot spots in the dump, the whole project would need a different federal permit, and upgrades.

This dump should not be revised.

The chronically controversial project took a quarter century or more to get to this point. It is expected to be ready for river dredgings in a year.

Repeated delays in finding a place to put dredgings from the upper Saginaw River have allowed the shipping channel to gradually silt in.

This year, several lakers got stuck in the river. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a little emergency dredging to keep the ships coming.

Without this dump for a complete cleaning of the shipping channel, commerce on the Saginaw River will end soon.

Dow's pondering of possibly putting hot spot spoils in the dump should not be allowed to delay this project.

This dump is for shipping channel dredgings, some of them probably contaminated.

Yes, it's splitting hairs, but this dump is not for spoils that are known to be extremely "hot" toxics from any river bottom cleanup.

That stuff should go somewhere else.

Keep the dump project on the same track it has followed for decades.

As something that will help keep the river open to ships.

Posted by bhola at 12:10 AM | Comments (0)

October 06, 2006

Residents given opportunity to dispose of hazardous waste material at Dow Chemicals (will Dow accept a shipment from Bhopal packed in sturdy boxes and not mixed together?)

Lawrence Herald, October 5, 2006

HANGING ROCK, Ohio -- Residents in Lawrence and Scioto counties will be able to dispose of hazardous waste including old electronics, paint, pesticides and herbicides and pool chemicals from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Dow Chemical Plant at 925 County Road 1-A in the Hanging Rock area.

The first Household Hazardous Collection Event is sponsored by Dow Chemical and the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste Management District.

Items that can be disposed of include: up to six scrap tires, lead acid batteries, electronics such as old cell phones, scanners, printers, copiers, monitors, keyboards and fax machines (with a limit of six), motor oil and brake fluid, used antifreeze, paint, paint thinner, solvents, cleaners with acid or lye, pesticides or herbicides and pool chemicals.

Items that won't be accepted include: explosives, ammunition, trash, medical waste, yard waste, heating oil tanks, fuel tanks and appliances.

The items should be brought in a sturdy box and not mixed together.

For additional information, call the solid waste district at (740) 532-1231 or (888) 565-7888.

Posted by bhola at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

October 05, 2006

City to mull dumping Dow

Cambridge Chronicle, October 5, 2006

Human rights activists descended upon the front lawn of City Hall last Tuesday, in response to several resolutions passed by City Council supporting their efforts.

Councilor Henrietta Davis introduced several orders on behalf of the Greater Coalition for Justice in Bhopal, asking that Cambridge take shareholder and purchasing action against Dow Chemical.

The activists, who erected large "Scales of Justice" on the lawn, said the Dow Chemical Company has refused to take responsibility for cleaning up a chemical spill in Bhopal, India, in 1984, which has killed 200,000 people since. [Ed: Think they mean 20,000]

Adopted last week, the lengthy council orders recommend that the Cambridge Retirement Board divest itself of Dow bonds and refrain from future purchases; ask the city manager to audit Dow purchases throughout the city and report back on ways to cut them out; as well as names Dec. 3 as a day of remembrance for victims of industrial accidents.

dwitlin@cnc.com

Posted by bhola at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)

Ft. Saskatchewan pollutants exceed guidelines: elevated levels reported at least 10 per cent of days studied

Hanneke Brooymans, Edmonton Journal, October 4, 2006

The Dow Chemical Company hydro carbon production facility in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta is seen against an August sunset. A study has found airborne pollutants in the community exceeded guidelines 10 per cent of the days studied over a 19-month period. Fort Saskatchewan has more than thirty major industrial facilities. Photograph: Journal file photo

The level of pollutants in the air at Fort Saskatchewan exceeded guidelines at least 10 per cent of the time during a 19-month air-quality study.

The study found out of the 95 days that air quality was sampled, 13 days showed elevated levels of vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen. Another 10 days showed elevated concentrations of 1,2-dichloroethane, a probable human carcinogen.

Despite the results, a Capital Health statement released along with the report today says there is no reason for concern.

“Based upon reported results, there does not appear to be any reason for public health concern at this time,” the statement says.

The health authority added that the industrial plants responsible for vinyl chloride emissions were closed as of June, 2006. The industrial plant responsible for 1,2-dichloroethane emissions is reported to be closing in November, 2006.

There was no mention of how long these types and concentrations of emissions could have been occurring in the area.

The study was a co-operative effort between the Fort Air Partnership, a local group that monitors air quality in the region, and Environment Canada.

Five monitoring stations were scattered throughout the Fort Saskatchewan area, with an additional one placed in Elk Island National Park.

The goal of the study was to check on the concentration of volatile organic compounds. An organic compound is a carbon-based molecule that is bonded to other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, fluorine and/or bromine, the study explains. Many organic compounds, both naturally and human-made, exist in the atmosphere. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that easily form vapors under normal pressures and temperatures. Some VOCs can present hazardous effects on plants, animals and humans.

The Fort Saskatchewan area has a high concentration of more than 30 major industrial facilities, making it a good subject for this study.

One table in the study showed that in eight months of the year, the monitoring station closest to the city of Fort Saskatchewan had the highest average concentration of volatile organic compounds. This station sits on the city’s northern boundary.

This station also recorded the highest concentration of VOCs measured throughout the study. The total measured VOC concentrations between Sept. 12, 2004, and March 31, 2006, ranged between 11 and 800 micrograms per cubic metre.

Further investigation showed that the high concentration coincided with a planned flaring and turn-around in operations at a natural gas liquids fractionation facility in the area.

Anyone interested in learning more about this study and air quality in the area can attend a meeting tonight at the Lamont Recreation Centre Meeting Room. There will also be a meeting Thursday evening at the Redwater and District Pioneer Club.

Each event will begin at 7 p.m. with a half-hour presentation by the Fort Air Partnership followed by time for questions and discussion before wrapping up at 8:30 p.m.

Posted by bhola at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)

October 03, 2006

Looks like Picasso can paint a turd and make it look beautiful

FROM ADRANTS.COM

Sample reactions to Dow's "human element" campaign

While watching this 90" spot, part of a new brand campaign from Dow Chemical created by FCB Chicago [actually Golin Harris], we are reminded of the unfortunate mindset that invades large companies which do so many things it becomes impossible even to remotely explain what the company actually does do. We saw this to a certain degree in the latest GE campaign and now we are witnessing it in this latest campaign from Dow Chemical. For an agonizing 89 seconds, we are subjected to meaningless fluffery and puffery, written as if the copywriter was in the midst of an epiphany with God, which somehow ties Dow to a missing chemical element, the Human Element. Then again, what else can you say about a company that does everything?
Adrants editorial, June 21, 2006

Comments

Looks like the CMO fell in love with an agency rip-o-matic.
Posted by: Nick on June 21, 2006 12:31 PM

This DOW spot is actually designed to highlight an industry-wide epidemic: horrifically poor copywriting in brand mgmt. campaigns.
Posted by: Corey King on June 21, 2006 01:20 PM

The dark irony of this campaign is that when methyl isocyanate bonded with the human element in Bhopal, India, Dow refused to accept responsibility for the more than 100,000 deaths that resulted.
Posted by: sam on June 21, 2006 01:31 PM

Of course, they also forgot to notice that there already is a 74th element on the periodic table. It was never missing. It's tungsten.
Posted by: Kevin Glennon on June 21, 2006 01:41 PM

I like Nick's take on this. Other then that what could the reason be. Poor is a good description.
Posted by: Roy on June 21, 2006 03:16 PM

Sam- The thing in Bhopal was under Union Carbide, Dow wasn't associated. Dow acquired Union Carbide years later.
Posted by: Chris on June 21, 2006 03:56 PM

How does making old ladies get all teary eyed help you sell chemicals?
Posted by: Jessie Birks on June 21, 2006 05:26 PM

"We are being portrayed as a heartless giant which doesn't care about the 20,000 lives lost due to Bhopal over the years," said Dow President and CEO Michael D. Parker. "But this just isn't true. Many individuals within Dow feel tremendous sorrow about the Bhopal disaster, and many individuals within Dow would like the corporation to admit its responsibility, so that the public can then decide on the best course of action, as is appropriate in any democracy. Unfortunately, we have responsibilities to our shareholders and our industry colleagues that make action on Bhopal impossible. And being clear about this has been a very big step. On December 3, 1984, Union Carbide--now part of Dow--accidentally killed 5,000 residents of Bhopal, India, when its pesticide plant sprung a leak. It abandoned the plant without cleaning it up, and since then, an estimated 15,000 more people have died from complications, most resulting from chemicals released into the groundwater. Although legal investigations have consistently pinpointed Union Carbide as culprit, both Union Carbide and Dow have had to publicly deny these findings. After the accident, Union Carbide compensated victims' families between US$300 and US$500 per victim.
http://www.dowethics.com
Posted by: sam on June 21, 2006 07:42 PM

I think neither the copywriter nor the brand manager actually know what the company does. They put the spot on some finantial channel while the tickers roll and investors say "Hey that company I bought some shares last week has a commercial on TV". They don't know what the company does either.
Posted by: Anonymous on June 22, 2006 11:13 AM

This is obviously a rip off from "Ashes and Snow" by Gregory Colbert! You can see similar (or almost copied) pictures in every scene!!
First, I thought that it had been created by Mr. Colbert. However there is no way that Colbert who is an Environment Supporter/Nature Photgrapher would do this job even they paid him a fortune. It is such a misleading commercial with no originality.
Posted by: kanna on June 24, 2006 08:50 PM

Have you seen the new ad by Dow Chemical called The Human Element? It is spectacular. See it here at YouTube. It is a visually beautiful, capitvating video. It looks like a video version of National Geographic magazine article. It injects humanity into the Periodic Table of Elements. It hits the right tone for placing humanity in the context of the natural world. There's no rant, no spin, just the poetry of pictures, sounds and words that raise the possibility of human interaction with creation. Dow - a chemical company - is seeking to be a good corporate citizen by elevating their engagement with issues of global sustainability and the environment. Read about here, here and here. With this ad, they certainly have my attention. I look forward to more from them.
Anonymous, but sounds a lot like John Musser from Dow Chemical

Are you kidding? Please. Pretty? Yes. Expensive? For sure. Misleading? Probably. You can make anything smell like a rose, if you have a big enough budget and hire the right creative people. Obviously they hope people take this expensive ad at face value. I saw the 90 second version during Wimbledon coverage. (I always beware epic 60+ second advertisements, I love momentarily being in the dark as to what corporate behemoth it's for) All of these beautiful images, an old wise African man sitting in a desert, the scruffy attractive artsy guy sculpting with clay, children running and playing in slow motion, beautiful sweeping landscapes. La-dee-da, the world is so nice and apparently so ecologically well taken care of. All set to a Ken Burns-esque fiddle music score. You don't know what the advertisement is for until the very end when the Dow logo is stealthily revealed. It's a stretch, to say the least. It's not even a stretch, a stretch would imply it took a while but you've made a remote connection, I still haven't made the connection yet. What do any of these images have to do with Dow? Other than trying to attach their own PR image to this beautiful cinematography. You can take those luscious images and attach them to ANYTHING. It's all well and good to come off as being a responsible 'generous to the community' corporation. But man do they have the burden of proof. It's probably not impossible. But it requires lots of thankless work and effort with no glory and no pat on the back perfectly timed with a photo op. At the very least, adapting the Japanese business model of CEOs' salary being adapted to reflect how well the corporation performs, total disclosure to stockholders regarding the financial health and news of a corporation. I doubt Dow is up to the task, it's not unusual, the bottom line implicitly means quite the opposite is actually going on. But maybe we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Not. Wait, I think I made the connection. Maybe the 'human element' is a euphemism, meaning human beings are actually an ingredient in the chemicals. One part oxygen, two parts carbon, one part liquefied human being etc.
Posted by: Harry on July 19, 2006 11:46 AM

Looks like Picasso can paint a turd and make it look beautiful.
Posted by: Stephen Carmona on July 20, 2006 06:55 PM

They are doing what any smart company should do: Defining themselves or someone else will do it for them. Dow got rid of their branded products several years ago, a whole generation of people do not know who or what Dow is. Not defending them by any means. For the first time ever their stockholders have requested answers and action plans dealing with their enviromental issues, including Bhopal. I think it is largly because of the internet & discussions like this. Keep holding their feet to the fire!
Posted by: Lucy on August 28, 2006 11:03 PM

More comments from the marketing world

Absolutely fantastic! The HU is the underlying element of all life. I hear it in the sound of the wind in the pine trees. HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Posted by: Terry Morse | July 6, 2006 06:51 AM

Here's the ad video. Truly masterful! http://news.dow.com/dowtv/
Anonymous | July 7, 2006 07:42 AM

I am so impressed with the Dow commercial it actually captures the essence of the HU element in influencing the natural elements to meet the challenges of the future.
kricky | August 20, 2006 01:52 PM

Pretty pictures? Yes. Connection with who Dow is? No. Most people who will get this (ie have heard of Dow), know of Dow from financial markets or due to their misdeeds. If it is meant to convince the latter group that they have stopped poisoning people and are now doing good things for the world, it is a total flop. A sculptor at work versus silicone breast implants? Neurons firing versus child burned by napalm? Book pages turning versus 22,000 dead in Bhopal? (so they pick a South Asian child for the print ads) what grabs you more? What is most elemental, inspiring and beautiful is the organizing of those who survived Agent Orange, severe asthma and cancer, and are working together to regain thier right to a healthy environment, thier right to be born free of toxic chemicals. Thier basic elemental human rights. Check out www.thetruthaboutdow.org or www.studentsforbhopal.org for that beautiful story.
Posted by: AF | August 25, 2006 09:35 AM

Yeah the commercial was interesting, but what on earth does "7E+09" mean? Can anyone help answer that?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2006 05:26 PM

My request too. What is the meaning of the "7E+09" and also the "8" of the HU element? Maybe the population 7,000,003,157 and we are moving to 8 billion. But the census has World Population.
Posted by: Question | August 26, 2006 06:19 PM

You are right about the world population. I saw a graphic that described and when I find it I will post it. The music is New harmon Waltz by Susan Voelz, 13 Ribs CD
Posted by: Lucy | August 28, 2006 08:47 PM

Here is what the letters/numbers represent: Hu is the abbreviation for "Human" as an element. illustrating how people are the missing component on the Periodic Table of Elements. 7E+09 is the rounded up world population (7 billion) represented as an atomic weight. The number in the righthand corner is a random element number to enhance the Periodic Table appearance.
Posted by: Lucy | August 29, 2006 10:49 PM

I hate this ad so much I will make a effort not to purchase products from Dow. I hope no elementary school kids accidentally catch the ad and think that people are a component on the Periodic Table of Elements. ...and that music is a rip off from the background music from a Motel 6, Tom Bonnett (sp?) ad. If Dow does so much for humans why not show us some of those products instead of this trash?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2006 09:44 AM

I love this commercial. I love the 'human' aspect and it's composite portrayal; and I love the music; and no. . .not a 'Motel 6 ad' (!) but more in the genre of the both heart-breaking and soul-soothing Civil War era music as played in Ken Burns' Civil War series. Or so it reminds me. All together, a great message.
Posted by: Cathy Toole | September 5, 2006 03:02 PM

It's an interesting concept. I like the identification as Human as an element a great deal. However, I agree that there's not much connection or association, so I'm not sure what they're trying to convey. Does anyone know who the voiceover voice is?
Posted by: Mick | September 7, 2006 09:38 AM

It is disgusting how all of you have appreciated Dirty Dow's lame attempt to cleanup their act. Dow's Hu campaign, no matter how appealing, can never mask the stench and legacy of death and destruction that is Dow. And now in a latest attempt to fool the world under the Hu element Dirty Dow along with the UN wants to provide clean drinking water to the waterless around the world. well thats just so heart warming when the company is even not competent enough to provide clean water to the residents of Bhopal India. Dow would even sell the dynamite meant for blowing its facility if it could make a buck of it. And all of you are sick in your mind.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 8, 2006 12:10 AM

And more still

I despise this rotten commercial!
MrBelmontvedere (1 month ago)

FYI, dow has already posted this commercial on youtube, but they only allow glowing positive comments posted by dow employees. just another part of their campaign of deception to trick people into thinking they are honorable human beings. post your negative comments here
MrBelmontvedere (1 month ago)

wait....im feeling shallow again. lol! who is dow? whats all this about? and what the hell was that comercial in aid of? is to...make serial killers think again or...sumthing...hmm.
erm12345678910 (1 month ago)

Let me guess, you posted a general "corporations are evil!" rant on Dow's post and it got deleted...I, for one, love the commercial. It's got beautiful music, nice video, and a message that alot of people could stand to be reminded of.
wanderingabout (1 month ago)

I have no idea what DOW is about. But this commercial is great. It's very beautiful and artistic. I have no idea what it is advertising though. Say what you the company, this is a really good ad. I don't like Unilever and I really don't like their false little "campaign," but I'm still impressed by the Campaign for Real Beauty ads.
invinsoshin (1 month ago)

Wow... Dow is anything far from evil. Before you say anything, why don't you check the products you use every day because there's a 100% most of them were made using Dow products. Dow btw started with saran wrap and now makes thousands of products that are used everyday by almost everyone.
RushGoParty (3 weeks ago)

Regardless of the company's terrible past, it's still an amazing metaphor for chemistry.
jc215flip (2 weeks ago)

It is a great metaphor for how all of life works, I personally like dow as a company better than most, there are ones with worse records....check the facts
jpconkin (1 week ago)

However beautiful this commercial may be, it is a mask that hides the ugliness of deformed children and blighted lives. It was designed to deflect from Dow's bitter history of causing death and pain, and to fill the mind with gently purifying thoughts. This is what makes it so utterly horrifying.
dowinsider (2 days ago)

Posted by bhola at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

Dow's "Human Element" campaign designed to "deflect" Bhopal campaign

(Golin Harris is the company that designed Dow's $30 million "Human Element" campaign)

GOLINHARRIS AIMS TO 'LEVERAGE AND DEFLECT' ACTIVISTS

Source: GolinHarris media release, September 12, 2006

Global PR firm GolinHarris has unveiled a range of new "practices and products," including one it has dubbed "Engage: Activist Issues Management." The firm explains, "In response to the growing influence of NGOs, GolinHarris has formalized its approach to leverage and deflect the influence of activists on issues ranging from the environment to animal welfare." In a report (pdf) accompanying the announcement, GolinHarris describes corporate social responsibility as allowing companies to "take the offensive" and that "social involvement will become the primary means for influencing public perception." GolinHarris clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dow and McDonald's.

Posted by bhola at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)

Owner weighs uses for former Union Carbide HQ: site's fate could be decided by year-end

BOB CHUVALA, FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL, OCTOBER 2, 2006

The 1.3-million-square-foot Corporate Center in Danbury may be moving closer to being sold later this year or early next, although the building’s owners are still weighing other options for the property.

“No decision has been made, and probably none will be made until after the first of the year,” said Richard Reeves, president of Sunbelt Management Co. in Delray Beach, Fla. The privately held real estate investment firm acquired the former Union Carbide headquarters in 1986; Carbide, which was later bought by Dow Chemical, signed a master lease for the building that expires at year-end.

“We’re still talking to people about leasing, still talking about people developing the site,” Reeves said, and “have contacted a number of people we believe could be interested in buying the building.” The building is surrounded by 100 acres with two sites, each of which are capable of supporting 100,000 square feet of office space.

“In certain markets, there are core buyers who like to buy very stable, fully leased properties,” he said. “Other buyers are willing to take a little bit more risk for the upside potential” of fully leasing the building over time.

“There are a variety of buyers, from some who like a building fully leased, some who like it vacant. This falls in between. We’re still reviewing our options,” he said. One would be to keep the building and develop the site itself. “We’re running our own financial analysis to see the long-term value of holding it and the potential for the development sites,” he said.

The building is about 65 percent leased, and has 350,000 square feet available for lease, said Leroy Diggs, facilities manager for Dow.

The largest long-term tenant is the privately held German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, with 320,000 square feet. Boehringer has a sprawling campus of its own just a half-mile up Old Ridgebury Road, the headquarters of its U.S. operations. The next largest tenant is Praxair Inc., the largest industrial gases company in North and South America and one of the largest worldwide, which leases 204,000 square feet for its global headquarters.

The Carbide headquarters was built to hold 3,000 employees. By the end of this year, the building should have about 1,850 employees, Diggs said.

Posted by bhola at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)

October 02, 2006

BASF, Dow, Solvay partnership breaks new ground with innovative HPPO technology in Antwerp

Chemie.de Information Service, October 2, 2006

Environmentally friendly plant reduces waste water and energy usage

BASF Aktiengesellschaft (BASF) and The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) launched a long-term venture to produce propylene oxide (PO) at the world's first commercial-scale hydrogen peroxide propylene oxide (HPPO) plant at BASF's site in Antwerp, Belgium. This plant uses a new technology developed jointly by BASF and Dow. PO is a core ingredient for the polyurethane industry. Solvay S.A. (Solvay) will be a key supplier to the new facility.

According to BASF, the process technology offers a number of benefits over conventional routes to PO, including better economics, environmental improvements and flexibility for locating new plants. The HPPO plant will be fed with hydrogen peroxide (HP) from a second new plant at the Antwerp site. The HP plant will have a capacity of 230,000 metric tons per year and will be constructed by Solvay, BASF and Dow. The 300,000 metric tons per year HPPO plant, which is being built jointly by BASF and Dow, is scheduled to start up in early 2008.

Dow and BASF are considering the development of additional HPPO projects in other regions, including Asia. BASF also plans to utilize the HPPO technology with a project at its Geismar, Louisiana, site in the United States.

Posted by bhola at 11:15 PM | Comments (0)

Dow to expand two products at Portuguese facility: production capacity for MDI and Styrofoam will be increased at Estarreja

David Eldridge, PRW.com, October 2, 2006

Dow Chemical has announced its intention to increase production capacity for MDI and its Styrofoam extruded polystyrene insulation product at its site in Estarreja, Portugal.

Its investment in MDI expansion follows on from the opening of an additional plant at its facility at Freeport, Texas earlier this year. The company expects continued market growth for MDI, a raw material in the production of rigid polyurethane foams and polyurethane elastomers.

Vice president of Dow Polyurethanes, Pat Dawson, said: “With global demand for MDI growing at a steady pace, we are constantly looking for simple ways to streamline our operations and add incremental capacity wherever we can. At the Estarreja site we have the opportunity to realise an incremental capacity addition quickly and cost-effectively.”

Dow did not state the size of the expansion or cost of investment, but said the project was due for completion in 2009.

The company said the planned Styrofoam expansion would enhance its ability to meet local customer needs for residential and commercial construction insulation products.

Posted by bhola at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)

Airgas to build gas plant in Kentucky

Philadelphia Business Journal, October 2, 2006

Airgas Inc., which distributes gases used in manufacturing and health care, said Monday it will build an air separation unit in Carrollton, Kentucky.

The new plant will supply manufacturer Dow Corning Corp. with nitrogen gas. Upon completion, which is expected in 2008, the plant will have the capacity to liquify at least 350 tons per day of nitrogen, oxygen and argon. Airgas plans to serve customers in addition to Dow Corning from the site, according to a company spokesperson.

"This project fits with our previously announced strategy to consider our own plants to augment our gas supply in those markets that remain underserved by the industry," said Mike Molinini, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Airgas, in a written statement.

The plant will be built on property owned by Dow Corning, which is equally owned by the Dow Chemical Co. and Corning Inc.

Airgas (NYSE:ARG) is based in Radnor, Pennsylvania.

Posted by bhola at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)

October 01, 2006

Dow agrees with stricter security standards (so why did it lead attempts to water down the legislation?)

Here are the facts:

Dow along with other chemical companies is working hard to avoid having to switch to inherently safer chemicals and technologies that would actually keep us safe, preferring instead to build more fences and hire more guards. Since 9/11 Congress has failed to regulate the chemical industry to neutralize the impact of a terrorist attack on (or an accident at) a chemical plant that could kill thousands of people in minutes. After a House committee finally moved strong legislation this summer, the chemical industry has engineered a back room deal in Congress. Late Mon. night they added a loophole ridden amendment, endorsed by DOW CHEMICAL, to the annual funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.

See also: Dow tries to portray Bhopal victims as terrorists

Now here's the bullshit:

Kathie Marchlewski, Midland Daily News, September 30, 2006

As Congress works to ensure the safety of the nation's chemical facilities, it is considering forcing closure for those which don't comply with yet-to-be-determined security measures.

Local chemical giant Dow Chemical isn't worried -- in fact, officials agree that strict safety standards should be applied across the industry.

"We support legislation that would support a very strict risk-based standard," said Adam Muellerwise, Dow spokesman on chemical security.

Muellerwise said the company considers itself a leader in security improvements since 9-11, which today are not mandated or regulated.

"We've spend hundreds of millions of dollars, and our job is not done," Muellerwise said.

The elements of security are inside plants, outside, along roads and railways where products and raw materials are transported, at ports where they are shipped and in cyberspace.

Along with working to keep its plants safe from intrusion - the company has implemented new entry and exit procedures since Sept. 11, 2001 -- Dow also has tightened its human resources screenings since then, and has implemented new technology safeguards.

Inside plants Dow has been conducting vulnerability assessments and implementing changes where weaknesses are found.

"We will continue to address any vulnerability. It's something we need to continue to engage in," Muellerwise said.

Some changes are visible, including the closure of some gates at Dow's Michigan Operations plant, but others are not, and they're intended not to be, Muellerwise said. But Dow has taken important steps such as reducing the volume of sensitive chemicals stored on site. It also has been changing processes and using alternate manufacturing materials when it can. In some places, temperatures where sensitive materials are stored have been lowered.

Along with local plant-related identifications, Dow also has been working to find ways to further safe-guard its land transport operations. In August, the company announced a collaboration with Union Pacific and Union Tank Car Company. The goal is to develop a new, more secure rail car.

"As a supplier of tank cars to the chemical industry, we are fully aware that safety, security, and environmental concerns regarding hazardous materials require the timely introduction of innovative solutions," said Rich Sobilo, director of engineering of Union Tank Car.

For more information on Dow's security efforts, visit www.dow.com/security

Posted by bhola at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)