Dow Automotive was formed as a business group of The Dow Chemical Company in 1988, and in 1999, became Dow’s first industry-focused business unit. At that same time, Essex Specialty Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, was also integrated into Dow Automotive. In January 2001, Dow Automotive acquired Gurit-Essex AG and its business groups, which like Essex and its other global affiliates, served the automotive industry since 1960.

Organization

The Dow Automotive organization employs 1,400 people globally at its world headquarters, European operations, R&D, advanced engineering, sales and manufacturing facilities. Its world headquarters is located in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA with key European operations in Schwalbach, Germany, Freienbach, Switzerland and St. Just, France. These locations comprise sales and marketing (including customer account teams), technical service & development (TS&D), manufacturing, customer service and other administrative support staff. R&D labs and advanced engineering are located in Auburn Hills and Midland, Michigan and Freeport, Texas, USA; Sarnia, Ontario, Canada; and Freienbach, Switzerland. Additional personnel are employed in nearly 30 cities on six continents at other global automotive centers, sales offices and manufacturing facilities throughout Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, South Africa, India and the Middle East. Dow Automotive’s steadily rising global sales, which surpassed $1.5 billion in 2006, are a significant contribution to the growth of The Dow Chemical Company.

Leadership

The organization is led by an operations management team and global business directors specializing in plastics, body-in-white structural, acoustical and thermal management solutions, glass/plastic/metal bonding, emissions control and fluids for OEMs, tier suppliers and the aftermarket. These business directors oversee application development and engineering, R&D, TS&D and business support services. Customer account teams interact with product/application development teams and serve as global sales and service focal points.

Capabilities

Materials science and characterization expertise, combined with design, engineering processing knowledge and program management, enable Dow Automotive to provide OEM and tier customers with innovative solutions that meet or exceed vehicle performance targets at lower weight and cost. These capabilities and in-house testing and validation, along with program and supply-chain management expertise (including equipment selection and processing method recommendations) allow Dow Automotive to support customers from design through product launch. Advanced engineering capabilities include design concepts and evaluation, modularization, CAD/CAE, finite element analysis, design optimization through tool and prototype development, processing methodology selection and mold-filling analysis, occupant safety testing and comprehensive application knowledge. Dow Automotive also has relationships with independent labs and customer proving grounds to further evaluate the impact of materials, components and systems in simulated and actual driving conditions.

Products

Dow Automotive is a technology-driven solutions provider that helps make passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles safer, stronger, quieter, lighter, cleaner, more comfortable and better looking. Nearly all of our solutions reduce vehicle weight and provide assembly efficiencies that result in lower total production cost.

For safety – structural adhesives, engineered plastics, high-density cavity-filling foams, structural foam inserts and extruded energy absorption foams improve crashworthiness while reducing weight and cost.

For strength and durability – structural adhesives to increase body stiffness while reducing or eliminating welds, rivets and mechanical fasteners prone to fatigue and corrosion; and underbody and seam sealers to eliminate moisture intrusion.

For quiet and comfort – low-density bulk foams, foam inserts and damping, absorbing and sealing systems block ambient sound and road noise. Structural adhesives and reinforcing composites deaden body vibrations while enhancing rigidity, durability and safety. Seating and cushioning foams for improved substrate touch and feel as well as passenger comfort.

For cleaner environment – technology developments for diesel emissions control.

For style – wide range of plastics that allow for superior design and molding flexibility, versus steel and aluminum for painted or molded-in-color parts and panels for vehicle interiors and exteriors.

Dow Automotive combines a wide portfolio of polymer technology with design and engineering capabilities to deliver the right plastic for the right application for molding interior and exterior components. Its range includes polypropylene, ABS, polycarbonate, crystalline polymers, thermoplastic urethanes, adhesive films, engineering plastic blends (like PC/ABS) and polyurethane. These materials are used to produce components including interior trim, instrument panels, knee bolsters, glove box/air bag covers, exterior trim, body panels, fascia/lighting surrounds plus sealing, electrical, cooling and fuel systems for powertrain applications.

In addition, Dow Automotive produces a broad range of fluid technologies to ensure the safe and efficient operation of today’s demanding motor vehicle systems. Performance fluids and lubricants are supplied worldwide and include mobile air conditioner compressor lubricants, brake fluids and engine coolants.

Dow Automotive also serves aftermarket customers through global glass replacement and body repair systems production and distribution networks. For more information, visit www.dowautomotive.com.

About Dow Automotive

Dow Automotive is a leading global provider of technology-driven solutions that meet consumer demand for vehicles that are safer, stronger, quieter, lighter, cleaner, comfortable and stylish. The organization provides plastics, adhesives, glass bonding systems, sealants, emissions control technology, films, fluids and structural enhancement and acoustical management solutions to OEM, tier and aftermarket customers around the world. For additional information about Dow Automotive products, services, and application development centers, visit www.dowautomotive.com.

About Dow

Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of innovation, science and technology to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company offers a broad range of 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 $49 billion and employs 43,000 people worldwide. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

World Headquarters
Dow Automotive
1250 Harmon Road
Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326
USA
Phone: 248-391-6300
Toll free: 1-800-441-4369
Fax: 248-391-6417
E-mail: dowautomotive@dow.com
www.dowautomotive.com

Dow Automotive
Dow Deutschland Anlagengesellschaft mbH
Am Kronberger Hang 4
D-65824 Schwalbach
Germany
Phone: + 49 (0)6196-566-0
In Finland: 990 3 694 6367
In Italy: 800 783 825
Toll free: 00800 3 694 6367*
Fax: + 49 (0)6196-566-444