Dow to boost prices

MIDLAND, Mich. (Aug. 20)—Dow Polyurethanes, a business group of Dow Chemical Co., will boost prices and shipment charges for Voranate toluene diisocyanate by 8 cents a pound with an additional charge of 3 cents per pound for tank truck deliveries. Voranol polyether and copolymer polyols, Voralux polyurethane and Specflex polyurethane components' prices will go up by 6 cents a pound with an additional charge of 3 cents for tank truck shipments. The products have not rebounded to a profitable position from lows posted in 2001, said Richard L. Beitel, Dow Polyurethanes' commercial director. "The recovery in pricing and market volumes for the North American polyurethanes business has been slow, making the increases necessary," Beitel said. Also contributing were increased material and natural gas prices.