CARROLLTON, Ky.—Cabot Corp. and DowDuPont Co. celebrated the groundbreaking of Cabot's fumed silica plant, which is located adjacent to Dow's Carrollton site.
Announced in May 2017, the new manufacturing facility is scheduled to be operational by 2020 and will extend Cabot's long-term relationship with Dow, according to a Dow release. The plant will incorporate Cabot's latest technology advances into the plant design and operations. Additionally, the collocation enables a fence-line relationship with Dow, creating a closed-loop system that reduces transport risk, increases manufacturing efficiencies and reduces waste.
Dow and Cabot have developed a cooperative relationship as supplier and customer to each other during the last 30 years, with current neighboring operations in Midland, Mich., and Barry, Wales. Silicone products made at the Dow site are used by Cabot as a building block for producing fumed silica, which can be used in a range of applications. Dow uses Cabot's fumed silica in its silicone products, as well as by-product from Cabot's process in its operations.
The facility will provide a long-term supply of fumed silica to Dow for use in applications for growing end-markets including packaging and construction, and support sustainable growth for Dow, Cabot and Kentucky, said Howard Ungerleider, chief financial officer of DowDuPont.
Ungerleider joined Sean Keohane, president and CEO of Cabot, as well as more than 150 local officials, business leaders and community members for the groundbreaking celebration. The ceremony coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Dow site in Carrollton.