BARRY, Wales—Dow Chemical Co. is upgrading its silicones production site in Barry as part of a broader global investment plan to meet industry demand.
The project is part of a series of "low-capital-intensity, high-return" investments in its upstream and downstream silicones franchise, Dow said in a statement released Oct. 15.
In Barry, the company is adding a new installation to develop and establish the "most effective technology" for compounding high consistency rubber and fluorosilicone rubber.
With the project, Dow expects to improve product quality and consistency, worker safety, productivity and cost structure. The new facility is expected to come online in mid-2019.
Dow also said it has begun construction of a new silicone resin plant at its existing manufacturing site in Zhangjiagang, China. The facility is set for startup in 2021.