In the early 1970s, Dow established is presence in the Middle East. Dow Export SA in Cairo, Egypt, was formed with the intention of promoting Dow’s products in the region.
In 1977, Dow Export GmbH opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E). This office further emphasized Dow’s growth in the Middle East, acting as the main business center for Dow’s activities in the region. The collaboration between Dow and E.A. Juffali and Brothers, in 1985 (under the name the Arabian Chemical Co. Ltd.), allowed for the manufacturer of polystyrene.
Dow MidEast Systems SAE in Cairo, Egypt followed in 1997. The Polyurethane Systems House produces fully formulated Polyurethane systems for a range of applications such as footwear, automotive industry and roofing.
One of the groundbreaking years in Dow’s history was in 1999 when Union Carbide Corporation and Dow announced that their boards of directors had approved an $11.6 billion transaction, which would result in Union Carbide becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow. This resulted in the acquisition of many of Union Carbide’s assets, such as: the UCAR Emulsion Systems in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E); and the UCC ownership/share EQUATE Petrochemical KSC, a joint venture in Kuwait with PIC Kuwait.
This was just the beginning of many partnerships Dow formed in the early to mid 2000s. Dow’s partners include PIC of Kuwait, Oman Oil Company, Saudi Aramco, and the National Oil Corporation of Libya.
Dow’s presence in the Middle East will continue to demonstrate industry leadership, technical innovation and expertise, and a commitment to sustainability to help transform the region into a key player within the global petrochemicals industry.
