Dow Finalizes First Phase of Sewer Pipes Rehabilitation Project in M

Dow Finalizes First Phase of Sewer Pipes Rehabilitation Project in Mexico City
Formulations repair, protect and strengthen pipelines

Midland, MI - August 27, 2009

The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) demonstrated quality and effectiveness in one of the most ambitious and complex underground projects undertaken in Latin America to date: the rehabilitation of the sewer pipelines in Mexico City. Mexican federal agencies identified Dow’s technical solution as one of the qualified options to renovate pipelines. The first completed phase of the project covers approximately 6 km of pipeline, while the total length of the pipeline to be rehabilitated is 120 km, with a diameter of 5.5 meters.

The first phase of the project involved the application of a protective solution to refurbish the pipelines, which took place over a five-month period from December 2008 to April 2009. The next step for the Mexican government is to wait for the end of the rainy season (May - November) to confirm the effectiveness of the completed work and select the suppliers of protective coating solutions. The project is scheduled to last until 2012.

“The pipes were in such a state of disrepair that we were concerned about the possible breakdown of the structure. Because of the work that we have done in this first stage of the project we can guarantee the safety of the main drainage network,” commented the Director of Water Systems for Mexico City, Ramón Aguirre. “The completion of this project is a very important issue for the

Mexican government since after earthquakes, floods and inundations are the main worries of the state and the population,” stated Aguirre.

Constructed in 1975, with no regular maintenance since the middle of the 1990s, the sewer pipes in Mexico City have deteriorated to a point that the iron bars are exposed along the lines. For this project, Dow created a multi-layer anti-corrosion formulation that combines the extensive expertise and experience in both epoxy primer and polyurethane elastomer chemistry. First, an epoxy primer is applied directly over the concrete, followed by a layer of spray-applied polyurea elastomer. This solution offers excellent adhesion to the concrete, excellent resistance to the acidity of the tunnels, easy application, fast return to service (7 seconds drying time) and provides a harder surface, strengthening the pipelines.

“Dow’s extensive knowledge of polyurethane systems and epoxy coating solutions, combined with over 30 years of expertise in formulated systems, enabled the development of specific products to meet the needs of the Mexico City project,” said Juan Antonio Merino, general manager of Dow Systems, the global business unit that combines the strength of Dow Polyurethane Systems and Dow Epoxy Systems. “As reinforced by our recent acquisition of Poly-Carb – a leader in bridge and road repair solutions – as well as Hyperlast – a leader in providing pipe protection solutions through polyurethane elastomer chemistry – and the recently announced global alliance with RS Technik Group, Dow Systems continues to significantly invest in developing tailor-made solutions for the infrastructure asset protection market. By working intimately with our customers to better understand their needs, Dow strives to be their preferred partner, able to develop and provide solutions that protect and extend the life of high-value assets around the globe.”

“Dow’s participation in this project is a great source of pride and satisfaction for us. We are confident of our work on this project since we developed a product that is capable of withstanding the most adverse conditions of its environment,” stated Armando Toledo, marketing manager of Dow Coating Materials for Latin America.

Julio Mortarotti, Dow Polyurethane Systems Director of the North region of Latin America, who actively participated in the entire Mexico City project, stressed that the system used for this rehabilitation project can be leveraged to many other customer needs throughout the globe. “We can adapt the formulation used in Mexico to the needs of any city in the world. Dow is ready to do this type of work that, in addition to being preventive maintenance, results in the improvement of the living conditions for the population,” concluded Mortarotti.

About Dow

For Editorial Information:

Paolo Casiato
The Dow Chemical Company
+7 985 99 72 455

Urszula Murphy
Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
1 (212) 697-2600, ext. 1296
umurphy@gibbs-soell.com

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Asia Pacific Europe India, Middle East, Africa Latin America North America About Dow Polyurethanes Product Stewardship ISO Certificates Answer Center News Events MSDS & SDS My Account @ Dow Contact Us Send An Email Technical Inquiry Global Polyurethanes Home	Dow Finalizes First Phase of Sewer Pipes Rehabilitation Project in Mexico City Formulations repair, protect and strengthen pipelines Midland, MI - August 27, 2009 The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) demonstrated quality and effectiveness in one of the most ambitious and complex underground projects undertaken in Latin America to date: the rehabilitation of the sewer pipelines in Mexico City. Mexican federal agencies identified Dow’s technical solution as one of the qualified options to renovate pipelines. The first completed phase of the project covers approximately 6 km of pipeline, while the total length of the pipeline to be rehabilitated is 120 km, with a diameter of 5.5 meters. The first phase of the project involved the application of a protective solution to refurbish the pipelines, which took place over a five-month period from December 2008 to April 2009. The next step for the Mexican government is to wait for the end of the rainy season (May - November) to confirm the effectiveness of the completed work and select the suppliers of protective coating solutions. The project is scheduled to last until 2012. “The pipes were in such a state of disrepair that we were concerned about the possible breakdown of the structure. Because of the work that we have done in this first stage of the project we can guarantee the safety of the main drainage network,” commented the Director of Water Systems for Mexico City, Ramón Aguirre. “The completion of this project is a very important issue for the Mexican government since after earthquakes, floods and inundations are the main worries of the state and the population,” stated Aguirre. Constructed in 1975, with no regular maintenance since the middle of the 1990s, the sewer pipes in Mexico City have deteriorated to a point that the iron bars are exposed along the lines. For this project, Dow created a multi-layer anti-corrosion formulation that combines the extensive expertise and experience in both epoxy primer and polyurethane elastomer chemistry. First, an epoxy primer is applied directly over the concrete, followed by a layer of spray-applied polyurea elastomer. This solution offers excellent adhesion to the concrete, excellent resistance to the acidity of the tunnels, easy application, fast return to service (7 seconds drying time) and provides a harder surface, strengthening the pipelines. “Dow’s extensive knowledge of polyurethane systems and epoxy coating solutions, combined with over 30 years of expertise in formulated systems, enabled the development of specific products to meet the needs of the Mexico City project,” said Juan Antonio Merino, general manager of Dow Systems, the global business unit that combines the strength of Dow Polyurethane Systems and Dow Epoxy Systems. “As reinforced by our recent acquisition of Poly-Carb – a leader in bridge and road repair solutions – as well as Hyperlast – a leader in providing pipe protection solutions through polyurethane elastomer chemistry – and the recently announced global alliance with RS Technik Group, Dow Systems continues to significantly invest in developing tailor-made solutions for the infrastructure asset protection market. By working intimately with our customers to better understand their needs, Dow strives to be their preferred partner, able to develop and provide solutions that protect and extend the life of high-value assets around the globe.” “Dow’s participation in this project is a great source of pride and satisfaction for us. We are confident of our work on this project since we developed a product that is capable of withstanding the most adverse conditions of its environment,” stated Armando Toledo, marketing manager of Dow Coating Materials for Latin America. Julio Mortarotti, Dow Polyurethane Systems Director of the North region of Latin America, who actively participated in the entire Mexico City project, stressed that the system used for this rehabilitation project can be leveraged to many other customer needs throughout the globe. “We can adapt the formulation used in Mexico to the needs of any city in the world. Dow is ready to do this type of work that, in addition to being preventive maintenance, results in the improvement of the living conditions for the population,” concluded Mortarotti. About Dow For Editorial Information: Paolo Casiato The Dow Chemical Company +7 985 99 72 455 Urszula Murphy Gibbs & Soell, Inc. 1 (212) 697-2600, ext. 1296 umurphy@gibbs-soell.com
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