Overview

The economic prosperity of a city, state or nation is largely dependent on the amount, and type, of business being conducted there. Payroll, taxes and corporate purchases all contribute significantly to economic health — and, indirectly to infrastructure, civic institutions and culture. In this section we have tried to share some key indicators of our impact on the Dow Rhine Center community as well as of the economic performance of the site.

Here are some key indicators of our impact on the local community:

Capital Expenditures
The last year's investments: new power plant, technology and revamping of the production plants for STYROFOAM*, the additional train for the production of DRYTECH*, the second production line for ETHAFOAM*, the new Intermodal Container Terminal as well as further logistics projects carried out in 2003 and the new thermal treatment unit for the production plant for ETHAFOAM have consolidated our operations and contributed to maintaining our competitive edge.

Production The Rhine Center, strategically situated in a European crossroad, close to the borders of France, Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, is the preferred site for supplying several lines of specialty products to the Central European markets. One third of the total production of extruded foams from Dow in Europe is produced in the Rhine Center.

Local Purchasing In 2003, US$21,599,200 was spent in the local community. As a competitive, global enterprise, we have a responsibility to actively manage our costs to a minimum. For certain products this means consolidating purchases and buying in large volumes independent of the location of the supplier. However, there are other products and services, which by their very nature will be bought locally, such as contract labor and certain maintenance activities. Dow's local purchasing department works closely with local suppliers to educate them about our strategic purchasing requirements.

*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company