About Us

Dow Prentiss Manufacturing Site

Located in the heart of Central Alberta, Dow’s Prentiss site is home to a Dow-owned polyethylene plant and two ethylene glycol production facilities. One is owned by MEGlobal™ — a 50/50 joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) of Kuwait and The Dow Chemical Company, while the other is owned by Alberta & Orient Glycol Company Limited (a joint venture between MEGlobal and Far Eastern Textiles Limited.) These ventures have helped strengthen the long-term viability of the Prentiss site.

Built near Red Deer because of its proximity to abundant natural resources for raw materials, transportation routes and a skilled workforce, Dow’s polyethylene plant started production in 2000. Polyethylene is a key ingredient in the production of plastic products for consumer markets. For example, it is used to make grocery bags, packaging to keep food safe, juice and water bottles, and toys. The Prentiss plant manufactures 40 different grades of linear low-density and high-density polyethylene used in these and other types of plastic products.

The plant is designed to produce about 1.3 billion pounds of polyethylene per year, operating around the clock. All of the polyethylene manufactured at Prentiss is exported to Dow’s customers in North America.

At Prentiss, protecting people and the environment is the first priority in everything we do. Our goal is to eliminate injuries, illnesses and incidents that could negatively affect the environment. We also seek to reduce wastes and emissions and promote resource conservation at every stage of the manufacturing process.

Our daily operations are guided by the principles of Responsible Care^®, a voluntary initiative of the Canadian Chemical Producers’ Association, of which Dow Canada is a member. These principles emphasize the continuous improvement of environmental, health and safety performance. This means we are stewards of our products throughout their life cycle — from the development and research of new products right through to their manufacturing, distribution and disposal.

Being a good neighbour is another important aspect of Dow’s Prentiss operations. Through our Community Advisory Panel, Community Grants program, Employee Involvement Program and other community-based initiatives, we support and enhance the social, environmental and economic sustainability of local communities.