Dow Showcased Leading Elastomer Solutions at Chinaplas 2016
Year:2016 ISSUE:10
COLUMN:COMPANY FOCUS
Click:345    DateTime:May.23,2016
Dow Showcased Leading Elastomer Solutions at Chinaplas 2016

The Dow Chemical Company brought its holistic plastics solutions to Chinaplas 2016 in Shanghai from April 25 to 28, themed “Delivering Solutions, Unlocking Opportunities”.
Dow Elastomers, a business unit of the Dow Chemical company and the world’s leading producer of polyolefin elastomers, showcased ENGAGETM Polyolefin Elastomers (POEs) at the fair. In addition, this business unit is dedicated to the Chinese photovoltaic, adhesive and infrastructure construction and footwear markets.
The automotive industry is constantly seeking to reduce vehicle weight in order to attain aggressive fuel efficiency targets. In today’s transportation industry, plastics and composites have become increasingly important as a way to reduce the weight of the vehicle to achieve ever more stringent weight targets. One of the most widely used materials in automotive today is thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs), which generally consist of a blend of polypropylene (PP), a high performance impact modifier, and a filler, such as talc. TPOs have been widely adopted for use in both exterior and interior applications as a replacement for more traditional materials, like metal, as well as engineering thermoplastics, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC)/ABS.
One important platform for Dow Elastomers transportation innovation is its INSITETM technology, which combines metallocene catalysts invented by Dow with advanced material science and process technology. Advanced technology, coupled with in-depth knowledge of automotive TPO compound requirements, enables Dow to offer a range of solutions based on desired compounding and processing characteristics as well as finished part performance and appearance.
ENGAGETM Polyolefin Elastomers (POEs) have long been the impact modifier of choice in hard TPO applications. Today, Dow Elastomers are contributing to new advances in the performance and processability as the use of TPO technology expands across today’s vehicles and the cars of tomorrow.
Dow Elastomers also presented NORDELTM EPDM products which are industry-leading ethylene propylene diene monomer materials that offer enhanced processability and impart low temperature toughness to other polymers.
The Chinese market is very important for Dow Elastomers business as 28% of global automobiles are produced in China now. In addition, for footwear, about 25% of the Asia-made shoes (83% of global shoes) are manufactured in the country. China and North Asia retains most of the R&D centers and plants although many shoes manufacturing plants have been relocated to the Southeast Asia region like Vietnam and Indonesia, according to Mr. Martin Su, Sales Director, Greater China, Dow Elastomers.
In the footwear industry, Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers have been the material of choice in athletic shoe midsoles for many years. For the last decade, however, the flexibility, adhesion, and foaming capabilities of EVA have fallen short of the demands of fitness conscious consumers. Dow Elastomers, Electrical and Telecommunications business unit offers INFUSETM Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs), used alone or in blends with EVA, which features alternating blocks of hard (highly rigid) and soft (highly elastomeric) segments. These innovative materials offer improved flexibility/durability, soft-touch feel, increased heat resistance, faster cycle times, and many other benefits, which are fitting for midsoles and help produce soft, flexible foams with enhanced performance and processing for outsoles, sandals, floats, kickboards, wheel treads, toys, sports padding, and more.
Dow currently has polyolefin elastomers production sites in the North America, Europe and Asia. And at the press conference, the company said it is going to build a new polyolefin elastomers plant in Saudi Arabia in the future.
Dow Elastomers also introduced INTUNETM Polypropylene-based Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs) at Chinaplas. INTUNETM makes it possible to combine polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) to create innovative, highly differentiated polymer blends and multi-layer structures that are compatible with existing processing technology and provide the best benefits of each material. INTUNETM is the second disruptive innovation made using Dow’s proprietary olefin block copolymer platform.
Dow launched its R&D Center in Shanghai in 2009 to meet the customers’ diversified needs in China and across the Asia region and will continue to invest in China and the region to support its aggressive growth plans for the future.