FREEPORT, TX - The Dow Chemical Co. has announced the startup of its new phenolic glycol ethers production plant in Freeport, TX. The plant will serve the growing demand for several grades of DOWANOL™ propylene glycol phenyl ether (PPh) and DOWANOL™ ethylene glycol phenyl ether (EPh) solvents.

Freeport was chosen for the plant because of the advantages of key raw material integration, including phenol, ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO), to produce these fast-growing performance solvents. Dow will leverage existing infrastructure and move to a continuous process technology for the manufacture of these phenolic products. The new process provides product optimization for improved purity, color and consistency.