The Dow Chemical Co. recently announced the opening of a new laboratory for its Elastomers Business. The lab is located at Dow’s Freeport, TX, R&D facility. It is used for the compounding, mixing, processing and testing of thermoset elastomers. The lab complements the existing polymer analysis, material science and physical testing capabilities at the site in support of Dow Elastomers technical service, application development, and research and development of polymer products including NORDEL^TM IP hydrocarbon rubber, ENGAGE^TM polyolefin elastomers, VERSIFY^TM plastomers and elastomers, and INFUSE^TM olefin block copolymers.

Dow also is in the final stages of completing a 25 million pound debottleneck project at its Plaquemine, LA, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) site. The project will be completed in first quarter 2010. The plant will continue to operate at full rates during the project.

For more information, visit www.dow.com.