Dow Corning has
announced plans to transform its business strategy to help customers be more
efficient, innovative and sustainable as they navigate dynamic economic, social,
and environmental megatrends.
The company’s new strategy
is described as the culmination of extensive research and analysis of
customers’ needs, economic indicators, and future social and environmental
trends around the world.
“Our customers say they want
a supplier that can help manage dramatic changes affecting their businesses - the
global economic slowdown, new technological advancements, and increasing
attention on the environment,” said Dow Corning Chairman, President and CEO Stephanie A.
Burns.
Burns
said the company will focus increasingly on researching and developing
solutions linked to global megatrends such as the drive for efficiency, increased
focus on alternative energy and clean water, and the rapid urbanization in fast-growing
emerging geographies.
Specifically, the new strategy will
focus on:
- Innovation: The Dow
Corning®
brand will focus exclusively on serving differentiated solutions and new
applications for customers who want innovation, customized services and
technical support. The company will focus on innovating materials and solutions
for critical industries such as electronics, construction, health and personal
care, among others. Much of this innovation will be driven by the need to help
customers develop unique and differentiated products while helping them become
more efficient. Dow Corning’s Research
and Development centers of excellence and the Dow Corning Business &
Technology Incubator will help continuously identify and pursue new trends and
opportunities.
- Sustainability: Increasing
demand for products, processes and technologies that meet environmental and
societal needs will play a key role in Dow Corning’s innovation activities. The
company anticipates more than 50% of its innovation portfolio will be on
projects linked to sustainability. A significant area of focus will be solar
power to help the solar industry move towards being economically competitive
with conventional energy sources, thus becoming a sustainable energy option. In
the past five years, Dow Corning and its joint ventures at the Hemlock
Semiconductor Group have announced investments of more than $4.5 billion to
research, develop and expand production of materials critical to the solar
industry. Dow Corning has also announced openings of two Solar Solutions
Applications Centers in the past two years, in the U.S.
and Korea.
In addition, the company will expand solutions to support the growing wind
power sector and “green” construction materials.
- Efficiency: Dow Corning is creating
what it describes as the world’s largest online marketplace for silicone
materials through a significant expansion of its XIAMETER® business model. The
XIAMETER brand is Dow Corning’s
web-enabled business for selling standard silicone products at market-driven
prices. Customers will now have access to more than double the current product
choices, as well as new volume ordering options. In addition, for the first
time customers will also be able to buy XIAMETER-branded products through
distributors, providing them with additional ordering options and local convenience.
Dow Corning says the expansion of its innovative XIAMETER business model will
help silicone purchasers who are impacted by the global economic recession improve
their efficiency when the economy recovers.
“Our direction is borne from
extensive customer research, audience segmentation and recognition that
transformation needs to be proactive, not reactive,” Burns said. “That kind of
rigorous methodology and thinking will help to shape our future as we position
ourselves to meet customer needs at any point on the value chain through our
Dow Corning and XIAMETER brands.”
For more information, visit
www.dowcorning.com/transform.
