(ICIS) -- US-based Dow Chemical will conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a world-scale metallocene ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) plant, the company said on Tuesday.
The study will identify potential partners and locations for the facility, Dow said. End uses for the product include automotive weather-stripping, automotive hoses and belts, building profiles, footwear soling and general rubber products.
⌠The new facility will position Dow to meet the increasing global demand for EPDM by offering high performance products that serve key automotive, building and construction and consumer markets; maintain Dow's cost-competitive position; and demonstrate the company's commitment to invest in specialty products that bring performance advantages to the marketplace, said Kim Ann Mink, general manager, Dow Elastomers.
According to Dow, the automotive industry, which is a key market for EPDM, is projected to grow by 5%/year, with growth rates of approximately 10%/year in China and south Asia.