Clean and sustainable innovations from The Dow Chemical Company will address more than $20 billion of market opportunities, according to Jerome Peribere, president and CEO of the Company’s Advanced Materials Division. Peribere will speak to investors at the Jefferies Global Clean Technology Conference on March 17 in New York City.
“At Dow, we’ve long viewed our commitment to sustainability and the development of clean technologies as not only good corporate citizenship, but good business,” said Peribere. “As the world leader in applied chemistry, we are uniquely positioned to drive change by delivering innovative chemical solutions that contribute to human progress and the growth of our business.”
In his presentation to investors, Peribere will highlight four megatrends Dow believes reflect global shifts in customer and market behaviors and will define how people live, work and play in the next 20 to 30 years. The company is aligning the development of innovative product solutions to address salient business opportunities in the areas of energy; consumerism; transportation and infrastructure; and health and nutrition. Dow innovations covered in Peribere’s remarks are poised to address more than $20 billion in market opportunities, aligned with these four megatrends.
In the energy space, Dow is working on both new, innovative solutions and existing clean technologies to meet customers’ needs. The introduction of the revolutionary DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle in late 2009 is an example of a disruptive technology aimed at the fast-growing solar industry, which is expanding at more than 30 percent per year. At the same time, Dow’s STYROFOAM brand insulation, which has been on the market for more than six decades, helps to reduce energy costs by more than $10 billion annually. Additional opportunities for Dow's full suite of weatherization products are expected as building codes and new regulations become more stringent. With the building sector alone accounting for 40 percent of all energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, governments are increasing their focus on building standards and insulation requirements as cost effective methods to abate carbon dioxide emissions and reduce fossil fuel dependence.
Dow’s Advanced Materials Division also will showcase solutions that address growing consumer demand for green products, such as its sustainable, low-temperature fabric care solutions and biodegradable surface cleaners. Clean, safe water solutions from the Dow Water and Process Solutions business is another example of how the company is addressing the growing burden on global infrastructure, especially in areas of significant water stress like Australia and the Middle East.
According to Peribere, clean technology represents both a business opportunity and a scientific challenge.
“We know from our customers that regardless of the business, product line or geography, they’re not willing to trade off clean and sustainable technologies for performance,” said Peribere. “And that’s why at Dow Advanced Materials we are focusing our innovative thinking on the solutions that meet customer demands while at the same time delivering the same or better performance as traditional products.”