The Dow Chemical Co.'s North American Technical Service and Global Research and Development Center for packaging adhesives and coatings will move to Buffalo Grove, IL in early April 2010. The expanded Tech Service and R&D Center represents a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to enhance customer support and new product development. Buffalo Grove is located in close proximity to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The facility has been located in Elgin, IL.

Sarah Eckersley, global research and development director for Adhesives and Functional Polymers, says that "Substantially strengthening our resources and capabilities for our packaging customers -- both in North America and around the world -- was the motivation for this relocation."

Eckersley notes that the demand for improved performance in flexible packaging continues. "Packaging, especially food packaging, needs to protect content, ensure freshness and look wonderful -- all the while being lightweight and cost effective," she says. "We intend to continue to bring solutions to the global packaging market that meets those needs. The move to Buffalo Grove enhances our ability to bring our customers and our experts and technologies together at one site to collaborate on new developments."

Dow offers a broad range of technologies for packaging customers, including solventless, water-based, and solvent-borne adhesives, and provides real-world testing capabilities to assist customers in the evaluation of formulations on production-scale equipment.

The Buffalo Grove facility will expand the on-site staff to more than 100 people. The site, which opened in 1992, also houses Dow’s Microbial Control business unit, as well as sales offices. Mark Henning, general manager, Dow Microbial Control, also serves as site manager for Buffalo Grove.

Customers will be pleased to know that all of Dow’s previous North America tech service and development resources will be replicated at Buffalo Grove. In addition, the company’s analytics capabilities for customers will be greatly enhanced to better detect and solve flexible packaging laminate issues where varying coat weights, mix ratios, and film surface treatments can pose production difficulties. “At the end of the day, it’s people who make the real difference,” says Dow commercial director of packaging and converting in North America, John Norder. “Our tech service specialists have the most extensive experience in the industry and this new facility will have the equipment to help them root out and solve formulation and customer related production issues. Solving the most pressing issues of our customers continues to make Dow unique in this market.”

Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers serves the needs of the flexible packaging market with a wide range of laminate and adhesive technology products. The business also makes adhesives for tapes and labels, as well as technology for textile and nonwoven applications, graphic imaging, and leather. Together these businesses offer an integrated technology platform with formulation capabilities and a capacity to serve regionally tailored needs around the world. Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers generates $1B of revenue while operating a network of over 40 technical, R&D, and manufacturing sites to serve local customer needs globally. For more information, visit www.rohmhaas.com.

In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The company’s more than 5000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. For more information, visit www.dow.com.