Issue #458 | Dow Celebrates 128 Years: Silicones Powering Thermal Management Solutions Across Automotive and Chip Markets

【Answer 1】 Li Dachao, Director of Technical Service and R&D for Asia Pacific, appeared as a guest on the podcast "Chip Decoded". Li Dachao (Guest): Thank you, Huan Shi, for the introduction. It’s truly a pleasure to join "Chip Decoded" today and connect with all of you. First and foremost, Dow is a materials company with a 128-year legacy—deeply rooted in innovation. The Dow Silicones business unit was formerly Dow Corning, which has accumulated over 80 years of expertise in the silicone industry and has consistently ranked among the world’s top silicone solution providers in both technology and market leadership. Following Dow Corning’s reintegration into Dow, its product portfolio was fully harmonized with Dow’s broader offerings. Today, we are even more confident in delivering superior thermal management solutions for automotive electronics and consumer electronics. It is therefore a great honor to share and exchange insights with you and the listeners of "Chip Decoded". Huan Shi (Host): Dr. Li has succinctly unveiled Dow’s silicone journey—what stands out most is its extraordinary longevity. Indeed, any materials company aiming for excellence must commit to sustained, long-term dedication. Li Dachao (Guest): Absolutely. Companies like Dow and DuPont—traditional enterprises that champion both innovation and heritage—must continuously adapt and optimize their product portfolios to ensure sustainable growth over centuries. Take Dow, for example: it began in the chlor-alkali chemical sector. However, as this industry gradually became commoditized—offering diminishing margins—Dow divested those businesses. Over its 128-year history, Dow has undergone multiple rounds of business integration and restructuring, constantly refining its focus toward delivering innovative, high-value solutions for customers. In helping customers succeed, Dow simultaneously achieves its own profitability and growth—a recurring cycle throughout its evolution. Huan Shi (Host): I find Dow’s relentless capacity for renewal profoundly inspiring. Last year, I spoke with a state-owned enterprise in Guangxi grappling with the decline of the chlor-alkali industry and uncertain about how to pivot. My research confirmed that this sector is indeed becoming obsolete. Against such a backdrop, Dow’s ability to continually reinvent itself—and still capture dominant market shares across diverse applications—is undoubtedly driven by unique strengths. Today, our discussion centers on silicone materials. Let me begin with a technical question: As I understand it, specialty materials like silicones play indispensable roles in chip packaging and bonding processes. The semiconductor industry’s pursuit of miniaturization is intensifying. Moore’s Law continues to drive shrinking chip dimensions—TSMC has already achieved 2-nanometer and 3-nanometer process nodes. Yet as chips shrink, thermal dissipation becomes exponentially more challenging—posing ever-higher demands on associated materials. From your vantage point in the materials industry, how do you view these constraints imposed by chip miniaturization? Can we transcend the limitations of Moore’s Law to meet increasingly stringent size requirements? Or is there an industry consensus on a physical threshold—beyond which these challenges become insurmountable?

During Chinaplas 2025, Dow showcased over 40 breakthrough solutions.

【Answer 2】 "Digital tracking technologies for recycled plastics are reshaping the sustainability landscape. By enhancing information transparency, strengthening accountability, and improving process efficiency, this technology is accelerating the circular economy—ensuring every piece of plastic can be reborn," said Kodak Xiao, Senior Business Director, Sustainability, Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Asia Pacific, Dow Company. "This technology not only promotes responsible manufacturing practices but also empowers consumers to participate in closed-loop systems through recycling and reuse. As China’s circular economy infrastructure expands—from waste collection and sorting/washing toward large-scale implementation—this advanced tracking system will advance at an unprecedented pace across major Chinese cities, significantly bolstering authenticity and processing efficiency in the plastic recycling stream." Innovation Collaboration: Jointly Advancing Industrial Upgrading During this year’s Chinaplas, Dow will also showcase solutions specifically developed for biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) film applications. Engineered using Dow’s proprietary technology, these solutions deliver exceptional extrusion and biaxial orientation performance while markedly improving film stiffness and heat resistance—striking an optimal balance between physical and mechanical properties. Designed with recyclability in mind, the technology supports the circular economy and remains compatible with existing recycling infrastructure, helping close the loop across the plastics value chain. Dow has announced a Memorandum of Strategic Cooperation with Zhejiang Hengxi High-Tech Materials Co., Ltd., aiming to drive business growth in the mono-material machine-direction-oriented polyethylene (MDOPE) film industry through innovation. Under this strategic partnership, Dow will supply Hengxi with a range of high-performance resin materials to support the commercial development of its mono-material flexible packaging solutions. Both parties will jointly explore new application areas for flexible packaging and promote sustainable development across the packaging industry. Hong Yanshun, Head of Zhejiang Hengxi High-Tech Materials Co., Ltd., stated: "Since its founding, Hengxi has focused exclusively on the production and sales of MDOPE co-extruded films. This powerful collaboration with Dow will provide critical support for Hengxi’s food packaging film business. We believe this partnership will create new opportunities for the sustainable transformation of the packaging industry." Additionally, Chinaplas will serve as a key platform for Dow to deeply engage in high-end industry forums and customer workshops. Dow’s technical experts will share insights across the following domains: • Advancing the Circular Economy—Closing the loop in plastics manufacturing through innovative approaches, driving a more sustainable value chain; • High-Performance Footwear & Sports Applications—Elevating athletic gear’s performance, comfort, and sustainability through cutting-edge materials science; • Next-Generation Material Solutions—Enabling breakthrough applications across packaging, transportation, infrastructure, and consumer goods. Dow expects to interact with over 1,500 customers during this year’s Chinaplas, actively collaborating with industry leaders, brands, and manufacturers committed to sustainability and performance goals—transforming innovation together and co-creating the future. About Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics Business Unit Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics is a business unit of Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW), leveraging core strengths—including R&D capabilities, global reach, broad product portfolios, and deep industry expertise—to deliver high-performance technologies for end markets such as food packaging, personal hygiene products, infrastructure, consumer goods, and transportation.

Dow Inc. Files Form 4 on September 27

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Dow Inc. submitted a Form 4 filing to the SEC on September 27, disclosing insider trading transactions. The announcement includes the stock symbol DOW and associated performance metrics.

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Dow Inc Files Form 4 on September 27

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Dow Inc. Files Form 4 on September 27

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