Dow Introduces Bio-Based Plasticizers for Wire and Cable Applications

Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, has launched DOW ECOLIBRIUM™ Bio-Based Plasticizers, a new family of phthalate-free plasticizers for use in wire insulation and jacketing that are made from nearly 100% renewable feedstocks. The use of DOW ECOLIBRIUM Bio-Based Plasticizers in PVC compounds for wire applications can help cable-makers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40%* if used instead of traditional PVC plasticizers. The new plasticizers were developed to meet growing demand for more sustainable options in wiring applications such as personal electronics and appliance wiring, residential and commercial building wiring, communications and data cabling, and automotive wiring.

"Nearly 100% renewable feedstock was used in the chemistry of these products and the field trials demonstrated that the new plasticizers exhibit the same performance and feel as incumbent PVC plasticizers while meeting all regulatory requirements for flame resistance," said Jonathan Penrice, Global Marketing Director for Dow Wire & Cable.

Dow Wire & Cable will license select cable makers to commercialize DOW ECOLIBRIUM Bio-Based Plasticizers consistent with its Dow Inside program. Cable manufacturers in the Dow Inside program are supported by Dow Wire & Cable's forward-thinking technology, versatile products and enhanced services, backed by the strength of a creative and responsive supplier that can help offer a competitive edge in a demanding industry.

DOW ECOLIBRIUM Bio-Based Plasticizers offer specific benefits in terms of processing, electrical and temperature performance, and end-use for low and high temperature wiring applications in several key wire and cable market segments:

• Personal Electronics and Appliances - Wires jacketed with material that includes DOW ECOLIBRIUM can achieve an outstanding balance of flame retardance, flexibility and heat performance. Their use in wiring for personal electronics can deliver on global OEM requirements for heat deformation resistance, flexibility and electrical performance.



• Building & Construction - These plasticizers are phthalate-and lead-free, offering safe building wire options for end-users. By virtue of being bio-based, their production can also provide opportunities for cable-makers and building industry end-users to achieve carbon credits and, in the USA, certification by the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating Systems. The new products are also effective in data communications delivery applications.



• Automotive - Wires used for the transmission of power and data inside passenger and commercial vehicles that are jacketed with material that includes Dow's bio-based plasticizers can provide an environmentally-friendly solution that exhibits requirements for heat resistance and ease of installation.

About Dow Wire & Cable

Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, is a global provider of products, technology, solutions and expertise that sets industry standards for reliability, longevity, efficiency, ease of installation and protection that the industry can count on in the transmission, distribution and consumption of power, voice and data. Dow Wire & Cable works together with cable makers, utilities, municipalities, testing institutes and other organizations around the world to develop solutions and create mutual value that will sustain the industry for years to come.

About Dow

The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe.

* Based on lifecycle analysis (LCA) tests conducted by The Dow Chemical Company and third-party reviewed.

Source: Dow