Dow plans investments in Saudi Arabia

Dow Chemical CEO Andrew N. Liveris had a visible role in President Donald J. Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, and he brought with him a pledge for further specialty chemical investment in the country. Dow announced it will build an acrylic polymers plant in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, to serve the coatings industry and water treatment and detergent markets. The company said the facility will cost more than $100 million and create 100 full-time jobs. Dow, which last year took over the Dow Corning silicones joint venture, also plans to conduct a feasibility study for a siloxanes and silicones plant in Saudi Arabia. If it moves forward, the plant will support 350 full-time jobs, Dow said. The announcements were part of a series of agreements signed between U.S. firms and Saudi authorities at the Saudi-U.S. CEO Forum, held in Riyadh on May 20 and cochaired by Liveris. President Trump and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attended.