Dow Breaks Ground for Global Water Technology Development Center in Spain

Dow Water Solutions, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company and its subsidiaries, has started construction of its Water Technology Development Center at the Dow facilities in Tarragona, Spain. The center, a key component of Dow Water Solutions aggressive growth objectives, will include capabilities for application development and component testing, and is designed to accelerate the commercialization of Dow’s water treatment technologies, which help to enable the production of clean drinking water from various water sources, including seawater.

"The provision of clean water is one of the most pressing challenges facing the global community in the 21st century" said Ian Barbour, general manager, Dow Water Solutions. "This new center represents an important step forward in our strategy to provide innovative, technology-based solutions to help address this issue" The new center reflects Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals, which pledge the company’s commitment to achieving remarkable developments to help solve world challenges such as sustainable water supplies.

The center is expected to open in 2010 and employ 25 expert researchers. Its proximity to the Mediterranean will provide access to seawater, brackish water, municipal wastewater, and treated river water sources. By replicating real world operating conditions in large scale pilot plants, Dow Water Solutions will enhance its understanding of how to achieve the best performance and lowest operational costs for treating water. The center will further feature a state-of-the-art demonstration area showcasing Dow Water Solutions’ excellent capabilities in water treatment technology to its customers.