Please provide an overview of Dow’s presence in Latin America?

Dow started operations in the region over 65 years ago and today we have 15 manufacturing facilities across Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. Our largest production site is the Bahia Blanca in Argentina, which comprises two ethylene crackers and four polyethylene (PE) plants, followed by a polyurethane (PU) complex close to the city of San Lorenzo. Brazil is home to our regional HQ in São Paulo, as well as an extensive manufacturing footprint. Three more plants in Mexico and one in Cartagena complete our widespread footprint in Latin America. 

Our LatAm portfolio reflects Dow’s global capabilities, with more than 50% focused on specialty plastics for the packaging industry. Second to packaging, the PU market – going into mattresses, automotive seats, insulation for refrigeration and construction, as well as other uses for both flexible and rigid foams – is a key market. Dow also brings to the market a variety of solvents and chemical additives, as well as a range of silicones and emulsions for coatings within our Consumer Solutions portfolio, for personal and home care applications, high performance building, among others. 

Dow inaugurated its first Inspiration Centre in Latin America. What is its focus?

In Jundiaí, close to the city of São Paulo, our Inspiration Centre inaugurated in 2021 allows us to serve an incredibly entrepreneurial client base, characteristic of the region. In Brazil, a considerable amount of our sales go to companies founded by local entrepreneurs, mostly family companies. With a naturally entrepreneurial spirit, our LatAm customers have a heightened innovation drive and acceptance of new ideas. Our high-tech Inspiration Centre, which consolidates the creative minds of our scientists, allows us to conduct trials together with our clients, not just in person but also remotely. 

How is Dow driving the change from a linear to a circular economy?

By 2030, Dow wants to commercialize 3 million t of circular and renewable solutions globally, both through mechanical and advanced recycling. In LatAm, we have various partnerships with collectors in Brazil and Argentina. To give one example, at our Inspiration Centre in Jundiaí, Dow’s Pack Studios developed a post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin under the Revoloop™ brand. Connecting circularity with social impact, we also run an initiative called “Recycling for a Change,” in collaboration with start-up Boomera LAR and NGO Fundación Avina. As part of this program, we strengthened the expertise of waste picker cooperatives, which divide the profits among its workers. More than 214 families are now involved in this project in São Paulo, and productivity climbed by 70% shortly after implementing the program. 

What makes Project Ybá a unique ESG initiative? 

Brazil hosts Dow’s most sustainable silicon metal production in the world, one of which is in the very remote northern state of Pará and it employs 600 people and 300 contractors. Out of the 40,000 ha of Amazonian Forest that we hold, we only occupy 10%; once we extract the trees, we replant and rotate to another land patch of 10%, following the same process of replanting and harvesting, again and again, so that at no point do we use more than 10%. This makes our landholding among the best preserved in an area that has been devastated by exploitation. Together with Nature Conservancy and the Peabiru Institute, we identified 17 species that could be commercialized for industrial consumption in a sustainable way and with multiplying benefits to the local communities. 

What are your main objectives moving forward?

These four pillars dictate my focus: Innovation brings out the spirit of our entrepreneurial customers, leading to fantastic developments. Customer Satisfaction is measured quarterly to make sure we never cease to improve our service. For Diversity, I am personally involved in many activities to empower underrepresented groups, not only minority groups, since in Brazil, we have a demographic of majority (64%) but underrepresented Black people. And finally, Sustainability is our major focus and we are diligently following through our initiatives in a timely and cost-effective manner. 

Latin America will continue to grow, and Dow wants to grow at least as much as the region. The region has always been an important geography, led by talented Latinos that are passionate and make the most of the local culture – and I believe that has been key to our success.