New Product Grades Deliver Performance and Processing Benefits for a Wide Range of Applications

Midland, MI - February 19, 2007

The Dow Chemical Company today introduced eight new grades of VERSIF^TM Plastomers and Elastomers, each designed to deliver performance and processing benefits to address specific market needs.

“The positive response and sizeable demand from the plastic conversion industry has led to Dow’s continued research and development of VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers,” says Peter Heydasch, global development manager for the VERSIFY platform. “We are now significantly increasing our global commercial offering with the addition of these new products, which provide converters and packagers, as well as end-users, with unmatched performance and processing benefits."

Launched in 2004, VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers use a novel catalyst technology, matched with Dow’s INSITE™ polymerization process, to create a unique molecular architecture that gives the polymer features and property combinations previously unavailable. The highly versatile family of propylene-ethylene copolymers offers performance benefits for converters, processors and formulators in films, sheet and molded parts.

Dow has expanded the commercial offering with six new plastomer grades and two new elastomer grades. The new products are:

• VERSIFY 2000, VERSIFY 2200, VERSIFY 3000 and VERSIFY 3200 Plastomers were developed for greater differentiation in flexible packaging applications. These resins offer a unique balance of heat-seal properties, shrink and optics with modulus and adhesion to polypropylene and polyethylene.
• VERSIFY 4000 and VERSIFY 4200 Plastomers are ideal for applications requiring easier flow such as injection molding and extrusion coating. These resins offer a unique combination of toughness, processability and modulus. In addition, they compliment traditional polypropylene resins.
• VERSIFY™ 2400 Elastomer is well suited for extrusion and calendaring applications, as well as for thermoplastic elastomer applications. It can be readily formulated to bring a unique balance of flexibility, heat resistance, durability and optical properties for flexible TPO applications.
• VERSIFY 3401 Elastomer is particularly appropriate for impact modification of polypropylene to make transparent goods by injection molding or thermoforming. This elastomer requires no special blending or compounding equipment and is an ideal choice to boost the mechanical properties of cast films.

“The novel catalyst family, with Dow’s proprietary solution process, allows for precise control of the polymer microstructure to provide a range of benefits," explains Lisa Madenjian, global technical service and development leader for VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers.

According to Madenjian, the benefits of VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers include: easy mixing and excellent dispersion in the polypropylene matrix for toughness and improved optical properties; the ability to tailor flexibility levels for sheets, tunnel liners and membranes; and excellent seal and adhesion properties for a range of film structures from food to industrial packaging.

The VERSIFY product line also includes VERSIFY 2300 and VERSIFY 3300, commercialized in October 2005. Designed for fabrication via blown and cast film and calendaring processes, these two products have applications in stretch hood, cling film and flexible sheet.

VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers are among many innovative products that underscore Dow’s strategy to strengthen its Performance business portfolio by prioritizing technology and solutions offerings that support high-value, end-use applications. For more information about VERSIFY Plastomers and Elastomers, please visit www.dow.com/versify.

About the Dow Chemical Company

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For Editorial Information:

Nancy Lamb
The Dow Chemical Company
(989) 638-7251

Brian Hall
Gibbs & Soell
(847) 519-9150
bhall@gibbs-soell.com