Item 1. Business
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
THE COMPANY
Dow Inc. was incorporated on August 30, 2018, under Delaware law, to serve as a holding company for The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries ("TDCC" and together with Dow Inc., "Dow" or the "Company"). Dow Inc. operates all of its businesses through TDCC, a wholly owned subsidiary, which was incorporated in 1947 under Delaware law and is the successor to a Michigan corporation, of the same name, organized in 1897. The Company's principal executive offices are located at 2211 H.H. Dow Way, Midland, Michigan 48674.
Available Information
The Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, are available free of charge at www.dow.com/investors , as soon as reasonably practicable after the reports are electronically filed or furnished with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The SEC maintains a website that contains these reports as well as proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically. The SEC's website is www.sec.gov . Dow's website and its content are not deemed incorporated by reference into this report.
MERGER AND SEPARATION
On April 1, 2019, DowDuPont Inc. (“DowDuPont” and effective June 3, 2019, n/k/a DuPont de Nemours, Inc. or "DuPont") completed the separation of its materials science business and Dow Inc. became the direct parent company of TDCC and its consolidated subsidiaries, owning all of the outstanding common shares of TDCC.
The separation was contemplated by the merger of equals transaction effective August 31, 2017, under the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 11, 2015, as amended on March 31, 2017 (the "Merger Agreement"). TDCC and E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and its consolidated subsidiaries (“Historical DuPont”) each merged with subsidiaries of DowDuPont and, as a result, TDCC and Historical DuPont became subsidiaries of DowDuPont (the “Merger”). Subsequent to the Merger, TDCC and Historical DuPont engaged in a series of internal reorganization and realignment steps to realign their businesses into three subgroups: agriculture, materials science and specialty products. Dow Inc. was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of DowDuPont to serve as the holding company for the materials science business.
The consolidated financial results of Dow for periods prior to April 1, 2019, reflect the distribution of TDCC’s agricultural sciences business (“AgCo”) and specialty products business (“SpecCo”) as discontinued operations for the applicable periods presented as well as reflect the receipt of Historical DuPont’s ethylene and ethylene copolymers businesses (other than its ethylene acrylic elastomers business) (“ECP”) as a common control transaction from the closing of the Merger on August 31, 2017. See Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements and Dow Inc.'s Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on March 8, 2019, for additional information.
Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless otherwise indicated, amounts and activity are presented on a continuing operations basis.
ABOUT DOW
Dow combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership to achieve profitable growth and deliver a sustainable future. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates 104 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people.
6
Table of Contents
BUSINESS SEGMENTS AND PRODUCTS
The Company conducts its worldwide operations through six global businesses which are organized into the following operating segments: Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure and Performance Materials & Coatings. Corporate contains the reconciliation between the totals for the operating segments and the Company's totals. The Company did not aggregate any operating segments when determining its reportable segments. See Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 26 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information concerning the Company’s operating segments,
PACKAGING & SPECIALTY PLASTICS
The Packaging & Specialty Plastics operating segment consists of two highly integrated global businesses: Hydrocarbons & Energy and Packaging and Specialty Plastics. The segment employs the industry’s broadest polyolefin product portfolio, supported by the Company’s proprietary catalyst and manufacturing process technologies. These differentiators, plus collaboration at the customer’s design table, enable the segment to deliver more reliable, durable, higher-performing solutions designed for recyclability and enhanced plastics circularity and sustainability. The segment serves customers, brand owners and ultimately consumers in key markets including food and specialty packaging; industrial and consumer packaging; health and hygiene; caps, closures and pipe applications; consumer durables; mobility and transportation; and infrastructure.
The Company’s unique advantages compared with its competitors include: extensive low-cost feedstock positions around the world; unparalleled scale, global footprint and market reach; world-class manufacturing sites in every geographic region; deep customer and brand owner understanding; portfolio of higher-value functional polymers, such as polyolefin elastomers, semiconductive and jacketing compound solutions and wire and cable insulation; and market-driven application development and technical support.
The segment remains agile by participating in the entire ethylene-to-polyethylene chain integration, enabling the Company to manage market swings with industry-leading feedstock and derivative flexibility, and therefore optimize returns while reducing long-term earnings volatility. The Company’s unrivaled value chain ownership is further strengthened by its Pack Studio locations in every geographic region, which help customers and brand owners deliver faster and more efficient packaging product commercialization through a global network of laboratories, technical experts and testing equipment.
Hydrocarbons & Energy
Hydrocarbons & Energy is a leading global producer of ethylene, a key chemical building block that the Company consumes primarily within the Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment. Ethylene is transferred to downstream derivative businesses at market-based prices, which are generally equivalent to prevailing market prices for large volume purchases. In addition to ethylene, the business is a leading producer of propylene and aromatics products that are used to manufacture materials consumers use every day. The business also produces and procures the power and feedstocks used by the Company’s manufacturing sites.
Packaging and Specialty Plastics
Packaging and Specialty Plastics serves growing, high-value sectors using world-class technology, broad existing product lines, and a rich product pipeline that creates competitive advantages for the entire packaging value chain. The business is a recognized leader in the production, marketing and innovation of polyethylene. The business is also a leader in other ethylene derivatives, such as polyolefin elastomers, ethylene vinyl acetate and ethylene propylene diene monomer ("EPDM") rubber serving mobility and transportation, consumer, wire and cable and construction end-markets. Market growth is expected to be driven by major shifts in population demographics; improving socioeconomic status in emerging geographic regions; consumer and brand owner demand for increased functionality including sustainable offerings through lower-carbon and circular solutions; global efforts to reduce food waste; growth in telecommunications networks; global development of electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure; and renewable energy applications such as wind power and solar (photovoltaic).
7
Table of Contents
Details on Packaging & Specialty Plastics' 2021 net sales, by business and geographic region, are as follows:
* Europe, Middle East, Africa and India ("EMEAI")
Products
Major applications/market segments and products are listed below by business:
Business Applications/Market Segments Major Products Key Raw Materials Key Competitors
Hydrocarbons & Energy Purchaser of feedstocks; production of cost competitive hydrocarbon monomers utilized by Dow's derivative businesses; and energy, principally for use in Dow’s global operations Ethylene, propylene, benzene, butadiene, octene, aromatics co-products, power, steam, other utilities Butane, condensate, ethane, naphtha, natural gas, propane Chevron Phillips Chemical, ExxonMobil, INEOS, LyondellBasell, SABIC, Shell, Sinopec
Packaging and Specialty Plastics Adhesives; automotive; caps, closures and pipe applications; construction; cosmetics; electrical transmission and distribution; food and supply chain packaging; footwear; health and hygiene; housewares; industrial specialty applications using polyolefin elastomers, ethylene copolymers, and EPDM; irrigation pipe; mobility; photovoltaic encapsulants; sporting goods; telecommunications infrastructure; toys and infant products Acrylics, bio-based plasticizers, copolymer, elastomers, ethylene copolymer resins, EPDM, ethylene vinyl acetate ("EVA"), methacrylic acid copolymer resins, polyethylene ("PE"), high-density polyethylene ("HDPE"), low-density polyethylene ("LDPE"), linear low-density polyethylene ("LLDPE"), polyolefin plastomers, resin additives and modifiers, semiconductive and jacketing compound solutions and wire and cable insulation Aliphatic solvent, butene, ethylene, hexene, octene, propylene Borealis, ExxonMobil, INEOS, Lanxess, LyondellBasell, Nova, SABIC
Joint Ventures :
This segment includes a portion of the Company's share of the results of the following joint ventures:
• EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C.C. (“EQUATE”) - a Kuwait-based company that manufactures ethylene, polyethylene and ethylene glycol, and manufactures and markets monoethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene terephthalate resins; owned 42.5 percent by the Company.
• The Kuwait Olefins Company K.S.C.C. (“TKOC”) - a Kuwait-based company that manufactures ethylene and ethylene glycol; owned 42.5 percent by the Company.
• Map Ta Phut Olefins Company Limited (“Map Ta Phut”) - a Thailand-based company that manufactures propylene and ethylene; the Company has an effective ownership of 32.77 percent (of which 20.27 percent is owned directly by the Company and aligned with the Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure segment and 12.5 percent is owned indirectly through the Company’s equity interest in Siam Polyethylene Company Limited, an entity that is part of The SCG-Dow Group and aligned with the Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment).
• Sadara Chemical Company ("Sadara") - a Saudi Arabian company that manufactures chlorine, ethylene, propylene and aromatics for internal consumption and manufactures and sells polyethylene, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide derivative products, and isocyanates; owned 35 percent by the Company. The Company is responsible for marketing a majority of Sadara products outside of the Middle East zone through the Company’s established sales channels. As part of this arrangement, the Company purchases and sells Sadara products for a marketing fee.
8
Table of Contents
This segment also includes the Company's share of the results of the following joint ventures:
• The Kuwait Styrene Company K.S.C.C. - a Kuwait-based company that manufactures styrene monomer; owned 42.5 percent by the Company.
• The SCG-Dow Group - a group of Thailand-based companies (consisting of Siam Polyethylene Company Limited; Siam Polystyrene Company Limited; Siam Styrene Monomer Company Limited; and Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited) that manufactures polyethylene, polystyrene, styrene, latex and specialty elastomers; owned 50 percent by the Company.
Current and Future Investments
In 2021, the Company completed the addition of a furnace to its ethylene production facility in Alberta, Canada, incrementally expanding capacity by approximately 130,000 metric tons. Dow co-invested in the expansion with a regional customer, evenly sharing project costs and ethylene output, with the additional ethylene to be consumed by existing polyethylene manufacturing assets in the region. Also, the Company completed a new catalyst production facility for key catalysts licensed by Univation Technologies, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
Additionally, the Company has announced investments over the next several years that are expected to enhance competitiveness. These include:
• Incremental debottleneck projects across its global asset network that will deliver approximately 350 kilotonnes per annum of additional polyethylene, the majority of which will be in the U.S. & Canada.
• Construction of a world-scale polyethylene unit on the U.S. Gulf Coast based on Dow’s proprietary process technologies, to meet consumer-driven demand in specialty packaging, health and hygiene, and industrial and consumer packaging applications.
• Construction of the world's first net-zero carbon emissions (with respect to Scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, including technology advancements) ethylene and derivatives complex in Alberta, Canada.
The Company's ambition includes becoming the most sustainable materials science company, with a strategy to advance the well-being of humanity by helping lead the transition to a sustainable planet and society. This includes lowering energy and greenhouse gas emissions and further enabling a shift to a circular economy for plastics by focusing on resource efficiency and integrating recycled content and renewable feedstocks into its production processes. As part of that strategy, Dow announced the following in 2021:
• Plans to construct the world's first net-zero carbon emissions (with respect to Scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide emissions, including technology advancements) ethylene facility and convert the assets at its Fort Saskatchewan site in Alberta, Canada, to create the first net-zero carbon emissions complex with respect to Scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide emissions. The project would more than triple Dow's ethylene and polyethylene capacity from its Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta site, while retrofitting the site's existing assets to net-zero carbon emissions.
• Dow and Fuenix Ecogy Group expanded upon the companies' initial agreement to scale circular plastics production through advanced recycling with the construction of a second plant in Weert, The Netherlands. The new plant will process 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste into pyrolysis oil feedstocks, which will be used to produce new circular plastic at Dow's Terneuzen site in The Netherlands.
• A partnership with Mura Technology ("Mura") to rapid-scale new advanced recycling solutions. The collaboration will produce circular feedstocks, which are converted into recycled plastics. Mura’s global rollout targets 1 million metric tonnes of recycling capacity by 2025. Dow will be the major off-taker of pyrolysis oil feedstocks made from Mura’s first-of-its-kind plant in Teesside, United Kingdom.
• Finalization of an agreement with Gunvor Petroleum Rotterdam ("Gunvor") to purify pyrolysis oil feedstocks derived from plastic waste. Gunvor began supplying cracker-ready feedstocks to Dow in 2021, which will be used to produce circular plastics for customers.
• Fast-tracking the design, engineering and construction of a market development scale purification unit in Terneuzen, The Netherlands, to provide additional capacity to purify pyrolysis oil feedstocks derived from plastic waste.
• Establishment of a multi-year agreement with New Hope Energy, based in Tyler, Texas, to supply the Company with pyrolysis oil feedstocks derived from plastics recycled in North America. New Hope Energy converts used plastics into pyrolysis oil feedstocks, which Dow will use to produce circular plastics.
9
Table of Contents
• Dow signed new renewable and cleaner power agreements which are expected to reduce Scope 2 emissions by more than 600,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
• Plans to construct a clean hydrogen plant where by-products from core production processes would be converted into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide would be captured and stored until alternative technologies develop. Dow will also look for ways to enable usage of the carbon dioxide in its processes rather than storing it. The hydrogen plant is expected to startup in 2026 and would allow Dow's Terneuzen manufacturing site to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.4 million tons per year.
In addition, in 2019, the Company announced the retrofit of one of its Louisiana steam crackers with Dow’s proprietary fluidized catalytic dehydrogenation ("FCDh") technology to produce on-purpose propylene. The FCDh technology retrofit further improves Dow’s ability to continue to source the most advantaged feedstocks, while also producing reliable and cost-efficient on-purpose propylene to supply its integrated derivative units in Louisiana. Dow's FCDh technology reduces capital outlay by up to 40 percent and lowers energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 percent, thereby improving overall sustainability when compared with conventional propane dehydrogenation technologies. The project is expected to begin producing on-purpose propylene in the second half of 2022.
INDUSTRIAL INTERMEDIATES & INFRASTRUCTURE
The Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure operating segment consists of two customer-centric global businesses - Industrial Solutions and Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals - that develop important intermediate chemicals that are essential to manufacturing processes, as well as downstream, customized materials and formulations that use advanced development technologies. These businesses primarily produce and market ethylene oxide and propylene oxide derivatives that are aligned to market segments as diverse as appliances, coatings, electronics, surfactants for cleaning and sanitization, infrastructure and oil and gas. The businesses' global scale and reach, world-class technology, research and development capabilities and materials science expertise enable the Company to be a premier solutions provider offering customers value-add sustainable solutions to enhance comfort, energy efficiency, product effectiveness and durability across a wide range of home comfort and appliance, building and construction, mobility and transportation, adhesive and lubricant applications, among others.
Industrial Solutions
Industrial Solutions provides a broad portfolio of solutions that enable and improve the manufacture of consumer and industrial goods and services. The business’ solutions minimize friction and heat in mechanical processes; manage the oil and water interface; deliver ingredients for maximum effectiveness; facilitate dissolvability; enable product identification; decarbonize oil and gas products; reduce energy and water use in textiles; and provide the foundational building blocks for the development of chemical technologies. The business supports manufacturers across a large variety of end-markets, notably coatings, detergents and cleaners, crop protection, pharmaceuticals, electronics, oil and gas, inks and textiles. The business is a leading producer of purified ethylene oxide, ethylene amines and ethanol amines.
Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals
Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals consists of three businesses: Polyurethanes, Chlor-Alkali & Vinyl (“CAV”) and Construction Chemicals. The Polyurethanes business is the world’s largest producer of propylene oxide, propylene glycol and polyether polyols, and a leading producer of aromatic isocyanates and fully formulated polyurethane systems for rigid, semi-rigid and flexible foams, as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and composites that serve energy efficiency, consumer comfort, industrial and enhanced mobility market sectors. The CAV business provides chlorine and caustic soda supply and markets caustic soda, a valuable co-product of the chlor-alkali manufacturing process, and ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer. The CAV business' assets are predominantly in Western Europe and largely produce materials for internal consumption. The Construction Chemicals business provides cellulose ethers, redispersible latex powders, and acrylic emulsions used as key building blocks for differentiated building and construction materials across many market segments and applications ranging from roofing and flooring to gypsum-, cement-, concrete- and dispersion-based building materials. Both Polyurethanes and Construction Chemicals deliver more sustainable products aligned toward green building markets yielding reduced environmental impacts and lower product intensity compared to traditional offerings.
10
Table of Contents
Details on Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructures' 2021 net sales, by business and geographic region, are as follows:
Products
Major applications/market segments and products are listed below by business:
Business Applications/Market Segments Major Products Key Raw Materials Key Competitors
Industrial Solutions Broad range of products for specialty applications, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture crop protection offerings, aircraft deicing, solvents for coatings, heat transfer fluids for concentrated solar power, construction, solvents for electronics processing, food preservation, fuel markers, industrial and institutional cleaning, infrastructure applications, lubricant additives, paper, transportation and utilities; products for energy markets including exploration, production, transmission, refining, mining and gas processing to optimize supply, improve efficiencies and manage emissions Butyl glycol ethers, VERSENE™ Chelants, UCAR™ Deicing Fluids, ethanolamines, ethylene oxide ("EO"), ethyleneamines, UCON™ Fluids, DOWANOL™ glycol ethers, DOWTHERM™ Heat Transfer Fluids, higher glycols, isopropanolamines, low-VOC solvents, methoxypolyethylene glycol, methyl isobutyl, polyalkylene glycol, CARBOWAX™ SENTRY™
Polyethylene Glycol, TERGITOL™, TRITON™ and ECOFAST™ Pure Surfactants, demulsifiers, drilling and completion fluids, heat transfer fluids, rheology modifiers, scale inhibitors, shale inhibitors, specialty amine solvents, surfactants, water clarifiers, frothing separating agents
Ethylene, propylene BASF, Eastman, Hexion, Huntsman, INEOS, LyondellBasell, SABIC, Sasol, Shell
Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals Aircraft deicing fluids; alumina, pulp and paper; appliances; automotive; bedding; building and construction; flooring; footwear; heat transfer fluids; hydraulic fluids; infrastructure; mobility; packaging; textiles and transportation; construction; caulks and sealants; cement-based tile adhesives; concrete solutions; elastomeric roof coatings; industrial non-wovens; plasters and renders; roof tiles and siding; sport grounds and tape joint compounds Aniline, caustic soda, ethylene dichloride ("EDC"), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (“MDI”), polyether polyols, propylene glycol ("PG"), propylene oxide ("PO"), polyurethane systems, toluene diisocyanate (“TDI”), vinyl chloride monomer ("VCM"), AQUASET™ Acrylic Thermosetting Resins, DOW™ Latex Powder, RHOPLEX™ and PRIMAL™ Acrylic Emulsion Polymers, WALOCEL™ Cellulose Ethers
Aniline, benzene, carbon monoxide, caustic soda, cell effluent, cellulose, chlorine, electric power, ethylene, hydrogen peroxide, propylene, styrene Arkema, Ashland, BASF, Covestro, Eastman, Huntsman, Wanhua
Joint Ventures
This segment includes a portion of the Company's share of the results of EQUATE, TKOC, Map Ta Phut and Sadara.
11
Table of Contents
Current and Future Investments
The Company expects to make investments over the next several years to enhance competitiveness in its Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals and Industrial Solutions businesses. The investments will include alkoxylation capacity expansions and finishing capabilities; investments to support growth in polyurethane systems; and efficiency improvements around the world.
In 2021, the Company completed a debottlenecking project along the U.S. Gulf Coast to increase aniline production by 60,000 tons per year, which will drive higher integrated margins for the portfolio. Also, in the past year, the Company completed key projects aligned to longer-term sustainability goals, including the first industrial-scale production unit aligned to the RENUVA™ Mattress Recycling Program. This project represents a fully circular investment across the value chain highlighting Dow’s materials science solutions to critical challenges facing the industry.
In 2021, the Company expanded polyethylene glycol production with a new facility in St. Charles, Louisiana. This investment supports growth in the pharmaceutical market and increases capacity by 35 metric tons annually. In addition, construction began on a new specialty alkoxylation reactor in Plaquemine, Louisiana. This investment, expected to be completed in the second half of 2022, will add 60 metric tons of annual capacity for the home and personal care market.
In 2021, the Company announced the following:
• Plans to build an integrated MDI distillation and prepolymers facility at its site in Freeport, Texas. This investment supports increasing demand for downstream polyurethane systems products and advances Dow’s leading positions in attractive applications in construction, consumer, and industrial markets that are growing above gross domestic product. The new Freeport MDI facility will replace Dow’s current North America capacity in La Porte, Texas, and will also be capable of supplying an additional 30 percent of product to Dow’s customers. In coordination with the start-up of the new MDI facility expected in 2023, Dow will shut down its polyurethane assets at the La Porte site.
• Plans to increase propylene glycol capacity at its existing joint venture facility in Map Ta Phut, Thailand by 80,000 tons per year – bringing total capacity to 250,000 tons per year. The additional capacity will support customer growth across Asia Pacific and India and is expected to come online in 2024.
• A signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone Administrative Committee (Zhanjiang EDZ) to build the Dow South China Specialties Hub, a multi-year project providing customers local access to Dow’s portfolio of high value products and innovative technologies. The new manufacturing hub would extend Dow’s local reach, further enhancing supply reliability, responsiveness to market needs and customized innovation, and better positions customers for success in markets including mobility, pharmaceuticals, cleaning chemicals, apparel, home and personal care, lubricants and adhesives.
• Dow and Ralph Lauren Corporation released a detailed manual on how to dye cotton more sustainably and more effectively than ever before using ECOFAST™ Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment. Pretreating fabric with ECOFAST™ Pure helps significantly reduce the amount of water, chemicals and energy needed to color cotton, by enabling up to 90 percent less process chemicals, 50 percent less water, 50 percent less dyes and 40 percent less energy without sacrificing color or quality.
• Dow and Orion Chemicals Orgaform together with Eco-mobilier, H&S Anlagentechnik and The Vita Group have inaugurated a pioneering mattress recycling plant as part of the RENUVA™ program. This is a major step forward for the recovery and recycling of polyurethane foam and a significant advancement to close the loop for end-of-life mattresses. At full capacity the plant will process up to 200,000 mattresses per year to address growing mattress waste.
12
Table of Contents
PERFORMANCE MATERIALS & COATINGS
The Performance Materials & Coatings operating segment includes industry-leading franchises that deliver a wide array of solutions into consumer, infrastructure and mobility end-markets. The segment consists of two global businesses: Coatings & Performance Monomers and Consumer Solutions. These businesses primarily utilize the Company's acrylics-, cellulosics- and silicone-based technology platforms to serve the needs of the architectural and industrial coatings; home care and personal care; consumer and electronics; mobility and transportation; industrial and chemical processing; and building and infrastructure end-markets. Both businesses employ materials science capabilities, global reach and unique products and technology to combine chemistry platforms to deliver differentiated, market-driven and sustainable innovations to customers.
Coatings & Performance Monomers
Coatings & Performance Monomers consists of two businesses: Coating Materials and Performance Monomers. The Coating Materials business makes critical ingredients and additives that help advance the performance of paints and coatings. The business offers innovative and sustainable products to accelerate paint and coatings performance across diverse market segments, including architectural paints and coatings, as well as industrial coatings applications used in maintenance and protective industries, wood, metal packaging, traffic markings, thermal paper and leather. These products enhance coatings by improving hiding and coverage characteristics, enhancing durability against nature and the elements, lowering or eliminating volatile organic compounds (“VOC”) content, reducing maintenance and improving ease of application. The Performance Monomers business manufactures acrylics-based building blocks needed for the production of coatings, textiles, adhesives and home and personal care products.
Consumer Solutions
Consumer Solutions consists of two businesses: Performance Silicones & Specialty Materials and Silicone Feedstocks & Intermediates. The Performance Silicones & Specialty Materials business delivers an unmatched portfolio of performance-enhancing silicone and specialty materials to meet the diverse needs of customers in fast-growing industries, including building and infrastructure; consumer and electronics; industrial and chemical processing; mobility and transportation; home care; and personal care. It focuses resources on delivering valuable differentiation via market-driven innovations and sustainable solutions, which address lower-carbon footprint and circularity goals while enabling continued growth. The Silicone Feedstocks & Intermediates business focuses on maximizing productivity and optimizing margins by leveraging Dow’s scale and global reach. It is charged with producing silicon metal, siloxanes and intermediates, which are key materials to manufacture differentiated downstream silicone products.
Details on Performance Materials & Coatings' 2021 net sales, by business and geographic region, are as follows:
13
Table of Contents
Products
Major applications/market segments and products are listed below by business:
Business Applications/Market Segments Major Products Key Raw Materials Key Competitors
Coatings & Performance Monomers Acrylic binders for architectural paints and coatings, industrial coatings and paper; adhesives; dispersants; impact modifiers; inks and paints; opacifiers and surfactants for both architectural and industrial applications; plastics additives; processing aids; protective and functional coatings; rheology modifiers
ACOUSTICRYL™ Liquid-Applied Sound Damping Technology; acrylates; ACRYSOL™ Rheology Modifiers; AVANSE™ Acrylic Binders; EVOQUE™ Pre-Composite Polymer; foam cell promoters; FORMASHIELD™ Acrylic Binder; high-quality impact modifiers; MAINCOTE™ Acrylic Epoxy Hybrid; methacrylates; processing aids; RHOPLEX™ Acrylic Resin; TAMOL™ Dispersants; FASTRACK™ Road Marking Resins; vinyl acetate monomers; weatherable acrylic capstock compounds for thermoplastic and thermosetting materials Acetic acid, acetone, acrylic acid, butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, propylene, styrene Arkema, BASF, Celanese, Evonik, LyondellBasell, Wacker Chemie
Consumer Solutions Personal care and home care; mobility and transportation; building and infrastructure; consumer and electronics; industrial and chemical processing Adhesives and sealants; antifoams and surfactants; coatings and controlled release; coupling agents and crosslinkers; fluids, emulsions and dispersions; formulating and processing aids; granulation and binders; oils; polymers and emollients; opacifiers; reagents; resins, gels and powders; rheology modifiers; rubber; solubility enhancers; aerospace composites; surfactants and solvents; encapsulants for solar photovoltaic applications; SILASTIC™ Silicone Elastomers; DOWSIL™ Silicone Products; SYL-OFF™ Silicone Release Coatings; AMPLIFY™ Si PE 1000 Polymer System; bio-based, readily biodegradable SunSpheres™ BIO SPF Booster; ACUSOL™ PRIME 1 Polymer
Hydrochloric acid, methanol, platinum, silica, silicon metal Elkem, Momentive, Shin-Etsu, Wacker Chemie
Current and Future Investments
The Company continues to make incremental investments in lower-capital, higher-return projects in the silicones franchise to further enhance competitiveness. The investments aim to expand manufacturing capacity of silicone polymers and high-performance sealants among other high-value materials.
In 2021, the Company announced several key growth capital projects to increase capacity of performance silicones and specialty materials. These projects have either come online in 2021 or are expected to start up over the next several years. These include:
• Silicone elastomers and thermally conductive materials meeting growing demand for vehicles, including autonomous and electric vehicles, hybrids and internal combustion engines, that are lighter, safer and have a lower-carbon footprint;
• Silicone polymers and sealants supporting greater design flexibility and enabling safe, sustainable, durable building and infrastructure;
• Silicone engineered materials and pressure sensitive adhesives improving reliability and efficiency in consumer and electronics end-markets; and
• Cationic hydroxyethylcellulose ("CatHEC") polymers and polyethylene glycols ("PEGs") addressing a variety of home and personal care applications.
CORPORATE
Corporate includes certain enterprise and governance activities (including insurance operations, environmental operations, etc.); non-business aligned joint ventures; non-business aligned litigation expenses; and discontinued or non-aligned businesses.
14
Table of Contents
RAW MATERIALS
The Company operates in an integrated manufacturing environment. Basic raw materials are processed through many stages to produce a number of products that are sold as finished goods at various points in those processes. The major raw material stream that feeds the production of the Company's finished goods is hydrocarbon-based raw materials. The Company purchases hydrocarbon raw materials including ethane, propane, butane, naphtha and condensate as feedstocks. These raw materials are used in the production of both saleable products and energy. The Company also purchases and sells certain monomers, primarily ethylene and propylene, to balance internal production and internal consumption. The Company purchases natural gas, primarily to generate electricity, and purchases electric power to supplement internal generation. In addition, the Company produces a portion of its electricity needs in Louisiana and Texas; Alberta, Canada; The Netherlands; and Germany.
The Company's primary source of these raw materials are natural gas liquids ("NGLs"), which are derived from natural gas and crude oil production, and naphtha, which is produced during the processing and refining of crude oil. Given recent advancements in shale gas, shale oil and conventional drilling techniques, the Company expects these raw materials to be in abundant supply. The Company's suppliers of these raw materials include regional, international and national oil and gas companies.
The Company purchases raw materials on both short- and long-term contracts. The Company had adequate supplies of raw materials in 2021 and expects to continue to have adequate supplies of raw materials in 2022.
INDUSTRY SEGMENTS AND GEOGRAPHIC REGION RESULTS
See Note 26 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding net sales, pro forma net sales, Operating EBIT, pro forma Operating EBIT and total assets by segment, as well as net sales and long-lived assets by geographic region.
SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS AND PRODUCTS
All products and services are marketed primarily through the Company’s sales force, although in some instances more emphasis is placed on sales through distributors. In 2021, no significant portion of the Company's sales was dependent upon a single customer.
PATENTS, LICENSES AND TRADEMARKS
The Company continually applies for and obtains U.S. and foreign patents and has a substantial number of pending patent applications throughout the world. At December 31, 2021, the Company owned approximately 3,600 active U.S. patents and 21,300 active foreign patents as follows:
Remaining Life of Patents Owned at Dec 31, 2021 United States Rest of World
Within 5 years 700 3,800
6 to 10 years 1,200 7,400
11 to 15 years 1,500 9,500
16 to 20 years 200 600
Total 3,600 21,300
The Company’s primary purpose in obtaining patents is to protect the results of its research for use in operations and licensing. The Company is party to a substantial number of patent licenses, including intellectual property cross-license agreements and other technology agreements, and also has a substantial number of trademarks and trademark registrations in the United States and in other countries, including the “Dow in Diamond” trademark. Although the Company considers that its patents, licenses and trademarks in the aggregate constitute a valuable asset, it does not regard its business as being materially dependent on any single or group of related patents, licenses or trademarks.
15
Table of Contents
PRINCIPAL PARTLY OWNED COMPANIES
The Company’s principal nonconsolidated affiliates at December 31, 2021, including direct and indirect ownership interest for each, are listed below:
Principal Nonconsolidated Affiliate Country Ownership Interest Business Description
EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C.C. Kuwait 42.50 % Manufactures ethylene, polyethylene and ethylene glycol, and manufactures and markets monoethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene terephthalate resins
The Kuwait Olefins Company K.S.C.C. Kuwait 42.50 % Manufactures ethylene and ethylene glycol
The Kuwait Styrene Company K.S.C.C. Kuwait 42.50 % Manufactures styrene monomer
Map Ta Phut Olefins Company Limited 1
Thailand 32.77 % Manufactures propylene and ethylene
Sadara Chemical Company 2
Saudi Arabia 35.00 % Manufactures chlorine, ethylene, propylene and aromatics for internal consumption and manufactures and sells polyethylene, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide derivative products, and isocyanates
The SCG-Dow Group:
Siam Polyethylene Company Limited Thailand 50.00 % Manufactures polyethylene
Siam Polystyrene Company Limited Thailand 50.00 % Manufactures polystyrene
Siam Styrene Monomer Company Limited Thailand 50.00 % Manufactures styrene
Siam Synthetic Latex Company Limited Thailand 50.00 % Manufactures latex and specialty elastomers
1. The Company's effective ownership of Map Ta Phut is 32.77 percent, of which the Company directly owns 20.27 percent and indirectly owns 12.5 percent through its equity interest in Siam Polyethylene Company Limited.
2. The Company is responsible for marketing the majority of Sadara products outside of the Middle East zone through the Company's established sales channels. Under this arrangement, the Company purchases and sells Sadara products for a marketing fee. In March 2021, Dow and the Saudi Arabian Oil Company agreed to transition the marketing rights and responsibilities for Sadara’s finished products to levels more consistent with each partner’s equity ownership. This transition began in July 2021 and is being implemented over the next five years.
See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding nonconsolidated affiliates.
PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
The world is at a critical juncture and needs environmental leadership from all sectors. As a leading materials science company, Dow believes it has the responsibility and opportunity to take action and lead the industry in areas that Dow's science and expertise can make a difference. For that reason, Dow has integrated sustainability across its businesses and is collaborating across the globe to make inroads in the transition to a sustainable economy and society. The Company has identified three focus areas where it believes Dow is making a difference to drive industry-wide change:
• Climate Protection - As both a major user of energy and producer of technologies that are essential to a low-carbon future, the Company believes it has a responsibility to act. Dow has set an ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2050 (Scopes 1+2+3, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, plus product benefits) while helping its customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by innovating lower-carbon products.
• Circular Economy - As one of the world's largest producers of plastic, Dow is taking a leading role in supporting a more circular economy and ending plastic waste. Dow's "stop the waste" goal is a commitment to invest and/or collaborate in key technologies and infrastructure to significantly increase global recycling. Dow's "close the loop" goal is a commitment to help customers redesign and promote reusable or recyclable packaging applications.
• Safer Materials - As a world-leading materials science company, Dow plays a pivotal role in innovating materials that bring social and environmental value alongside business value. Dow is committed to innovating and bringing safer materials to the market by continuously evaluating and improving how the Company measures, designs, manufactures, reports, and acts on the impact of its products. Dow envisions a future where every material it brings to market is sustainable for people and the planet. To that end, Dow is innovating the sustainable materials of tomorrow by leading candid conversations about product safety and committing to the advancement of open and transparent chemistry with Dow's value chain partners, customers and the public.
16
Table of Contents
To accelerate the Company's sustainability agenda, Dow announced new, multi-decade targets in 2020 to put the Company on a path to achieve carbon neutrality and eliminate plastic waste. These new targets align to and build upon Dow's 2025 Sustainability Goals – 10-year commitments aimed at magnifying the Company’s positive impact through collaboration with like-minded partners. Targets include reducing the Company's net annual greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 5 million metric tons by 2030, compared with its 2020 baseline, a reduction of approximately 15 percent. This target follows the Company's reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 15 percent from its 2005 baseline, which was achieved in 2020. The Company also intends to enable 1 million metric tons of plastic to be collected, reused or recycled through direct actions and partnerships by 2030. Dow will also work with customers, brand owners and the value chain to help redesign and promote reusable and recyclable packaging applications to enable 100 percent of Dow products sold into packaging applications to be reusable or recyclable by 2035. The Company's progress in achieving these targets is reviewed regularly by management and with the Environment, Health, Safety & Technology Committee of the Board.
Additional discussion of matters pertaining to the environment is included in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors; Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; and Notes 1 and 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In addition, detailed information on the Company's performance regarding environmental matters and goals is accessible through the Science & Sustainability webpage at www.dow.com/sustainability. Dow's website and its content are not deemed incorporated by reference into this report.
HUMAN CAPITAL
Dow’s ambition – to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world - starts with people. Dow employees create innovative and sustainable materials science solutions to advance the world. Every answer starts with asking the right questions. This is why the diverse, dedicated Dow team collaborates with customers and other stakeholders to find solutions to the world's toughest challenges. The Company's values of Respect for People, Integrity and Protecting Our Planet are fundamental beliefs that are ingrained in each action taken, can never be compromised and are the foundation of the Company's Code of Conduct.
The Company is dedicated to employee health and safety and is invested in fostering a culture of inclusion and continuous learning while supporting its employees through its Total Rewards plans and programs to ensure all Dow employees are respected, valued and encouraged to make their fullest contribution.
Safety, Employee Health and Well-Being
A commitment to safety and employee health is ingrained in Dow’s culture and central to how the Dow team works. Dow uses a comprehensive, integrated operating discipline management system that includes policies, requirements, best practices and procedures associated with health and safety. In 2021, the Company achieved an Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") Total Recordable Injury and Illness Rate of 0.14, based upon the number of incidents per 200,000 work hours for employees and contractors globally. This measure, along with a consistent set of globally applied, as well as locally defined, leading indicators of safety performance, are cornerstones of Dow's worker protection program. The Company maintains a robust, globally tracked near-miss program for situations that did not result in an injury, but could have been high consequence had circumstances been slightly different. This data is reviewed regularly by management and the Environment, Health, Safety & Technology Committee of the Dow Inc. Board of Directors ("Board"), is visible to all employees and is built into digital dashboards that include actual injury information for every Dow location around the world.
As part of the Company’s total worker health strategy, employees have access to occupational health services at no cost through on-site, Company-managed clinics at its manufacturing locations or an offsite provider overseen by Dow Occupational Health. In addition to access for occupational health needs, the Company also has a comprehensive well-being strategy, which is framed across four dimensions – physical, mental, community and financial well-being – for an approach that is holistic, global, employee centered and outcome-driven. Key ambitions across the four dimensions focus on elements such as workplace stress, psychological safety, resiliency, workload, healthy eating and activities, and social community and inclusion opportunities.
17
Table of Contents
Dow maintains active Crisis Management Teams at the corporate level and in each region where the Company operates to ensure appropriate plans are in place in the event of natural disasters or other emergencies, and currently in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic. For additional information on the Company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, see Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Inclusion, Diversity & Equity
At Dow, inclusion, diversity and equity (“ID&E”) is a business imperative evidenced by inclusion serving as a core pillar of the Company's ambition statement. A strategic and intentional focus on ID&E not only enhances the employee experience and satisfaction, but it also supports innovation, customer experience and understanding of the communities the Company serves. In 2021, Dow ranked #19 in the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity and for the first time was named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For ® list. These are significant accomplishments that represent only two of the many awards the Company received related to its efforts in ID&E.
Dow's strategic ID&E efforts are directed by its Chief Inclusion Officer and Office of Inclusion, which supports implementation throughout Dow’s businesses, functions and regions. Three Inclusion Councils drive the ID&E strategy from the top of the Company down and across the enterprise:
• The President’s Inclusion Council defines and supports Dow's ID&E strategy from the top.
• A Senior Leaders’ Inclusion Council influences change through senior and mid-level business, geographic and functional leaders.
• A Joint Inclusion Council collaborates to drive maximum employee engagement through Employee Resource Group (“ERG”) leadership.
Dow’s 10 ERGs are representative of the Company’s diverse workforce and help foster an inclusive workplace. Dow’s ERGs are organized around historically underrepresented groups including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities and veterans, as well as groups both for professionals who are new to the Company and those who are 50 years or older. Senior leaders serve as executive sponsors for each ERG. In 2021, 52 percent of Dow’s workforce and 97 percent of Dow people leaders participated in at least one ERG. Also in 2021, Dow implemented a new Paid Time Off Policy, which provides employees time off to volunteer and engage in ERG activities.
Inclusion and diversity metrics, including ERG participation, global representation of women and U.S. ethnic minority representation in the United States, are published internally on a quarterly basis, are embedded in the same scorecard where Dow’s financial and safety results are measured and are directly connected to leaders’ annual performance and compensation. This data is reviewed regularly by management and with the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Board.
Global pay disparity studies have been conducted at Dow for over 20 years to assess fair treatment between genders and between U.S. ethnic minorities and non-minorities and to ensure Dow’s pay practices are being implemented as intended. As part of Dow’s ID&E efforts, the Company will continue to conduct annual pay gap studies and actively engage with an external partner to further develop and continue to apply best practices.
Total Rewards
To achieve Dow’s ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world, the Company invests in its people, who are at the heart of the Company, through its Total Rewards plans and programs. The Total Rewards plans and programs are structured to attract, retain and motivate Dow’s employees. Dow’s Total Rewards are designed to support all aspects of its employees – their compensation, future, health, life and career. The Company is committed to aligning its strategy and culture with the needs of its employees and optimizing the investment Dow makes in Total Rewards.
As a global company with a diverse team, Dow aims to ensure employees have access to resources that allow them to meet their unique needs. That is why Dow has established three guiding principles that define its Total Rewards strategy: 1) ensuring programs are market competitive, while leading peer companies in equitable and inclusive offerings; 2) providing employees with offerings that align with their preferences; and 3) offering programs that promote fulfilling career and life experiences. Dow adapts its programs for geography-specific requirements, as well as cultural standards and expectations.
18
Table of Contents
Employee Engagement, Learning and Development
Throughout an employee’s career, the Company supports development through a blend of learning approaches including in-person and virtual trainings, digital learning platforms, on-the-job training and a series of leadership development programs. Annually, all employees have the opportunity to provide feedback on employee experience and offer insights into how to improve Dow’s working culture through a global employee opinion survey. A key component of the survey is an opportunity for employees to provide feedback on the effectiveness of their direct leader. In 2021, 70 percent of employees responded to the annual survey. The feedback received through this annual survey and additional quarterly checkpoint surveys is used to drive actions to improve the overall Dow experience for employees across the Company, as well as to support continuous improvement in leader effectiveness.
At December 31, 2021, the Company permanently employed approximately 35,700 people on a full-time basis.
* U.S. Minority includes employees who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or two or more races. Employees who self-identify as White are considered U.S. Non-Minority.
Additional information regarding Dow’s human capital measures can be found in the Company's annual Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Report, as well as Dow's U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Report (EEO-1), accessible through the Inclusion and Diversity webpage at www.dow.com/diversity . Dow’s website and its content are not deemed incorporated by reference into this report.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
The Company engages in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance primarily through its Liana Limited subsidiaries.
19
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
Set forth below is information related to the Company's executive officers as of February 4, 2022:
Name, Age Present Position with Registrant Year Elected as Executive Officer of Dow Inc. Other Business Experience since January 1, 2017
Jack Broodo, 63 President, Feedstocks & Energy 2020 Dow Inc.: President, Feedstocks & Energy since February 2020; Business President, Feedstocks & Energy from April 2019 to February 2020.
TDCC: President, Feedstocks & Energy since February 2020; Business President, Feedstocks & Energy from February 2016 to February 2020.
Karen S. Carter, 51 Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer 2019 Dow Inc.: Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer since April 2019.
TDCC: Chief Human Resources Officer since October 2018; Chief Inclusion Officer since July 2017; North America Commercial Vice President, Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics from February 2016 to July 2017.
Diego Donoso, 54 President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics 2020 Dow Inc.: President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics since February 2020; Business President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics from April 2019 to February 2020.
TDCC: President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics since February 2020; Business President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics from August 2012 to February 2020.
Ronald C. Edmonds, 64 Controller and Vice President of Controllers and Tax 2019 Dow Inc.: Controller and Vice President of Controllers and Tax since April 2019.
TDCC: Controller and Vice President since November 2009; Vice President of Tax since January 2016.
Jim Fitterling, 60 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer 2018 Dow Inc.: Chairman since April 2020; Chief Executive Officer since August 2018.
TDCC: Chairman since April 2020; Chief Executive Officer since July 2018; President and Chief Operating Officer from February 2016 to July 2018.
Mauro Gregorio, 59 President, Performance Materials & Coatings 2020 Dow Inc.: President, Performance Materials & Coatings since February 2020; Business President, Performance Materials & Coatings from April 2019 to February 2020.
TDCC: President, Performance Materials & Coatings since February 2020; Business President, Consumer Solutions from January 2016 to February 2020.
Jane M. Palmieri, 52 President, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure 2020 Dow Inc.: President, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure since February 2020; Business President, Polyurethanes and Chlor-Alkali & Vinyl from April 2019 to February 2020.
TDCC: President, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure since February 2020; Business President, Polyurethanes and Chlor-Alkali & Vinyl from April 2018 to February 2020; Business President, Polyurethanes and Chlor-Alkali from October 2016 to April 2018; Business President, Building and Construction from June 2013 to April 2018.
John M. Sampson, 61 Senior Vice President, Operations, Manufacturing & Engineering 2021 Dow Inc.: Senior Vice President, Operations, Manufacturing & Engineering since October 2020.
Olin Corporation: Executive Vice President, Business Operations from April 2019 to September 2020; Vice President, Business Operations from October 2015 to April 2019.
A. N. Sreeram, 54 Senior Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Technology Officer 2019 Dow Inc.: Senior Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Technology Officer since April 2019.
TDCC: Chief Technology Officer since October 2015; Senior Vice President of Research & Development since August 2013.
Howard Ungerleider, 53 President and Chief Financial Officer 2018 Dow Inc.: President and Chief Financial Officer since August 2018.
TDCC: Chief Financial Officer since October 2014; President since July 2018; Vice Chairman from October 2015 to July 2018.
Amy E. Wilson, 51 General Counsel and Corporate Secretary 2018 Dow Inc.: General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since April 2019; Secretary from August 2018 to April 2019.
TDCC: General Counsel since October 2018; Corporate Secretary since February 2015; Associate General Counsel from April 2017 to September 2018; Assistant General Counsel from February 2015 to April 2017; Director of the Office of the Corporate Secretary from August 2013 to October 2018.
20
Table of Contents