Dow To Sell Plastic Line, Close Texas Units

SANDY SHORE

DENVER (AP) — Dow Chemical Co. said Thursday it will sell a hollow sphere plastic pigment product line to specialty chemicals maker Omnova Solutions Inc. and close two production units at a Texas plant.

Dow said styrene monomer and ethylbenzene production at the Freeport, Texas, site will close by the end of the year.

About 60 employees will be affected, with about one-half reassigned to other positions, company spokesman David Winder said. Others are expected to retire and the rest will be laid off.

The two chemicals are part of the basic chemicals market that has been heavily affected by price fluctuations in crude oil.

The closures are part of a restructuring plan announced in June shortly after Midland, Mich.-based Dow completed its $16.5 billion acquisition of Rohm & Haas Co.

Dow's goal is to shift more of its business toward specialty chemicals, which are used in products like cosmetics and food additives, and work with partners to fill basic chemical needs.