The Dow Chemical Company today announced plans to invest in a best-in-class manufacturing facility for Dow Filmtec reverse osmosis (RO) elements in Saudi Arabia.

“Dow has a 50-year history of innovation and market leadership in the water industry. Saudi Arabia and nearby emerging markets represent a tremendous opportunity for Dow. Our plan is to complement our commercial presence with a manufacturing footprint, thereby bringing us closer to regional customers and strengthening the global competitiveness of our water business,” said Jerome Peribere, Dow executive vice president and president and chief executive officer, Dow Advanced Materials.

The proposed facility would deliver local supply security of cutting-edge technologies for water desalination and water re-use for potable, non-potable and industrial water serving Saudi Arabia, the surrounding Middle East and North Africa region and emerging markets worldwide. Additionally, these water membrane technologies will deliver cost-savings through reduced energy usage and superior operational efficiencies for customers in desalination, industrial, municipal, commercial and residential sectors, he said.

High-performance Dow Filmtec membranes from Dow Water & Process Solutions are used in some of the most water-challenged areas of the world, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Algeria. The Shoaiba Barge SeaWater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plant is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest RO seawater desalination plants and utilises Filmtec membrane elements.

Modern water treatment technology allows industrial economies to advance while minimizing water requirements. Over the years, improvements in Dow Filmtec RO membrane elements have provided a three-fold increase in the amount of treated water per element while reducing energy costs in desalination and other water purification and re-use projects around the world, a statement said.

Desalination plants with Dow technology produce hundreds of million gallons of freshwater per day in many sites around the globe, contributing to Dow’s overarching goal to further reduce the cost and energy-intensity of seawater desalination.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a key market for Dow Water & Process Solutions. This new proposed world-class facility will increase our ability to deliver the most advanced, affordable and sustainable water sourcing and treatment options for desalination, wastewater treatment, and other applications,” said Dr Ilham Kadri, commercial director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Dow Water & Process Solutions. “Dow is committed to the vital water conservation
and purification needs of the region, and to combatting water shortages that limit economic development.” – TradeArabia News Service