Dow Chemical (Midland, Michigan / USA; www.dow.com) has earmarked two of its plastics-related businesses for divestment as part of a plan to shed “slow growth” activities worth USD 1.5 bn over the next 18 months. On the chopping block are the propylene licensing and catalyst business units, part of its Union Carbide subsidiary, and the plastics additives business unit.

Technologies the first unit licenses includes the processes “Unipol” for PP, “Consista”, “D7000 Donor” and “SHAC” catalyst with Advanced Donor Technology (ADT). The plastics additives business supplies products used in a variety of applications ranging from construction materials and packaging containers to consumer appliances and electronics, business machines and automotive parts.

The plans are “yet another proof point of Dow's rigorous focus on return on capital and squarely in line with commitments made earlier this year,” said CEO Andrew Liveris. The US chemical giant is reviewing its entire portfolio, the CEO said, “selectively pruning assets that are no longer a strategic or financial fit.”

Since 2009, Dow has divested non-core businesses with revenue of around USD 8 bn. In January of this year it sold the stabilisers portfolio of the plastics additives business to PMC Group (Mount Laurel, New Jersey; www.pmc-group.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 05.02.2013 – and agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Japanese joint venture Nippon Unicar Company to TonenGeneral Group (Tokyo; www.tonengeneral.co.jp/english).