Silicon material specialist opens Middle East ops

Dow Corning worked with structural engineers on the Burj Dubai.

The international manufacturer of silicon-based building materials Dow Corning has established a Middle East HQ in the Bahraini capital of Manama, with a formal inauguration held on Thursday.

The office will house engineers, chemists and the sales department, with large-scale growth expected over the next year.

“The Middle East is growing rapidly and quickly diversifying its business footprint,” said Dow Corning’s chairman, president and CEO Dr. Stephanie Burns.

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“We recognise the region’s growing impact on the global economy and are now better positioned to share the benefits of Dow Corning’s silicon-based materials and technology to help the region continue to grow and compete in the global economy over the long-term.”

Dow Corning has been active in the region for many years prior to opening its own premises, providing products for several developments, including the Burj Dubai.

The company worked closely with the building’s structural engineers to ensure it could withstand the region’s high winds and extreme heat, amongst the biggest challenges in regional construction.

“We have done extremely well to grow our business in this region in the last few years, even when servicing from afar. Now is our chance to drive business forward through both Dow Corning and our XIAMETER® brands,” said Dow Corning president of Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Jean-Paul Mollie.

“With the special challenges of high temperatures, sand and wind, there will be no end of uses for the incredible silicon atom in this area. The potential is yet to be realised."

“[We] will have better access to local knowledge and a better understanding of the needs of the people and businesses in the region. Developing links and collaborations with academic institutions in the region will become essential and we will work alongside local governments to help fill the skill gap in local labor forces and teach and develop nearby communities.”

The Bahrain HQ follows the opening of other new offices in Russia and Vietnam, as Dow Corning seeks to expand globally.