Dow Delfzijl

Dow Delfzijl is, for now, Dow's largest Isocyanate production site worldwide. The three distillation towers are used to separate Methylene Diphenyl di-Isocyanate (MDI), an important basic raw material for polyurethane, for further processing as a basic raw material for the polyurethane industry.

On this webpage you can find information about how we work safely at Dow Delfzijl, what products are made, transportation and packaging, etc.

At Dow, protecting people and the environment is part of everything we do and every decision we make. To ensure the safety of all people working at Dow Delfzijl and its immediate surroundings, a number of important ground rules apply. We have laid these down in Procedures and Policies.

The most important rules for working safely at Dow Delfzijl are:

• Wearing personal protective equipment is mandatory in the plant.
  
• I know that accident-free work is possible and do everything I can to achieve it.
• During operations, people regularly conduct workplace observations.
• In case of an imminent emergency situation, an alarm is immediately raised. Everyone working in the field should know these signals and their meaning.

• I am responsible for my own safety and that of my colleagues.
  
• I know that accident-free work is possible and do everything I can to achieve it.
  
• I work proactively to prevent unsafe work.
  
• I maintain a safe workplace and report unsafe situations.
  
• I comply with all legal and Dow safety requirements.
• I actively participate in all programs that improve safety.
• I report every (near) incident, as part of my personal EH&S behavior.
• I ensure proper preparation for jobs where safe execution is always paramount.
• I assist new colleagues in safety thinking while performing their jobs.
• I know the latest departmental procedures, apply them and improve them where necessary.

In Delfzijl, Dow produces Methylene Diphenyl di-Isocyanate (MDI), an important basic raw material for polyurethane.

When naphtha is cracked, one of the products is Benzene. Benzene is converted to Aniline, which is then converted back to crude MDI. This is done at Dow plants in Böhlen - Germany, Stade - Germany and Estarreja - Portugal.

The crude MDI is separated in Delfzijl via distillation into Monomeric MDI and Polymeric MDI.

These end products for Delfzijl are further processed as the basis for foams, elastomers, adhesives and coatings. Applications can be found everywhere including car dashboards, mattresses, sports shoes, sports hall floors, garden chairs and various insulation materials.

Dow Terneuzen fulfills a hub function for all Dow locations in the Benelux. In concrete terms, this means that Dow Delfzijl uses support that Dow Terneuzen provides us. Examples of these services are: EHS&S support, IT support, providing training including safety, support on environmental related issues and public affairs support.

With 16 plants, Dow Terneuzen is Dow's second largest production site worldwide. Terneuzen is also the central hub for Dow support services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. These services are located in the Diamond Center adjacent to the production site in Terneuzen.

The Value Park, on the west side of Dow Terneuzen, covers 140 hectares and is geared toward companies with a clear added value to the chemical industry. Its favorable location is attractive to companies: the park has direct connections to rail, road networks and international waterways. In addition, the park is connected to Dow by a pipeline bundle. A location at the Valuepark is interesting for Dow Benelux customers and suppliers, and for companies involved in the storage, packaging or distribution of Dow's products.

A number of storage and transshipment companies, such as Ravago and Katoen Natie, are already located at the park. In addition, Evos is located at the Valuepark and Bertschi operates a rail terminal.

The raw materials for Dow Delfzijl are delivered by boat, which sails continuously between Stade (Germany) - Delfzijl - Estarreja (Portugal) to keep the plant supplied with raw materials. Some raw material is also transported by truck from Stade to Delfzijl.

After distillation, the product can be transported in various ways. Part is packed in drums and IBCs at the Chemical Handling Department (CHD).

The product is stored and shipped above 38°C or frozen. This is to prevent degradation of the product.

The other part of the product is disposed of in containers; this is handled by Bertschi, which has a terminal next to the plant. Some of this is transported by road and some by rail.