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

The proposed facility will 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 (Mena) 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, says a spokesman for the company.

“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.

High-performance Dow Filmtec membranes from Dow Water and 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 sea water RO plant is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest RO seawater desalination plants and utilises Filmtec membrane elements.

Dow is committed to investing for growth in Saudi Arabia. This announcement builds on the recent decision by company and Saudi Aramco to form Sadara Chemical Company, a joint venture to build and operate a world-scale, fully-integrated chemicals complex in Jubail Industrial City.