Success Story of DOW

Herbert Henry Dow

Although the beginning of DOW is dated back to 1897, the success story of DOW is very interesting. It was founded by dedicated chemical industrialist Herbert Henry Dow. He showed his capabilities of innovation by making an incubator for chicken eggs before he was 12. After several years his father and he innovated a small steam turbine for US Navy. After graduating from high school he enrolled into Case School of Applied Science (Now it is known as Case Western Reserve University). After he completed his education he began research on Brine. He found that several samples those were collected from Canton, Ohio and Midland, Michigan were very rich in bromine. At that time bromine was a essential chemical as ingredient in medicines and was used heavily in the photographic industry. In 1889, Dow won his first patent for his more cost-effective and streamlined process for extracting bromine from brine. In 1890 he began the Midland Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan with his enthusiastic friends. Herbert Henry Dow did not satisfy by simple R&Ds. He wanted to do complex researches on electrolysis to yield other chemicals from brine. But the financial backers on Midland did not approve of his dedicated research and fired him from the Company.

Herbert Henry Dow continued his researches in Ohio & finally he developed a process to extract chlorine and caustic soda from sodium chloride & established the DOW chemical company. After three years of dedicated business progress DOW was able to acquire Midland Chemical Company. Do you think the DOW began to success? No another threat came across DOW.

A government-supported German bromine cartel, Bromkonvention began to sell bromine which was the main product of DOW at a very low cost than DOW price. This was planed tactic to eliminate DOW from US industry. But the DOW Company did not vanish. The used their agents and brought all most all bromine and resell them in Germany. Finally German bromine cartel, Bromkonvention realized the truth & DOW won the battle.

Now DOW is the second largest chemical company in world. It is known as Chemical Companies’ Chemical Company.

The most interesting thing is in Sri Lanka; we reject Brine & pump it back into Sea without getting any use out of it. But DOW used it before hundred of years ago and now their in top tire of business world.

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chemical manufacturer, salt brine, dow chemicals, dow, process chemical, process technology, process production, dow companies, strategic planning success, management success, dow market