Dow to Shut UK Silicone Monomer Plant in 2026, Reshaping Glob
Keywords: Dow silicone plant shutdown, global silicone supply chain, silicone monomer capacity, overseas silicone production cut, China silicone export advantage
Key Sentence: Dow Chemical’s permanent closure of its UK silicone monomer unit accelerates global silicone capacity shifting to China and brings huge alternative opportunities for domestic silicone manufacturers.
Dow Chemical officially announced it will permanently shut down its 145,000-ton annual silicone monomer production facility in Wales, UK in mid-2026. High long-term European natural gas costs and aging equipment are the core reasons for the production halt. ICIS data shows global non-Chinese silicone capacity will reduce by 220,000 tons in 2026, accounting for 12% of overseas total output. As China holds 77.3% of the world’s silicone monomer capacity, overseas downstream buyers are speeding up verification of Chinese high-purity silicone intermediates, silicone gum and LSR raw materials. Domestic silicone enterprises with complete upstream and downstream chains gain obvious order growth, while mid-end silicone raw material export business enters a golden substitution window.
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