The Dow Chemical Company is expanding its manufacturing facilities by selecting Brazoria County, Texas, as the location for two Performance Plastics plants, creating 96 jobs and a multimillion dollar capital investment.

"We are very pleased to be further investing in Dow Texas Operations and creating new jobs in the manufacturing sector as part of our comprehensive plan to further connect our U.S. operations with cost-advantaged feedstocks available from increasing supplies of shale gas in North America," said Earl Shipp, Vice President of U.S. Gulf Coast Operations for The Dow Chemical Company. "We take great pride in doing business in Texas and we greatly appreciate the support we have received from the State as well as local government."

The state is providing $1.5 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund to close the deal on this project, which builds on a separate Dow expansion announced in April 2012. The announcement brings the value of Dow's investments in the area to $2.5 billion, and a total of 250 new jobs, Gov. Rick Perry’s Office said.

"Texas continues to attract companies looking for the best opportunity to expand or relocate because of our low taxes, smart regulations, fair courts and predictable workforce," he added. "Dow's expansion in Freeport builds on the company's significant commitment to create jobs in the area, and further boosting the local and state economies."

Dow is a worldwide manufacturer and supplier of products that go into businesses such as specialty chemicals, electronics, agrosciences and plastics. The Governor said this TEF investment will support the company's new manufacturing facilities aligned to Dow's performance plastics franchise. It will produce a range of polyolefins and elastomer products using ethylene produced at the company's new ethylene unit in Texas. These units will produce materials used in automotive, food packaging, film, and coating and construction products.

"We are thrilled that Dow has been approved for another Texas Enterprise Fund award. The confidence that the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House have shown in Dow's ability and willingness to bring quality jobs to Brazoria County is very gratifying," Robert M. Worley, president/CEO of the Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County said. "We are also extremely happy that Dow, led in Brazoria County by Earl Shipp, is once again considering Brazoria County for one of its high value, high quality expansions, thereby further solidifying Dow's decades-long leadership role in the industrial base of Brazoria County."