At the World Economic Forum in Davos / Switzerland, Dow Chemical (Midland, Michigan / USA; www.dow.com) and two of its affiliates signed a memorandum of Intent (MOI) with Russian state-owned high tech think-tank and financing vehicle Rusnano (Moscow; www.en.rusnano.com) and Holding Company Composite (HCC, www.hhcccomposite.com/en) to develop a strategy for jointly producing carbon fibre intermediates and composites in Russia. The potential partners plan to explore opportunities for these products in the fields of aerospace, infrastructure, energy, oil & gas and transportation in Russia and globally.

The new agreement follows a 2011 memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Dow and Rusnano, covering potential products in energy efficiency, infrastructure, lightweight materials and life sciences as well as a plan for Dow’s Turkish joint venture DowAksa (Istanbul; www.dowaksa.com) to consider manufacturing carbon fibre in Russia. Dow Europe Holding and leading acrylic fibre manufacturer Aksa Akrylik Kimya (Istanbul / Turkey; www.aksa.com) created the 50:50 jv in 2011 to produce carbon fibre – see Plasteurope.com of 06.07.2012.

With realisation of the latest plans, the Dow group would be expected to invest in two affiliates of Rusnano and HCC, Prepreg-ACM and Nanotechnology Center of Composites. Leonid Melamed, CEO of HCC, said he believed his company will be able to reach a strategic agreement with DowAksa during 2013 and promote products in Russia, the CIS and international markets.