US-based chemicals major Dow has announced plans to eliminate about 4,500 positions worldwide as part of a sweeping restructuring programme aimed at restoring profitability and strengthening long-term competitiveness amid a prolonged industry slowdown.
The workforce reduction forms a core pillar of a broader transformation strategy designed to improve operational efficiency, streamline manufacturing networks and reduce structural costs. The company is targeting significant improvements in earnings through tighter capital discipline, supply chain optimisation and sharper portfolio focus, as weak industrial demand and pricing pressures continue to weigh on margins.
Dow said the restructuring would involve simplifying organisational layers, consolidating production assets and accelerating automation, while protecting investment in high-growth segments and innovation-led businesses. The measures are expected to result in substantial one-time charges related to severance, asset rationalisation and operational realignment.
The move reflects broader stress across the global chemicals sector, where subdued construction activity, slowing manufacturing output and cautious consumer demand have curbed growth across packaging, polymers, specialty chemicals and industrial materials.
Industry executives note that companies are increasingly recalibrating capacity and workforce structures to align with a more uncertain economic environment, rising energy costs and evolving trade patterns.
Dow operates a vast international manufacturing and commercial footprint spanning infrastructure, packaging, consumer care, mobility and industrial solutions. Company leaders said the restructuring is intended to enhance resilience, strengthen cash flows and reposition the business for sustainable performance as global markets undergo structural change.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/dow-to-cut-4-500-jobs-in-global-restructuring-drive-591372