The Dow Chemical Company is a leading producer of plastics, chemicals, hydrocarbons, and agrochemicals. Dow was incorporated in 1897.^[1] It is the largest chemical company in the U.S. and the largest in the world (along with ExxonMobil and behind BASF). It is one of the "Big 6" Biotech Corporations, along with BASF, Bayer, Dupont, Syngenta, and Monsanto (so called because they dominate the agricultural input market -- that is, they own the world’s seed, pesticide, and biotechnology industries. 

Dow also makes "performance plastics"; including engineering plastics, polyurethanes and materials for Dow Automotive. Other products include packaging materials such as its Styrofoam brand insulation; fibers, and films. It also makes chemicals like acrylic acid; commodity chemicals (chlor-alkalies and glycol) and agrochemicals. Its Hydrocarbons and Energy unit makes olefins and aromatics, raw materials for other chemicals. Dow also owns half of silicone products maker Dow Corning.