Dow Chemical To Make Significant Investment In Institute Plant

The Dow Chemical Company announced today that its Water Soluble Polymers business unit will increase focus on paint and oilfield applications with enhancements to certain manufacturing processes and capacity additions for CELLOSIZETM hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) in Institute, W.Va. The $20 million investment underscores Dow’s commitment to various industrial specialty applications and will yield an additional 5 million pounds each year, along with numerous process improvements which will lead to energy cost savings of more than $3 million per year. The multi-phase project is anticipated to be completed during the first half of 2009.

Accounting Firm Merger Could Create 100 New Jobs

Simpson & Osborne, a Charleston-based accounting firm, has announced it will join with North Carolina-based Dixon Hughes, the largest accounting company in the Southeast. The merger could create up to 100 more jobs in the next three years. S&O now has about 70 employees. Most work in the home office on the top floor of Chase Plaza on Virginia Street. About 10 work in a second office in Morgantown.