Dow has announced a big plan called "Transform to Outperform" to simplify its operations and improve how it works. The goal is to make its processes more efficient and cost-effective while better serving customers. The company aims to add at least USD 2 billion in earnings by using AI and industrial automation to boost productivity and growth, which will help increase returns for shareholders.
The company has set up a special team to guide this transformation and expects most of the benefits to come from making operations more efficient, with some growth added on top. Dow also expects to spend around USD 1.1 to USD 1.5 billion in one-time costs, including paying severance for about 4,500 jobs.
Dow is a major materials science company that works in industries like packaging, infrastructure, and consumer goods. It operates in 29 countries and employs around 34,600 people. In 2025, Dow made about USD 40 billion in sales.
Executive Statement
According to Karen S. Carter, Dow's chief operating officer, the goal of Transform to Outperform is to achieve significant growth and productivity gains that elevate Dow's competitive position. They are building on the momentum of their current self-help measures – transforming Dow into a company that is more resilient, consistently delivers growth, enables customer success, and delivers greater shareholder value across the cycle.
According to Jim Fitterling, Dow chair and CEO, the transformation to Outperform will drive significant simplification in how work gets done, aimed at ensuring Dow's continued global leadership. By adopting best-in-class, cross-industry processes as well as leading-edge technologies, this work will further accelerate measures they have already taken to address the prolonged trough and structural industry challenges. Their efforts will build on Dow's strong focus on safe as well as reliable operations while driving increased accountability and continuous improvement. This work aims to deliver improved growth, productivity and shareholder returns.