From shenkin.,at,.still3.chem.columbia.edu  Wed Jan  5 14:56:37 1994
Received: from mailhub.cc.columbia.edu  for shenkin&$at$&still3.chem.columbia.edu
	by www.ccl.net (8.6.4/930601.1506) id OAA29828; Wed, 5 Jan 1994 14:11:37 -0500
Received: from still3.chem.columbia.edu by mailhub.cc.columbia.edu with SMTP id AA14922
  (5.65c+CU/IDA-1.4.4/HLK for chemistry*- at -*ccl.net); Wed, 5 Jan 1994 14:11:29 -0500
Received: by still3.chem.columbia.edu (930416.SGI/930416.SGI.AUTO)
	for  %-% at %-% cunixf.cc.columbia.edu:chemistry %-% at %-% ccl.net id AA03958; Wed, 5 Jan 94 14:10:52 -0500
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 94 14:10:52 -0500
From: shenkin ^at^ still3.chem.columbia.edu (Peter Shenkin)
Message-Id: <9401051910.AA03958 ^%at%^ still3.chem.columbia.edu>
To: lhuber #at# ncsa.ncsa.uiuc.edu (Lee Huber), chemistry #at# ccl.net
Subject: re: What are the "Dow"s and what are the "Du Pont"s ???


> From: lhuber #at# ncsa.uiuc.edu (Lee Huber)

> As a recent retiree from and consultant to the Dow Chemical Company, I will
> try to give you a little information about the "Dows".
....
> Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, MI:  A 50-50 joint venture between Dow
> Chemical and Corning Glass companies....

Now for a little bit on the Cornings.  Corning Glass has been a real
innovator in the glass industry.  In the 1930's, Corning scientists 
developed several new products made from glass, and commercialized 
them by means of joint venture:

	Owens-Corning:  joint venture with Owens-Illinois to 
	  commercialize fibrous glass ("Fibreglas", TM). I used to 
	  work for Owens-Corning (except I was an expert on asphalt --
	  don't ask; it's a long story. :-) )
	Dow-Corning: joint venture with Dow Chemical to commercialize
	  silicones (perhaps the original discoveries were due to
	  Dow in this case;  I don't know)
	Pittsburgh-Corning: joint venture with PPG (I think) to
	  commercialize foamed glass (used for high-temp. insulation;
	  made, I think, by dumping graphite into a glass melt, where 
	  it forms CO2;  hmmm -- there must be the equivalent of an
	  emulsifier to stabilize the foam....)

I think there was also a joint venture to commercialize those glass
bricks seen on the facades of art-deco buildings on the Grand
Concourse and West End Avenue, but if so, I don't know its name.

Of course, getting a little closer to home, Corning now owns Biosym, 
but this was an acquisition, not a joint venture.

	Yours in Corporate History,
	-P.

********** "Democracy:  The theory that the common people know what *********  
******** they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."  (Mencken) ********
Peter S. Shenkin, Box 768 Havemeyer Hall, Dept. of Chemistry, Columbia Univ.,
New York, NY  10027;     shenkin- at -still3.chem.columbia.edu;     (212) 854-5143