LEONARD GRAY

PHOTO: YANKING AWAY, a group of men unveil the new Dow – St. Charles Operations sign, replacing the Union Carbide sign in Taft. From left, Sheriff Greg Champagne, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rodney Lafon, Parish President Albert Laque, Rep., Gary Smith and J.M. “Mike” Rio, the new Site Leader. (Staff Photo by Leonard Gray) TAFT – Five men yanked on the cord Monday morning, and a new sign of industrial progress appeared in St. Charles Parish: Dow – St. Charles Operations. The new name replaced one long familiar, that of Union Carbide dating back to 1966 here, now totaling 1,550 employees. The new name also reflected the unifying of Union Carbide’s three facilities – Taft, Star and Cypress – under one management. Leading Dow – St. Charles Operations is J.M. “Mike” Rio. “There’s a tremendous, can-do attitude with our employees,” Rio told a group of community leaders at ceremonies Monday in Taft. The merger of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, which went through an 18-month review by the Federal Trade Commission prior to approval, establishes the third-largest Dow complex in North America and second-largest chemical corporation in the world, with 50,000 employees worldwide. Dow’s mission statement, Rio said, is: “To constantly improve what is essential to human progress by mastering science and technology.” The event brought together a number of community leaders and, in a reflection of the company’s importance to St. Charles Parish and the River Parishes, the president of the South Louisiana Port Commission (Louis Joseph), the chairman of the St. Charles Parish Council (Barry Minnich) and a member of the St. James Parish Council (James Mitchell) are all employees now of Dow. All will not be roses, though, according to Rio, who said, “There will be some downsizing and layoffs.” But these will come only after a few months of evaluation, offers for early retirements and streamlining of management. Some present employees in St. Charles Parish will also relocate to the Dow facility in Plaquemine. Rio pledged to treat all employees “with dignity.” In his 30-year career with Dow, Rio said “eight or nine” of those years have been in environmental safety, and he pledged vigilance to aim at no flares, accidents or emergencies. Union Carbide had its origins in 1876 with the establishment by Charles F. Brush of the National Carbon Co. in Ohio, which produced the first commercial arc lighting. It became the Union Carbide Co. in 1898 and incorporated in 1917. In 1890, Herbert H. Dow began the Midland Chemical Co. to manufacture bromide. He was later edged out of the company and in 1895, started the Dow Process Co. to manufacture chlorine. St. Charles Parish President Albert Laque, attending the ceremony, commented, “The industrial complex has improved the quality of life in St. Charles Parish with better schools and recreation,” and he said he looks forward to continued cooperation and community partnership in the coming years.