Dutchman at home in Shanghai

Jeroen Bloemhard, China chief of Dow Corning.[Provided to China Daily]

Jeroen Bloemhard, Dow Corning's China head, believes further penetration of silicones will drive tremendous business growth

Last year, when Dow Corning, the US-based silicone maker, offered a second chance to work in Shanghai and head its China operations, Jeroen Bloemhard took... not a long time but no time at all to decide.

"I love China. When I heard that I had the opportunity to come back again, it was a less-than-one-second decision. I have lived in many cities but never for as long as I have lived in Shanghai. Now, Shanghai is pretty much my home," said the Dutchman.

His first posting to China was in 2003 when he was based in Shanghai and built the company's presence in the electronics industry of the Chinese mainland.

When I met him for this piece, he was in a dark suit with a tie, wearing a Chinese jade bracelet with a red string. "My wife made it for me. This jade is actually a monkey figure. 'Year of the Monkey' is my birth year. I wear it every day, it's very cool."

A 22-year veteran of Dow Corning, Bloemhard began his career at the company as a marketing assistant. So far, he has held various leadership positions in Shanghai, Tokyo and Michigan.

Ranging from the chip of the LEDs on mobile phones, which is encapsulated with silicone materials, to the straps and bracelets of wearable devices, many daily necessities are made of Dow Corning silicones.

Besides, the company has its silicone products in the braking systems, lighting systems and air bags of cars, in addition to face creams, lipstick and shampoo.

His biggest achievement since taking over as head of China operations a year ago has been "the continuous, strong and ongoing growth for Dow Corning in China".

As the Chinese economy enters a slower and more sustainable growth phase driven by domestic consumption, the services sector, especially the segment of innovation, opens up opportunities for global companies such as Dow Corning, he said.

"The government's interest in the automotive, healthcare, electronics and high-performance buildings are very much aligned with Dow Corning's focus of interest. I think that we are only partially into the adoption of silicone technology in China, and I have a very strong belief that the further penetration of silicones will drive tremendous growth," he said.

As a chemical company, Dow Corning has many strict safety rules that apply across its branches worldwide. For example, everyone has to hold the handrails while they are on stairs, and they are expected to be their own monitors.

"We pay great attention to safety not only at our manufacturing sites, because these are sometimes dangerous chemicals, but at our administrative buildings. Many small items of continuous attention will contribute greatly to safety across the entire organization," he said.

Besides, staff at Dow Corning are expected to knock on the door first if any door is closed. "I actually do this now at my home. This is the safety culture that really gets ingrained in my brain at Dow Corning," he said.

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