Xiameter adds silicone elastomers to range

ERJ staff report (DS)

London -- Xiameter -- the web-only trading arm of Dow Corning -- has added silicone elastomers to its range of products, and is soon to add a range of other options for buyers who need minimal technical support.

The company announced a new trading platform in London today which makes all Dow Corning's "standard" products available through the Xiameter web interface, and permits customers to buy in smaller volumes than previously associated with the Xiameter brand. The interface will be launched later this summer and will eventually be available in English, Chinese and Korean languages.

Klaus Hoffmann, commercial director of Xiameter, Europe, said that the Xiameter is interface designed to deliver service around the clock to those customers who wish to buy products with minimal technical service. He said all Dow Corning's standard products would be available. He noted, however, that it depends on how a 'standard' product is defined. In general, he said, this includes products which are relatively mature in their life cycle, where customers have a choice of suppliers, and make the purchasing decision mainly on price. All such products will sold through the Xiameter interface, he said.

Historically, Xiameter has focussed on large accounts and volumes of truckloads. Thuis precluded many silicone elastoemrs and almost all liquid silicone elastomers. From the launch of the new portal, however, the smaller volume options and the greater maturity of the elastoimer products means that now many grades of HC rubber and LS rubber will be available through Xiameter.

The company was keen to highlight that the Xiameter brand is focussed around efficiency and cost-down, while the Dow Corning brand is focussed around innovation and change. Products which are still in the early phase of commercialisation will remain under the Dow Corning umbrella until they reach a certain stage of maturity, when they will switch to the Xiameter brand.

Where Dow Corning offers full technical support, based on traditional face-to-face andf telephone support, Xiameter offers web-based technical support. Hoffmann noted however that in parts of the developing world, Xiameter will offer limited face-to-face support, especially for first-time customers and new business.

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Press releasefrom Dow Corning / Xiameter