Dow launches silicone processing aid as fluoropolymer alternative for film packaging

Dow has introduced DOWSIL 5-1050 Polymer Processing Aid, a silicone-based additive developed for blown film and stretch film applications. Announced on 4 November 2025 from Shanghai, the product is positioned as an alternative to conventional fluoropolymer processing aids at a time when the market is looking for fluorine-free options for film packaging. According to Dow (NYSE: DOW), the additive is designed to raise processing efficiency while addressing regulatory, environmental and consumer expectations, and it performs particularly well in reducing melt fracture and limiting die build-up when running linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE).

Mubashir Ansari, a technical service and development scientist at Dow, notes that fluoropolymer processing aids have long served most film applications and other processes well. As those fluorine-based options are phased out of the market, however, film processors need replacements that deliver comparable results. Ansari says Dow drew on its expertise in silicones and polyethylene to bring a solution to market that meets regulatory requirements without sacrificing performance, and that pairing this innovation with the company's global supply position and local technical support is intended to help packaging customers keep moving forward as market conditions shift.

DOWSIL 5-1050 uses polyethylene as its carrier and incorporates a silicone component. It is supplied as a masterbatch so it can be fed directly into existing extrusion lines, and Dow reports the technology has been validated at industrial scale with stable results. Reported benefits include less melt fracture and lower film haze, which supports smoother surfaces, better transparency and improved visual quality; reduced die build-up, which cuts downtime and scrap; and lower die pressure, which supports extrusion efficiency. On food contact, Dow states the formulation is intended to comply with the requirements of EU 10/2011 and US FDA 21 CFR 174.5. The additive can be dry blended or melt blended with LLDPE resin.

Dow says DOWSIL 5-1050 is available in sample quantities and at commercial scale, so converters can trial it on existing lines before committing to full production runs. The company describes decades of experience in blending, extrusion and the introduction of silicone additives into plastic systems, and frames this launch as part of a wider effort to help packaging move toward safer, more sustainable materials. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 30 countries, employs roughly 36,000 people worldwide and reported sales of about US$43 billion in 2024.

For overseas buyers sourcing flexible packaging from China, the shift away from fluoropolymer processing aids is worth tracking at the converter level rather than the resin level. Fluorine-free additives can change how a film behaves in extrusion, and that can carry through to heat seal performance, barrier consistency and print registration on gravure printing lines — all of which matter in liquid packaging pouch formats such as spout pouches, bag-in-box (BIB) structures, valve pouches and laminated roll film. If your supplier is transitioning its additive package, ask about requalification of seal strength, clarity, coefficient of friction and food-grade compliance. Mono-material structures and fluorine-free processing are increasingly part of tenders, so it pays to confirm early that film quality and output hold steady. Our own operations are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.