Customer Reviews

Forty Years of Firsts: A Recollections of a Dow Corning Pioneer

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No other book really covers the history of Dow Corning and its people as well as this book. It is strongest in describing the exciting early years which formed the essential foundation, in technology as well as key personnel. Anyone who has participated in a startup business in technology will relate to this story and to the founding group of men who teamed together to create what today is still the world's largest silicone manufacturer. Very heady times. And the author was an insider to all these exciting times, as well as a major tech contributor. If anything, he is modest in describing his role. They truly were giants in this field of human endeavor.

The book is weakest in covering more recent years. Altho printed in 1990, it was not much updated after 1984. And Dr. Warrick had retired about 10 years before that, so he had to rely on others for his info.

In the last decade, the silicone breast implant class action litigation has bankrupted the company as well as besmirched its proud reputation. But even long before that, it underwent internal changes which gradually reduced technical innovation and retarded really new markets from being developed.

It is no accident that the founders were retiring (as did author Warrick)in the early 1970s, and the classic "organizational life cycle" took place. The risktaking founders who built it were being replaced with "polished professionals" who maintained it. However, these transitions weakened the incentives to really innovate, and their more formal systems created opportunities to "game the system". Gradually, the once-productive technology base and entrepeneurial business approach was lost and risk-averse mediocrity filled in. Dow Corning was one of many US corporations "hollowed out" during the stagflation 1970s. Technical progress was mostly "extrapolation of trend". Most of the market growth was merely greater geographical coverage of the same time-proven products and applications or uses pioneered in the US.

In lieu of really new growth, many corporations tried the Merger & Acquisitions game...but most such ventures later on are revealed to be either outright losers or at best to dilute the earnings. Such was true of Dow Corning's infatuation with the soft contact lens business, in which > $100MM reportedly was lost. Note that some of the other "achievements" listed for the 70s-80s were are now in hindsight really failed hopes & dreams.

Aggregate sales growth since 1992 is nil. Many could say this is a natural maturing process. Others may more cynically say that, after the founding generation retired, "show horses" who played politics were rewarded more than "work horses" who minded the store & got results....leading to a sort of Gresham's Law, wherein bad money drives out good, being applied. Whatever the organizational dynamics, these were changes after the author had retired. He relied upon his firsthand knowledge for the first 80% of the book's pages, which rings true to me, & on others (who tended to put forth the official party line)in the last 20%, which I believe to be least reliable.

Overall, the book gives a good picture of the exciting early times when "anything was possible" in a great enterprise. Dr. Warrick has captured that spirit well, as well as the men who made this great technology and business.

As a 12-year Dow Corning employee(1966-1978),your reviewer experienced the transitional phase. Coming straight out of college, it was a great place to learn by others' example & by doing, and I've never regretted the preparation I got there. Nor do I regret leaving when I did, when the game had changed. The entrepeneurial skills were transferrable. Now in my retirement, I stay in touch with several friends who have finished their careers & retired from Dow Corning. All appreciate the great times while they lasted. I recommend the book to any who have worked for or with Dow Corning, as its suppliers or customers.