[5] On November 13, 2014, The Dow Chemical Company's former CEO Andrew N. Liveris revealed in a presentation to investors that Corning Incorporated intended to exit the joint venture of 71 years, citing other priorities.

In recent years, the company has expanded production of solar cells, particularly through its majority stake in Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, which accounts for a polysilicon franchise worth over $1 billion.

[11] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, class-action lawsuits[12] brought by tens of thousands of plaintiffs claimed that Dow Corning's silicone breast implants caused systemic health problems.

The claims first centered on breast cancer and then migrated to a range of autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and various neurological problems.

[13] As a result, Dow Corning was in bankruptcy protection for nine years, ending in June 2004[14] during which time it largely withdrew from clinical markets.