The Dow Chemical Company said Tuesday that it was raising prices for the second time in a month to offset a “relentless rise” in energy costs, a sign that companies may increasingly have to pass on price increases to their customers.

The increase of as much as 25 percent — the largest in the company’s history — comes after a 20 percent rise last month that the company said did not go far enough given the continuing surge in energy prices.

Dow, which makes products ranging from pesticides to plastic wraps, also said it would impose freight surcharges of $300 for each truck shipment and $600 for each rail shipment beginning Aug. 1 in the United States. In addition, it will scale back production in plants across North America and Europe.

Andrew N. Liveris, the company’s chairman and chief executive, said the changes were “extremely unwelcome but entirely unavoidable” as oil and natural gas continue to set records. Oil prices are up more than 40 percent this year and have risen $9 a barrel since Dow’s earlier price increase. Natural gas is up more than 70 percent this year.