APD Air Products and Chemicals Inc

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE:APD) -- a globally diversified gases and chemicals company -- has supplied through its wholly owned subsidiary, Permea China Limited, PRISM(R) membrane separators in the equipment used to produce enriched oxygen for the passenger compartments on China's Qinghai-Tibet Railway, enabling a breathe-easy train journey on the world's highest highland track. Opened to the public on July 1, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the world's longest and highest highland railway. The journey from Golmud in Qinghai Province to Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region is over a 700-mile-long track, of which nearly 600 miles (or four-fifths of the track) are situated over 13,000 feet above sea level, with the highest point at over 16,500 feet. At a high altitude, the available oxygen in air is decreased and can cause breathing difficulties. Air Products has supplied its PRISM membrane separators to produce oxygen-enriched air that goes into the train passenger compartments and mixes with the air inside, resulting in an overall oxygen content of about 23 percent and enabling passengers' easier breathing at the high altitude. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the first, and currently the only, railway in the world to use this application to overcome the breathing problem at the high altitude over the long journey. "Air Products is proud to be able to participate in the Qinghai-Tibet Railway project, which is a landmark project in China that bridges Tibet, once not easily reachable, with the rest of the world," said Wilbur Mok, president of Air Products China. "We have leveraged our expertise and technology to overcome one of the main challenges -- sufficiency of oxygen -- when traveling through the Tibetan Plateau, dubbed the roof of the world." The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a landmark project in China to develop its western region. With the opening of this track, about 3,000 people can travel to Tibet by train daily, and it will contribute enormously to the region's economic growth. "Our PRISM membrane separators are selected for this project because they are reliable, simple to use and light weight," added Peter Fung, general manager of Permea China. Air Products' PRISM membranes are robust and reliable membrane separators that separate gases by permeation to produce purified oxygen and nitrogen. The PRISM line of gas generation systems supplies generated nitrogen and oxygen to more than 1,500 customers in over 30 countries worldwide and currently serves such global markets as electronics and semiconductors, food, metals processing, chemicals and energy processing. Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in technology, energy, healthcare and industrial markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of products, services and solutions, providing atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials and chemical intermediates. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices. The company has annual revenues of US$8.1 billion, operations in over 30 countries, and more than 20,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com/ or http://www.airproducts.com.cn/. ***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations. DATASOURCE: Air Products CONTACT: Media Inquiries: (Asia) Jessica Cheng, 852-2863-0585, ; (U.S.) Art George, +1-610-481-1340, ; Investor Inquiries: Phil Sproger, +1-610-481-7461, , all of Air Products Web site: http://www.airproducts.com/ http://www.airproducts.com.cn/

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