APD Air Products and Chemicals Inc

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., March 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced that it recently brought on-stream its third air separation facility (ASU) in Tangshan, Hebei Province, Northern China to supply oxygen, nitrogen and liquid argon to Tangshan Guofeng Steel Co Ltd and its other local customers. Air Products was awarded three long-term industrial gas supply contracts to support the business growth plans of Guofeng Steel. With these contracts, three ASUs adjacent to the Guofeng Steel mills were built, with the first two ASUs placed on-stream in mid-2005 and at the end of 2007, respectively. The on-site gases supplied by Air Products are used in Guofeng Steel's blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace for iron and steel making. The new ASU was designed and built primarily by Air Products' engineering center in Shanghai and its cryogenic manufacturing center in Caojing, near Shanghai. Tangshan, a major industrial city in Hebei Province, is one of the leading steel production centers in Northern China. Air Products has been supplying customers in Tangshan since 1997, and is a leading gas supplier to the steel industry in Northern China. Guofeng Steel has been an Air Products' strategic customer since 1999. The successful on-stream placement of this third ASU will support Guofeng Steel's expansion plan for steel making. Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. 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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com/. ***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations. DATASOURCE: Air Products CONTACT: Media: Jessica Cheng, +1-852-2863-0585, (Asia), or Art George, +1-610-481-1340, (US), or Investors: Nelson Squires, +1-610-481-7461, , all of Air Products Web Site: http://www.airproducts.com/

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