LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Air
Products (NYSE: APD), a leading global industrial gases and
performance materials supplier, today announced it has initiated
its third joint research and development (R&D) project with the
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering of Tianjin University in China on advanced chemical engineering
sciences. This project, which focuses on distillation and modeling
of chemical processes in engineering design technology, will be
applied to air separation and hydrocarbon processes accelerating
process development for the gases industry.
Air Products and Tianjin
University have established a longstanding R&D partnership
having signed three joint R&D agreements on advanced chemical
engineering sciences since 2005. Under these agreements, Air
Products provides funding to the University for R&D projects
engaging a number of Ph.D. and master's degree students.
In addition, Air Products has established a scholarship program
at Tianjin University for chemical
engineering students. The latest scholarships were presented on
March 18, 2011. On that day, Air
Products' representatives also visited several laboratories to
discuss further cooperation opportunities.
"We are very glad to build further partnerships with Air
Products, a global industrial gases leader in technology and
innovation. Our technology exchanges and collaborations have
brought us very good international perspectives on global trends
and developments," said Professor Yuan Xigang, director of the
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering of Tianjin University. "Air Products is also
committed to developing local talent, and we are very pleased to
see that several of our Ph.D. students are now developing their
careers at this company. We look forward to our continued
cooperation on many fronts."
In 1991, the State Key Laboratory for Chemical Engineering
established its distillation laboratory in Tianjin University, which has become the base
of fundamental and applied research in the field of distillation.
The laboratory has earned a reputation worldwide as a center of
excellence for distillation.
"Air Products is committed to developing advanced technologies
and sustainable industrial applications to support the local needs
of the high growth China market.
We have been cooperating with leading universities in China to accelerate the introduction of
innovation to the marketplace," said Monty
Alger, vice president and chief technology officer at Air
Products. "Our further cooperation with the very reputable
Tianjin University on distillation
and modeling in this latest joint R&D project will increase the
pace of air separation innovation."
Air Products was the first global industrial gas company to
establish an internal R&D capability in China when it set up its Asia Technology
Center in 2005, which is today serving key high growth market
segments in China and the rest of
Asia including performance
materials, electronics and general industries.
About Air Products
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. In fiscal 2010, Air Products had revenues of
$9 billion, operations in over 40
countries, and 18,300 employees around the globe. For more
information, visit www.airproducts.com.
About Tianjin University and
State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering
Tianjin University, established
in 1895, is the first modern university in China. More than 200,000 of students have
graduated from the Tianjin
University over its 116 years of history. Its State Key Laboratory
of Chemical Engineering focuses its research on distillation and
composite process, membrane distillation and seawater desalination
flash evaporation, bath distillation and its application, optimized
distillation process system and applied researches. For more
information, visit www.tju.edu.cn/english.
***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements
within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of
the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual
performance and financial results may differ materially from
projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking
statements because of many factors not anticipated by management,
including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its
fiscal year ended September 30,
2010.
SOURCE Air Products