LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Air
Products (NYSE: APD) today announced it will build, own and operate
an air separation unit (ASU) and integrated liquefier in the
Nanjing Chemicals Industrial Park in Nanjing, China. Air Products has won a long-term
contract to supply oxygen and nitrogen to Wison (Nanjing) Clean Energy Ltd., Inc.'s (Wison
Energy) coal to syngas gasification facility in Nanjing. Air Products will also operate
a liquefier and increase argon production to supply the growing
regional merchant liquid industrial gas market. The new
operations are to be commercial in 2013.
The new ASU will produce over 1,500 tons per day (TPD) of
gaseous oxygen and over 1,900 TPD of gaseous nitrogen. The
liquefier will more than triple Air Products' current production of
liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, and argon production will be
increased by over 40 percent for the merchant market in the
region.
"This new ASU will be the third we have built and will operate
to supply the Wison Energy facility with tonnage quantities of
industrial gases. We are pleased to grow this relationship
with Wison and believe our history of supply reliability and safety
record, among other factors, were key to winning this business. The
location of this facility and ability to increase liquid product
capacity is essential to our growing sales in this region and fits
well with our business strategy for this important market," said
Steve Jones, Air Products'
China president. Jones, a
member of the company's corporate executive committee, is based in
Shanghai as part of Air Products'
corporate strategy to support significant growth opportunities and
accelerate the company's development in emerging markets.
"Wison Energy is pleased to partner with Air Products again. As
one of the leading suppliers for coal-based gases in China, we not only supply to customers
reliable, high-quality hydrogen, CO and syngas, but also hope to
prosper together and form a long-term strategic partnership along a
successful supply chain. I believe this cooperation is an extension
of our strong relationship. It will form a solid foundation for
Wison Energy's future business development," said Liu Hongjun, President of Wison (Nanjing) Clean Energy Ltd., Inc.
Air Products currently operates two ASUs supplying Wison Energy
with tonnage amounts of industrial gases to support their
operations in the Nanjing Chemicals Industrial Park. The
initial ASUs supporting the petrochemical facility were brought
onstream in 2007 and 2009.
"The three ASUs at this site provide Air Products the
opportunity for additional customers for both tonnage gaseous
supply and to meet the needs of the growing merchant market.
It is a tremendous location for a cluster of industrial gas
manufacturing plants," said Jones. Nanjing Chemical
Industrial Park is a state-level petrochemical park in China. Located about 30 kilometers north of
Nanjing on the northern part of
the Yangtze River, the Park is a major constituent of the Nanjing
New & High Technology Industry Development Zone with superior
support of a good transportation network and logistics.
Air Products has been operating in China since 1987 and was one of the first
multinational industrial gas corporations to invest in the country.
With over 40 operating entities, 50 production facilities and 2,200
employees, the company has already established a strong market
position in China, serving a broad
range of industries.
Wison Energy is a member of Wison Group and has been in
operation since 2003. It uses coal as the feedstock and by
applying clean coal production technology, supplies high-quality
CO, methanol, H2, syngas, enriched H2 and sulfur to customers. It
is one of the leading suppliers for coal based gases in
China. Wison Group, headquartered
in Shanghai, is a diverse
conglomerate, specialized in high technology content businesses
such as engineering services, offshore and marine, clean energy,
bio-pharmaceutical and communication.
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.
***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