LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/
-- Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced it has signed a
long-term contract with Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.
and will build, own and operate the largest on-site air separation
unit (ASU) order ever awarded to an industrial gas company.
The facility, to be located in Yulin, Shaanxi Province, China, will include multiple ASU trains and
produce 12,000 tons per day (TPD) of oxygen and significant tonnage
volumes of nitrogen and compressed dry air for Shaanxi's coal chemical plant. The Air
Products ASU trains are scheduled to be operational in 2014.
"We are honored to have reached this milestone and to supply
this very large industrial gas demand for Shaanxi Future Energy
Chemical Company. We believe our worldwide track record of
industrial gas facility safety and production reliability was
important to gaining this long-term contract. Winning this new
order allows Air Products to supply two important customers, both
located in Shaanxi Province, from
the two largest ASU train orders ever awarded to an industrial gas
company," 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.
In 2010, Air Products had announced, what at that time, was the
largest single ASU on-site order ever committed to an industrial
gas company. Scheduled to be operational in mid-2013 in
Weinan, Shaanxi Province,
China, that facility includes
three ASU trains producing over 8,200 TPD of oxygen, over 3,100 TPD
of nitrogen, and over 375 TPD of compressed dry air, along with
producing liquid products for the merchant market.
The industrial gases produced by Air Products' ASUs and supplied
to Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Company at Yulin will be used to
help produce one million tons per year of oil products. The
ASU trains are to include design enhancements to minimize operating
costs through energy efficiency. Technology advancements and
other productivity improvements support Air Products' overall
sustainability goals of reducing energy consumption and
emissions. "We have worked hard to develop the lowest cost
and newest advanced technology ASU facilities to serve our
customers with energy efficiencies that benefit their operations
and the environment," said Jones.
"We are pleased to sign the ASU gases supply contract with Air
Products today. We believe that through close cooperation
with Air Products, we can build and operate a world class coal
chemical plant," said Qiwen Sun,
general manger of Shaanxi Future Energy Chemicals Co., Ltd.
Shaanxi Future Energy Company was established in 2011. It
is jointly-owned by YanKuang Coal Group (50%), Yanzhou Coal Co.,
Ltd. (25%) and Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group (25%).
Today's China contract award
news follows Air Products' Sept. 26
announcement of a project in Nanjing, China where the company will build, own and
operate another ASU in the Nanjing Chemicals Industrial Park to
supply industrial gases under long-term contract. Air
Products will also operate an integrated liquefier to significantly
increase the supply of liquid products for the growing merchant
liquid industrial gas market in the region. The Nanjing operations are scheduled to be
operational in 2013. It will be the third Air Products' ASU
operating at this location.
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.
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 2011, Air Products had revenues of
$10.1 billion, operations in over 40
countries, and 18,900 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,
2011.
SOURCE Air Products