APD Air Products and Chemicals Inc

Air Products to Build Additional Capacity to Become China's Largest Liquid Production Facility Air Products Company Further Expands to Supply South China Industrial Gas Market LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE:APD) through its company Southern Air Products (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., will increase the investment at its air separation facility in Guangzhou, China to double the production capability of liquid atmospheric gases. Completion is scheduled for early 2005, at which time the facility is projected to be capable of producing over 800 metric tons per day (MTPD) of liquid oxygen, nitrogen, and argon on a combined basis. This would make it the largest single production facility of liquefied products in China and one of the largest that Air Products operates worldwide. The existing facility, which has been operating since October of 2000 with a current capacity of over 400 MTPD, is currently supplying more than 250 industrial manufacturers throughout Guangdong Province. It is strategically located in the Guangzhou Economic & Technological Development District (GETDD), which has an expected economic output of over $14 billion this year and ranks as one of the top two state level special economic zones in China. In addition to the customers currently being supplied by the Guangzhou facility in liquid form, Air Products has been awarded over 10 long-term gas supply contracts to provide larger users with a total of more than 500 MTPD of gaseous nitrogen or oxygen in southern China. For the specialty gas market, Chun Wang Industrial Gases, Air Products' wholly owned entity in Shenzhen, plans to complete the installation of a helium transfill in Shenzhen later this year to provide a direct supply chain to the growing helium market in southern and eastern China. Bob Eng, general manager, Southern Air Products, said, "These investments are part of our continued commitment since 1987 to build long-term infrastructure to meet the industrial gas needs of our local and global customers, and support the economic development of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong Province, one of the fastest developing economies in the world over the last 10 years." 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: Jessica Cheng, (852) 2863-0585, e-mail: ; or Investor Inquiries: Alexander W. Masetti, +1-610-481-7461, e-mail: , both of Air Products Web site: http://www.airproducts.com/

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