Air Products Signs New Long-Term Contract in Nanjing, Eastern China To Supply Petrochemical Industry

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products has signed a second long-term contract with Wison (Nanjing) Chemical Company Ltd to supply onsite gaseous oxygen and nitrogen to Wison's syngas plant located in the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park (NCIP), Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, Eastern China in support of Wison's phase two expansion plan. Under this contract, a new air separation unit (ASU) that is capable of producing greater than 1,600 tons per day of oxygen will be built close to Wison's first ASU in the NCIP.

"Our performance in executing our first ASU project for Wison was a critical factor in winning this second long-term contract. With this further investment, we are gaining significant momentum in our Tonnage Gases and large ASU businesses in China," said Howard Castle-Smith, vice president of Tonnage Gases Asia, Air Products.

Wison will use the high-pressure oxygen in the coal gasification process to produce syngas, which can be separated into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen. Syngas, CO and hydrogen are important precursors to produce other basic chemicals such as methanol and acetic acid, which enter into a variety of products such as paints, adhesives, plastics, construction materials and hundreds of other products for the growing consumer markets in China.

"We are honored to play a role in supporting the development of the petrochemical industry in China," said Wilbur Mok, president of Air Products Asia. "This new on-site plant in the NCIP and other investments put us in a stronger position to meet the growing demands of both local and multi-national customers in the fast growing Eastern China region in a cost-effective way."

Air Products also supplies oxygen and nitrogen to other customers in the NCIP via pipeline. This second ASU in the NCIP can also produce liquid argon in the future and enables Air Products to further expand its liquid product capacity economically to meet growing demand in Eastern China, especially from the steel and automobile industries. Nanjing and other cities in Jiangsu Province have attracted substantial investment from both Chinese and international manufacturers.

Air Products 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 and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices. The company has annual revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and over 20,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com/.

For more information, visit http://www.airproducts.com/ or http://www.airproducts.com.cn/.

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations.