Photovoltaics/Solar News Releases

Air Products and Dow Corning Enter Long-Term Silane Supply Agreement

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) and Dow Corning―a global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation―entered into a long-term supply agreement for electronic-grade silane, a material used for manufacturing flat panel displays, semiconductors and photovoltaic cells.

The agreement provides Air Products with access to significant silane volume to meet the present and future needs of its global customers, as well as the future growth of the electronics and solar industry.

“This agreement further demonstrates Air Products’ commitment to our silane customers around the world, as well as the global electronics industry,” said Wayne Mitchell, vice president of Electronics for Air Products. “With over 20 years of experience supplying silane around the world, Air Products is an industry safety leader, providing extensive training to customers in the handling and storage of silane. We believe that Air Products will provide the electronics market with a high quality, reliable and safe solution for their long-term silane requirements.”

“Dow Corning and Air Products combine the strength of a silicon manufacturing leader with the expertise and infrastructure capabilities of a global gas distributor to the electronics industry,” according to Jim Helwick, vice president, Dow Corning Electronics Solutions. “Air Products, with its commitment to the long-term supply of ultra-high purity silane, is a great channel partner for Dow Corning,” Jim added.

“With our silane capacity fully dedicated to the merchant market under a global distributor channel-to-market business model, Dow Corning is offering a cost competitive and reliable first or second source of silane,” said Eric Peeters, Dow Corning vice president, Solar Solutions. “The plant’s consistent purity and our track record of quality in silicon-based products make silane from Dow Corning a switch customers can make with confidence.”

Dow Corning has been producing electronic-grade silane since March 2011 in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art, fully vertically integrated plant in Thomas Township, Mich., adjacent to the polysilicon manufacturing plant of Hemlock Semiconductor Group, of which Dow Corning is majority shareholder. Dow Corning’s silane plant, recently ISO-9001:2000 certified with zero non-conformities and zero opportunities for improvement, has a world-leading capacity of 4,000 metric tons per year, producing silane at the same or even higher level of purity currently offered in the market.

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.

About Dow Corning
Dow Corning (www.dowcorning.com) provides performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 products and services via the company’s Dow Corning® and XIAMETER® brands. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States.

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.

Air Products Increases Prices for Electronics Offerings

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced that effective January 1, 2012, or as contracts allow, it will be increasing prices in North America by 3.5% to 15% on all electronics materials and electronic formulated products. In addition, Air Products will be eliminating rental discounts on these products.

The price increase is necessary to address escalating production costs.

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.

Air Products to Expand NF3 Capacity at Ulsan, Korea Facility

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it is more than doubling its nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) capacity at its production facility in Ulsan, Korea. The new capacity is expected to be onstream in the second half of 2012.

NF3 remains the chamber cleaning gas of choice for semiconductor, thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), and thin-film photovoltaic manufacturers. Air Products pioneered the use of NF3 as a chamber cleaning gas and has been safely manufacturing and distributing the product for more than 30 years.

“With the market for NF3 tight and the major OEMs committed to NF3 for their next generation processes, we felt the time was right to maximize our existing infrastructure and make this cost effective expansion,” said Wayne Mitchell, vice president and general manager of Electronics for Air Products. “We remain committed to the chamber cleaning business and plan on growing with our strategic customers and developing the products they need to produce the latest devices in consumer electronics.”

Besides Ulsan, Air Products operates three independent NF3 plants at its Electronic Specialty Materials manufacturing facility in Hometown, Pa. The independent NF3 facilities in the U.S. and Korea offer Air Products’ customers significant security of supply.

With the capability to supply NF3 or on-site fluorine, Air Products’ portfolio of chamber cleaning solutions is unique in the industry. The company’s products, chamber cleaning process experience, and history of fluorine production and handling provide semiconductor, PV or LCD manufacturers a variety of solutions for their applications.

For more information, please visit www.airproducts.com/semiconductors.

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.

空气产品公司与中国光伏制造商签订供气合同

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

空气化工产品公司 (Air Products，简称空气产品公司，纽约证券交易所代码：APD) 今天宣布，已与湖南共创光伏科技有限公司签订合同，为其在湖南衡阳市新的硅薄膜光伏生产设施供应大宗气体及特种气体。

根据合同，空气产品公司将提供氢气、氮气以及硅烷、三氟化氮、掺杂剂和其它产品。

湖南共创正在建造一处40兆瓦的光伏生产设施，该设施使用了欧瑞康太阳能公司 (Oerlikon Solar) 的 Micromorph® 交钥匙生产线－FAB 1200。新的生产设施有望于今年底投入生产。

空气产品公司电子部副总裁兼总经理Wayne Mitchell 表示：“空气产品公司很高兴能成为湖南共创新的薄膜光伏生产设施的主要气体供应商。我们将一如既往地致力于为我们的客户提供创新的材料及产品输送方案，帮助他们降低每瓦制造成本。”

湖南共创的硅薄膜光伏模块能够将日光直接转换为电能，其生产方式与硅薄膜晶体管液晶显示器(TFT-LCD)类似。作为TFT-LCD 行业领先的供应商，空气产品公司是这一新的生产设施的理想供应商。

空气产品公司近日在其位于宾夕法尼亚州艾伦镇的公司总部新建了一座2兆瓦的太阳能发电场。发电场使用了空气产品公司两家中国客户生产的11000多块硅薄膜太阳能面板。这一发电场项目能为公司总部半数以上的行政办公楼提供足够的能源，　每年可减少约2000吨二氧化碳的排放。

空气产品公司选用了硅薄膜电池板来展示其对充满前景的新技术的信念，因为就项目参数来说，这一技术所消耗的能源成本最低。硅薄膜电池板对美国东北部典型的漫射光具有优越的性能，并且在大面积项目的安装上也更具成本效益，是该项目理想的选择。

随着对再生能源及高效率需求的不断增长，空气产品公司以其专业技术及项目经验可以很好地支持这些持续发展的市场领域，包括：生产清洁运输燃料所需的大规模氢气供应，氢经济的开发工作，氢燃料电池车的加气及加气站建设，领先的天然气液化技术，以及现在为光伏产业提供更多的气体产品和服务。

关于空气产品公司
空气产品公司（Air Products, 纽约证券交易所代码：APD）在全球为工业制造、能源、科技和医疗护理等领域的客户提供独特的产品和生产方案，其中包括工业气体产品、特种和工艺气体、功能材料和相关设备及服务。自1940年成立以来，空气产品公司已在半导体材料、加氢炼制、家居保健服务、天然气液化、高级涂料和粘合剂等主要高增长市场上确立了领先地位。公司在创新的企业文化、完善的管理和对环境及安全的保护承诺方面得到了广泛的赞誉。拥有18,300多名员工的空气产品公司，业务遍及全球40多个国家，2010年的销售额达90亿美元。欲获得更多信息，请登陆公司网站 www.airproducts.com。

关于共创光伏科技有限公司
成立于2009年的共创光伏科技有限公司，座落于中国五大名山之一南岳衡山脚下，是一家专注于硅薄膜太阳能电池组件技术开发、光伏产品制造，以及并网及离网太阳能电站和光伏建筑一体化应用的先锋企业。公司设施占地面积超过14万平方米，初期产能为50 兆瓦，到2015年，产能有望达500兆瓦。

注释：此新闻稿中可能包含1995年《私人证券诉讼改革法案》中所界定的一些前瞻性陈述。这些前瞻性陈述基于本新闻稿发布日期时管理层关于重大风险因素的预期和假设所作出。由于管理层可能没有预期到一些因素，请以实际情况为准，这些因素包括公司10K表中的风险因素，因为本财年已于2010年9月30日结束。

媒体垂询：
博达公关上海办事处
联系人：于亚楠
电话：(8621) 62893488-18
邮件： rachel.yu@ebacomms.com

Hunan Gongchuang

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a contract with Hunan Gongchuang Photovoltaic Science & Technology Co., Ltd for the supply of bulk and specialty gases at its news silicon thin-film photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, China.

The contract includes the supply of hydrogen and nitrogen, as well as silane, nitrogen trifluoride, dopant mixtures and other products.

Hunan Gongchuang is building a 40MW manufacturing facility utilizing Oerlikon Solar’s Micromorph® turnkey production line, known as the FAB 1200. The new facility is expected to begin production by the end of this year.

“Air Products is pleased to be the primary gas supplier for Hunan Gongchuang’s new thin-film PV facility,” said Wayne Mitchell, vice president and general manager, Electronics, for Air Products. “We remain focused on helping our customers drive down their cost-per-watt through innovative materials and product delivery solutions.”

Hunan Gongchuang’s silicon thin-film PV modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility.

Air Products recently dedicated a 2MW solar farm at its Corporate Headquarters in Allentown, Pa., that is comprised of more than 11,000 silicon thin-film panels supplied by two of its customers. The farm is capable of supplying enough energy to power more than half of the company’s administration buildings and will lower its carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint by approximately 2,000 tons per year.

Air Products selected silicon thin-film panels to demonstrate its belief in the promising new technology and because the silicon thin-film panels provide the lowest cost of energy for the project parameters. Their advantageous performance in diffuse light―the light most typical in the U.S. Northeast―and their cost-effective installation for large area projects were drivers in the sourcing selection.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large-scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the PV industry.

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 Gongchuang Photovoltaic
Gongchuang Photovoltaic, founded in 2009, is located at the foot of Nanyue Mountain, which is one of the five famous mountains in China. It is a pioneer company which engages in the technology development of silicon-based thin film solar module and photovoltaic products manufacturing, and the application of on-grid and off-grid solar power plant and building integrated photovoltaic. Its facility covers an area of over 140,000 square meters with an initial capacity of 50 MW and an expected capacity of 500 MW in 2015.

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.

空气产品公司2兆瓦太阳能发电场为公司总部园区提供可再生能源

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0400

空气化工产品公司 (Air Products，简称空气产品公司，纽约证券交易所代码：APD) 近日启用了其新建的位于美国宾夕法尼亚艾伦镇总部的2兆瓦太阳能发电场。该发电场能为公司总部半数以上的行政办公楼提供足够的能源。

这套占地15英亩（约60,000平方米）的装置是目前美国最大的硅薄膜太阳能发电项目，采用了空气产品公司的两家中国客户正泰太阳能（Astronergy/Chint Solar）和新奥太阳能源（ENN Solar）生产的太阳能面板。正泰及新奥是国内领先的光伏制造商，其生产硅薄膜太阳能电池板的关键工艺中的主要气体产品均来自空气产品公司。空气产品公司董事长、总裁兼首席执行官John McGlade在启用仪式上表示：“能够展示我们客户的产品并开始为我们的公司园区提供清洁的可再生能源，这真的非常特别。对于员工、我们的社区及我们的客户而言，这是一个直接见证我们的创新产品如何为光伏行业的客户提供可持续解决方案的良机。”

这套于7月12日启用的太阳能装置能够提供2兆瓦的可再生能源，帮助空气产品公司降低对公共电网的依赖，并可每年减少约2,000吨二氧化碳的排放。

一支由浙江省政府，正泰集团（正泰太阳能母公司），宾夕法尼亚州及艾伦镇市政府组成的代表团于7月19日参观了空气产品公司的太阳能发电场。来访的贵宾包括浙江省委书记赵洪祝及其一行；正泰集团董事长南存辉及公司高级管理层；宾夕法尼亚州社区及经济发展部国际商业发展副秘书Wilfred H. Muskens以及艾伦镇市长Ed Pawlowski。代表团就空气产品公司与其重点客户及中国政府的进一步商业发展与合作交换了意见。

该太阳能发电场项目由空气产品公司投资并依据宾夕法尼亚联邦《2008替代能源拨款法案》获得了100万美元的政府资助。

硅薄膜光伏电池板能够将日光直接转换为电能，其生产方式与硅薄膜晶体管液晶显示器(TFT-LCD)类似。作为TFT-LCD 行业的几大供应商之一，空气产品公司同时也是硅薄膜光伏制造厂商的理想供应商。公司服务于更广泛的电子行业的专业经验，也使其成为其他主要的光伏技术，如晶体硅、CdTe (碲化镉)、CIGS (铜铟镓硒)和III-V化合物电池的首选供应商。

关于空气产品公司
空气产品公司（Air Products, 纽约证券交易所代码：APD）在全球为工业制造、能源、科技和医疗护理等领域的客户提供独特的产品和生产方案，其中包括工业气体产品、特种和工艺气体、功能材料和相关设备及服务。自1940年成立以来，空气产品公司已在半导体材料、加氢炼制、家居保健服务、天然气液化、高级涂料和粘合剂等主要高增长市场上确立了领先地位。公司在创新的企业文化、完善的管理和对环境及安全的保护承诺方面得到了广泛的赞誉。拥有18,300多名员工的空气产品公司，业务遍及全球40多个国家，2010年的销售额达90亿美元。欲获得更多信息，请登陆公司网站 www.airproducts.com。

注释：此新闻稿中可能包含1995年《私人证券诉讼改革法案》中所界定的一些前瞻性陈述。这些前瞻性陈述基于本新闻稿发布日期时管理层关于重大风险因素的预期和假设所作出。由于管理层可能没有预期到一些因素，请以实际情况为准，这些因素包括公司10K表中的风险因素，因为本财年已于2010年9月30日结束。

媒体垂询：
博达公关上海办事处
联系人：于亚楠
电话：(8621) 62893488-18
邮件： rachel.yu@ebacomms.com

Air Products neemt grote zonne-energie-installatie in gebruik

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

De nieuwe zonne-energie-installatie bij het hoofdkantoor van Air Products in Allentown (VS) is officieel in werking gesteld door John McGlade, CEO van Air Products. De installatie levert voldoende energie om meer dan de helft van de bedrijfspanden op de ‘Corporate Campus’ van Air Products van stroom te voorzien. Voor Air Products, dat zich steeds meer toelegt op oplossingen voor duurzame energie, is het project tevens bedoeld als demonstratie van de eigen technologie voor de productie van zonnepanelen.

De 15 hectare grote installatie in Allentown wekt 2 megawatt aan duurzame energie op, waardoor Air Products minder afhankelijk wordt van netstroom en haar CO2-uitstoot met zo’n 2.000 ton per jaar vermindert. De installatie in Allentown is bovendien het grootste project met dunne film photovoltaïsche (PV) cellen in de Verenigde Staten. De installatie is gebouwd met zonnepanelen die geproduceerd zijn door Astronergy en ENN Solar, allebei klanten van Air Products. “Het is bijzonder om zelf schone, duurzame energie op te wekken voor ons hoofdkantoor en tevens producten van eigen klanten te demonstreren. Het project laat ook zien, dat wij PV-producenten ondersteunen met innovatieve oplossingen”, aldus McGlade van Air Products.

Zowel Astronergy als ENN Solar maken bij de productie van hun dunne film zonnepanelen gebruik van Air Products’ SunSource Solutions. Dit is een compleet pakket van gassen, materialen, apparatuur en diensten, waarmee de dunne film cellen geproduceerd kunnen worden.

Dunne film zonnepanelen, die zonlicht direct in elektriciteit omzetten, worden op een vergelijkbare manier geproduceerd als transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD’s). Als een van de toonaangevende leveranciers van gassen en systemen voor de elektronica-industrie, is Air Products prima toegerust om fabrikanten van dunne film zonnecellen van gassen en bijbehorende apparatuur te voorzien. Het silicium voor de zonnecellen wordt met behulp van gassen in een dunne laag op folie ‘gedampt’.

Hoewel Air Products zijn SunSource Solutions ook voor de productie van kristallijne, CdTe (cadmium telluride), CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) en III-V zonnecellen aanbiedt, is voor het zonnepark in Allentown expliciet gekozen voor dunne film cellen, omdat ze voor dit specifieke project de laagste kostprijs voor de opwekking van elektriciteit tot gevolg hadden. De goede prestaties van deze technologie bij diffuus licht, dat in het noordoosten van Amerika (en in Nederland) het meest voorkomt, en de relatief goedkope installatie bij grote oppervlaktes waren de belangrijkste redenen om de dunne film zonnepanelen te kiezen.

De zonne-energie-installatie in Allentown is mogelijk gemaakt door een investering van Air Products en een donatie van 1 miljoen dollar van de staat Pennsylvania, als onderdeel van de Alternative Energy Funding Bill van 2008.

Air Products to Expand Nitrogen Capacity in Korea’s Gumi National Industrial Complex

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced that it will increase production of gaseous nitrogen and expand its nitrogen pipeline in the Gumi National Industrial Complex, North Gyeongsang Province, Korea to serve the increasing demand of its electronics customers in the country’s largest inland industrial complex.

Air Products will build a new nitrogen plant at its site in the Gumi National Industrial Complex 2 and will expand its nitrogen pipeline to Complex 5. The pipeline currently delivers nitrogen to nearly 20 long-term photovoltaic and semiconductor customers across Complexes 1 to 4. The new plant is expected to be onstream in the summer of 2012 and will serve the increasing needs of existing customers as well as new demand in Complex 5.

“Air Products has already secured a very strong position in the Gumi National Industrial Complex, and we are pleased to bring new capacity to this strategic industrial hub to support the growth plans of our customers,” said Wayne Mitchell, vice president and general manager of Electronics Division, Air Products. “We are proud to own and maintain nitrogen pipelines in leading Electronics regions around the world. This additional capacity provides our customers with a reliable supply in a very cost-competitive way. This is exactly what our customers are looking for from their suppliers.”

Gumi serves as a hub of local development and transportation. The Gumi National Industrial Complex has been established as a center for industries including electronics and semiconductors. Major products are mainly high-tech electronics, displays, telecommunication equipment and emerging photovoltaic devices. Air Products’ customers in the Complex include major semiconductor and photovoltaic manufacturers. For more information, please go to www.airproducts.com/semiconductors.

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.

Air Products “Flips the Switch” on its Headquarters Solar Farm

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Today at a ceremony at its corporate headquarters, John McGlade, Air Products’ (NYSE:APD) chairman, president and chief executive officer, flipped the switch on the company’s new 2MW solar farm that is capable of supplying enough energy to power more than half of Air Products’ administration buildings.

“It is really special to be able to demonstrate our customers' products and begin generating clean, renewable energy for our campus. It is a great opportunity for employees, our community and our customers to witness first-hand how our innovative products deliver sustainable solutions for photovoltaics customers,” said McGlade.

The installation, built with panels supplied by Air Products’ customers, Astronergy and ENN Solar, is the largest silicon thin-film project in the United States. Both Astronergy and ENN Solar use Air Products’ SunSource™ Solutions—a complete portfolio of gases and materials, equipment and services—to manufacture their silicon thin-film panels.

The 15-acre installation is capable of generating 2MW of renewable power, which will help Air Products reduce its dependence on purchased electricity and lower its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 2,000 tons per year.

Silicon thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, are manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply silicon thin-film manufacturers. The company’s expertise in supporting the broader Electronics industry makes it an excellent choice in supplying materials to other major PV technologies such as crystalline silicon, CdTe (Cadmium Teluride), CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide) and III-V compound cells as well.

The solar farm was made possible through investment by Air Products and a $1 million grant from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of its 2008 Alternative Energy Funding Bill. Funding is administered by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority.

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.

Air Products Acquires Poly-Flow Engineering LLC

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has acquired the business of Poly-Flow Engineering LLC (PFE), a manufacturer of equipment for the semiconductor industry based in Albuquerque, N.M. Terms of the deal with PFE and its owner Ktech Corporation were not disclosed.

PFE, which has 100 employees, manufactures a line of equipment focused on advanced chemical delivery and precision cleaning for leading semiconductor manufacturers. It also offers equipment for the medical, optical fiber and solar industries.

“The acquisition of Poly-Flow Engineering is a good fit with our existing equipment business and should be immediately accretive to our bottom line,” said Jae Woon You, general manager, Electronics Equipment Solutions (EES) for Air Products. “The combination of the talented and experienced Poly-Flow team and Air Products’ global capabilities and services infrastructure will bring long-term benefits to our customers.”

Air Products has more than 60 years experience in the safe and reliable delivery of gases and chemicals to a variety of markets including the semiconductor, TFT-LCD and photovoltaic industries.

EES is a business unit of Air Products’ Electronics division. It offers its global customer base flexible, cost-effective and contamination-free materials delivery solutions through products such as Chemguard®, GASGUARD® and GasKeeper™ delivery systems, which are the industry benchmark for safe and cost-effective chemical and gas delivery. Besides equipment, EES also offers onsite turnkey installation services.

EES operates from four major hubs including engineering and R&D at Air Products’ headquarters in Allentown, Pa. and Carlsbad, Calif., and equipment manufacturing sites in Allentown and Ansan, Korea.

For more information, please go to http://www.airproducts.com/industries/Semiconductors/polyflow.aspx.

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.

Air Products Signs Letter of Intent with Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with The Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan. The agreement signifies a commitment between both parties to identify investment opportunities in Taiwan’s semiconductor, solar energy and TFT-LCD manufacturing industries; foster long-term cooperation with Taiwanese companies and research institutes; and work collaboratively with the country’s Industrial Technology Research Institute in the development of gas and semiconductor fluid cleaning technologies.

The LOI was signed by Taiwan Deputy Minister Sheng-Chung Lin and Air Products CEO John E. McGlade at the company’s global headquarters in Allentown, Pa. Wilfred Muskens, Deputy Secretary of International Business Development, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, participated in the ceremony together withofficials from various departments within the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs, as well as representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the U.S.

“Air Products has been building relationships in the Asia region for nearly 30 years, and we are especially pleased with the growth of Air Products San Fu, our Taiwanese affiliate, which is today the largest industrial gas company in Taiwan,” said McGlade, who served as vice president of Air Products San Fu Industrial Gas Division based in Taipei in the late 1980s.

“Taiwan is an extremely attractive market for us, and we welcome the opportunity to work even more closely with our government, industry and academic partners to enhance Taiwan’s global competitiveness.”

Deputy Minister Lin, who is leading the Taiwan delegation during visits this week to leading U.S. companies in the gas, energy, biopharmaceutical, telecommunications and information technology industries, expressed his appreciation for the high-quality gases, equipment and chemicals Air Products has supplied to Taiwan’s industries over the years and its contribution to Taiwan’s industrial development.

“Taiwan is a world leader in semiconductor, LED and solar cell manufacturing,” Lin said. “With this agreement we have signed today, it is our hope that Air Products San Fu will continue to invest in the petrochemical and semiconductor industries, and advance its efforts into the green energy industry as well.”

Air Products has been operating in Taiwan through its San Fu subsidiary since 1987 and supplies atmospheric and specialty electronics gases, chemicals and related equipment to many industries. The company has approximately 800 employees at 18 locations capable of serving all parts of Taiwan.

Air Products San Fu was recently named one of “The Top 300 Companies” in Taiwan by The Commonwealth magazine and is the first gas company in Taiwan awarded ISO9002 and ISO14000 certifications, a measure of the company’s commitment to high standards of quality and environmental responsibility.

In addition, Air Products San Fu recently received its second Silver Award in the 2010 Taiwan TrainQali System (TTQS). TTQS is a national training quality evaluation program held by the Bureau of Employment and Vocational Training in Taiwan to recognize corporations with outstanding performance in implementing quality and effective training systems.

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, 2009.

Air Products Selects Suppliers for Solar Farm at US Headquarters

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has chosen Blue Sky Solar as its turnkey installer for its 2MW solar farm at its US headquarters in Allentown, Pa. Blue Sky Solar will be executing the project with Newkirk Electric Associates providing the mechanical and electrical construction.

Blue Sky Solar will be installing silicon, tandem thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels from ENN Solar and Astronergy, two Air Products customers. Both ENN and Astronergy use Air Products’ SunSource™ Solutions—a complete portfolio of gases and materials, equipment and services—to manufacture their silicon thin-film panels.

Thanks to some early engineering work, including the optimization of the solar field size with the inverter equipment, Air Products now expects to generate about 2MW of electricity versus the previously announced 1.5MW. By utilizing the 2MW of renewable power, Air Products reduces its dependence on purchased electricity thereby lowering its carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint by approximately 2,000 tons per year. The 2MW of electricity are enough to serve the energy needs of more than half of Air Products’ administration buildings.

Silicon thin-film solar panels, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, are manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply silicon thin-film manufacturers.

“Air Products’ SunSource Solutions provide photovoltaic manufacturers with the ability to improve their production and drive down their costs-per-watt, bringing them closer to the goal of grid parity,” said David Tavianini, worldwide PV marketing manager for Air Products. “Air Products is pleased to see the US solar market continue to expand and is proud to be building one of the largest silicon thin-film installations in the country.”

While Air Products provides its SunSource Solutions to several PV technologies, silicon thin-film panels were selected because they provided the lowest cost of energy for the project parameters. Their advantageous performance in diffuse light―the light most typical in the US Northeast―and their cost-effective installation for large area projects were drivers in the sourcing selection. Air Products expects to begin construction this fall and have the installation onstream in the spring of 2011.

For more information on the project, please visit www.airproducts.com/solarfarm.

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 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 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, 2009.

Air Products to Supply Malaysia’s Photovoltaic Market with Turnkey Contract

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced ithas signed a contract with a leading global photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer in Malaysia for the company’s SunSource™ Solutions gases, equipment and services. The turnkey gas supply contract includes bulk and specialty gases, specialty chemicals, and related gas distribution equipment to support the customer’s new crystalline PV facility in Melaka, Malaysia. This contract further strengthens Air Products’ worldwide PV industry supply position with one of the leading producers.

The contract includes the long-term supply of on-site nitrogen, hydrogen, argon and oxygen, specialty gases such as silane, ammonia and nitrogen trifluoride.

The Melaka solar cell manufacturing plant aims to reach a capacity of more than 1 Gigawatt of cells per year by 2012. Listed on the U.S. Nasdaq, the customer designs, manufactures and installs high-efficiency crystalline solar module technology worldwide. The company owns and operates two other PV plants in the Philippines and is headquartered, along with its research and development facility, in San Jose, Calif.

“Air Products is very excited to be the gas supplier of a leader in crystalline photovoltaics which represents the highest efficiency, high volume photovoltaic technology. The Malaysia PV plant will be a core element of the customer’s technology and manufacturing roadmap to achieve lower cost and reach the goal of grid parity,” said Corning Painter, vice president and general manager, Global Electronics, Air Products. “Air Products is committed to developing alternative energy markets. Our expertise and complete turnkey offerings help our customers around the world reduce cost per watt and achieve a fast ramp-up.”

As a leading electronics materials supplier, Air Products is strategically positioned to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding worldwide photovoltaics market. The company’s SunSource Solutions are used in all of the different PV technologies by established and start-up producers alike. Air Products’ long-standing history serving the semiconductor and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) industries since their inception makes it ideally suited to support its customers’ drive to grid parity―the point where electricity generated by PV is equivalent in cost to traditional power company-supplied electricity.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large-scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics.

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 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 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, 2009.

Air Products to Build 1.5MW Solar Farm at Its US Headquarters

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) will build a 12-acre solar farm at its corporate headquarters in Allentown, Pa., capable of generating 1.5 MW of electricity. The 1.5MW is enough to serve the energy needs of nearly half of Air Products’ administration buildings. The project is expected to begin construction this fall and be onstream in the spring of 2011.

“For years, customers around the world have sought out Air Products’ gases and materials to help improve environmental performance, and now we are excited to have this renewable energy opportunity right in our own backyard,” said John McGlade, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Air Products. “Our employees are looking forward to putting our SunSource™ Solutions for photovoltaics to work thereby reducing our carbon footprint and generating sustainable, clean energy to power a portion of our campus.”

Air Products has been supplying critical gases and materials to photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers who make solar panels for many years as part of its leadership in the electronics industry and, more recently, has been focusing on reducing PV manufacturing costs with its broad SunSource Solutions offerings.

The solar farm is made possible through investment by Air Products and a $1 million grant from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of its 2008 Alternative Energy Funding Bill. Funding is administered by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority.

By utilizing the 1.5MW of renewable power, Air Products reduces its dependence on purchased electricity thereby lowering its carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint by more than 1,000 tons per year.

For more information on the project, please visit www.airproducts.com/solarfarm.

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 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 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. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations.

Air Products to Supply DuPont with Turnkey Photovoltaic Contract

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a turnkey gas supply contract to provide its SunSource™ Solutions liquid bulk and specialty gases, related gas distribution equipment, and engineering services to DuPont Apollo (Shenzhen) Limited at its new amorphous silicon thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in GuangMing New District, Shenzhen, China.

The contract includes the long-term supply of nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, oxygen and specialty gases, such as silane, as well as phosphine mixtures and other dopant gases. Air Products also has installed complete gas distribution systems from its source containers to the point of use within DuPont’s Shenzhen facility.

“Air Products is very excited to be working with DuPont. We believe our expertise and complete turnkey offerings will enable a fast ramp to meet DuPont’s growth plans,” said Corning Painter, Air Products’ vice president and general manager, Global Electronics Division. “Our leading role in the semiconductor and TFT-LCD markets gives us an advantage in supporting the rapidly growing PV market and helping PV customers to reach grid parity sooner.”

DuPont has long been a leading supplier of PV materials, primarily serving the crystalline silicon cell and module markets, and is building a new research center in Hong Kong and a manufacturing facility in Shenzhen to support the emerging amorphous silicon, thin-film PV market. As a leading supplier to the TFT-LCD and other electronics industries, Air Products is ideally suited to supply large PV fabs like DuPont’s new facility.

Air Products’ SunSource Solutions is a portfolio of gases, chemicals, equipment, on-site services and project management offerings that can help PV customers lower their costs, get a new PV fab online on-time, and keep it running efficiently. For more information on Air Products’ SunSource offerings, please visit:
> www.airproducts.com/sunsource

About DuPont
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

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. Air Products had fiscal 2008 revenues of $10.4 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit:
> www.airproducts.com

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

Air Products Supplies Nitrogen to NexPower’s New PV Facility in Taiwan

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed, through its subsidiary Air Products San Fu Co. Ltd. in Taiwan, a long-term contract to provide nitrogen to NexPower Technology Corporation (NexPower), at its new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) in Houli, Taichung, Taiwan. Air Products is supplying nitrogen to NexPower’s facility through its pipeline network in the CTSP.

Founded by the UMC Group, a leading global semiconductor foundry, NexPower is a world-class thin-film PV manufacturer in Taiwan with its own product development, research and development, and manufacturing. By ramping up to 100MW within only 18 months, NexPower is one of the first Taiwan companies to achieve successful thin-film mass production.

“Air Products is excited to be NexPower’s gas supply partner. This new contract demonstrates our leading position in the thin-film PV market and is a testimony to our capabilities to enable a fast ramp up to meet customers’ needs,” said Corning Painter, Air Products’ vice president and general manager, Global Electronics Division. “Our expertise in thin-film PV applications and SunSource™ Solutions help our PV customers to drive down their cost-per-watt through enhanced plant efficiency.”

The CTSP, which includes Taichung, Houli, Huwei and Erlin park stations, is one of the two new government-sponsored science parks in Taiwan to attract investments and the development of high-tech industries to the central Taiwan district.

Last year, Air Products won more than 20 new contracts in Asia serving both the crystalline and thin-film PV markets and has since signed gas supply contracts with leading PV manufacturers including Best Solar and CHINT Solar in China, Green Energy Technology in Taiwan, and HHV Solar and Jupiter Solar in India. Air Products’ long-standing history serving the semiconductor and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) industries from their inception to current times makes it ideally suited to serving the thin-film PV industry.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large-scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products’ PV offerings, please visit:
> www.airproducts.com/Sunsource

About NexPower Technology Corporation
NexPower Technology Corporation is a world leader in silicon thin-film photovoltaicmanufacturing. Founded by the UMC Group (NYSE: UMC) in 2005, NexPower is the first Taiwan company to begin thin-film photovoltaicmass production, and the first to attain IEC 61646, IEC 61730 certification, and UL 1703 listing. NexPower is a pioneer in the silicon thin-film industry, driving product efficiency improvements from 7% in 2008 to 10% in 2010. With 87.5MW of capacity on line, NexPower is a leader in the worldwide photovoltaicsupply chain. For more information, visit:
> www.nexpw.com

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. Air Products had fiscal 2008 revenues of $10.4 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit: > www.airproducts.com

Air Products SanFu is a leading producer of industrial gases in Taiwan, supplying atmospheric gases, electronics specialty gases, chemicals and related equipment for many industries. Air Products San Fu is one of “The Top 200 Companies” in Taiwan and is the first gas company in Taiwan awarded ISO9002 and ISO14000 certifications.

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

Air Products India JV Signs Two Photovoltaic Contracts

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced its joint venture in India, INOX Air Products Ltd., has recently signed two new contracts with leading Indian photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers for the company’s SunSource™ Solutions gases and materials to support the burgeoning India PV market.

INOX Air Products has signed a long-term gas supply contract to provide bulk and specialty gases to HHV Solar Technologies Pvt. Ltd (HHV Solar) at its new thin-film PV fab in Bangalore. The contract calls for the supply of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and argon, as well as specialty gases, including silane, methane and dopant mixtures. In addition, INOX Air Products will provide the total gas management at HHV Solar’s research, development and demonstration fab.

INOX Air Products will also supply Jupiter Solar Power Ltd, a subsidiary of Jupiter International, with specialty gases, including nitrogen, oxygen, silane and ammonia, to its new PV facility at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, India. Jupiter Solar Power Ltd is setting up PV solar cell manufacturing facilities in Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal at an aggregate investment of Rs 1,500 crore (~US$300 million).

“India is an emerging PV market with strong support from the government. We are honored to be selected as the supplier for these two PV projects in India. Our expertise in thin-film PV applications and complete set of SunSource PV offerings can help our customers continuously drive downtheir cost-per-watt through enhanced plant efficiency,”said Corning Painter, Air Products’ vice president and general manager, Global Electronics Division. “We are in a better position to support the fast-growing solar energy market with these two contract wins.”

India, thanks to its embracing of new technologies and strong demand for renewable energy, is rapidly emerging as an important PV market. In addition, many regions of the country experience significant sun irradiation, or prolonged exposure to strong levels of sunlight, which can help cheaply power remote areas that are without access to the power grid.

Last year, Air Products won more than 20 new contracts in Asia serving both the crystalline and thin-film PV markets, and has since signed gas supply contracts with leading PV manufacturers including Best Solar and CHINT Solar in China, Green Energy Technology in Taiwan, and Gadir Solar in Spain.Air Products’ long-standing history serving the semiconductor and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) industries from their inception to current times makes it ideally suited to serving the thin-film PV industry.

Air Products’ SunSource Solutions offers a portfolio of gases, chemicals, equipment, on-site services and project management that will help provide a faster ramp-up and ability to reach grid parity sooner for manufacturing operations.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas such as large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit: > www.airproducts.com/sunsource

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. Air Products had fiscal 2008 revenues of $10.4 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit:
> www.airproducts.com

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

Air Products Selected for Department of Energy Research Grant

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) has been selected to receive more than $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under DOE’s Solar Energy Technology Program. Air Products will use its expertise in etch and deposition science, gained from more than 35 years’ experience in the global electronics industry, to develop materials that could potentially result in significant cost savings for thin-film photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers.

The objective of the DOE program is to identify and accelerate the development of PV processes expected to improve the domestic solar market. Air Products’ main focus will be on developing and validating an advanced radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition process. The project is among 24 new solar energy technology projects receiving $22 million in DOE funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

“Once developed and commercialized, these materials could be used by thin-film PV manufacturers, whose production is expected to exceed 5 GW in the coming years,” said Jeff Handelman, Air Products’ general manager, photovoltaics. “If 5 GW worth of thin-film silicon manufacturing were to adopt these additives and save more than $0.10 per watt, it would save the PV industry about $600 million annually.”

For more information on Air Products’ broadrange of gases, chemicals, equipment and services for PV manufacturing—marketed under the SunSource™ trade name—please visit: > www.airproducts.com/sunsource

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

0518-Air-Products-SunSource-Solutions-Introduced-at-Thin-Film-Solar-Europe

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Photovoltaic manufacturers that are just getting started or are looking to lower their materials costs can follow the road map laid out by Jeff Handelman, Air Products’ (NYSE:APD) PV general manager, at this year’s Thin Film Solar Europe, May 19-20 in Berlin, Germany.

Jeff’s presentation―“From MW to GW: Taking Thin Film PV Large!”―details Air Products’ ability to serve the growing silicon thin-film PV industry through its SunSource ™Solutions,a portfolio of gases, chemicals, equipment, on-site services, and project management that will help provide a faster ramp-up and ability to reach grid parity sooner for manufacturing operations. Air Products’ long-standing history serving the semiconductor and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) industries from their inception to current times is the foundation on which its offerings for PV have been built.

“As thin-film technology takes off and fabs grow ever larger, Air Products’ experience serving the semiconductor and especially TFT-LCD industries makes it ideally suited to serve the PV industry,” said Handelman. “By putting supply strategies in place early, PV manufacturers can leverage scalability, which is critical for continuous cost savings. This is about blending assets with engineering and technology. We look at each new facility with a plan to drive down costs up-front and over time.”

The bulk and on-site supply solutions that are a part of Air Products’ SunSource offering could lead to cost savings for PV manufacturers of up to 45%, according to Handelman. “Our SunSource solutions can help get total costs to under $1 per watt by 2012,” said Handelman.

Besides gases and materials, Air Products also offers equipment, engineering and turnkey solutions necessary to get a new PV fab up and running quickly and keep it running. This includes Air Products’ MEGASYS® on-site operations to manage gas and chemical systems, as well as Air Products’ reputation as a safety leader in the chemical industry.

For more information on Air Products’ SunSource offerings, please visit www.airproducts.com/sunsource.

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

0414-air-products-to-supply-chint-solar-with-bulk-and-specialty-gases

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a gas supply contract to provide bulk and specialty gases to CHINT Solar (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. (CHINT Solar) at its new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in Binjiang District, Hangzhou, China. The contract calls for the supply of hydrogen, nitrogen and argon, as well as specialty gases such as silane, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and dopant mixtures.

CHINT Solar is a subsidiary of CHINT Group Corporation, a producer of low-voltage electrical power transmission and distribution industries in China. Specializing in the manufacturing of photovoltaic products, CHINT Solar’s annual production capacity of crystalline and thin-film PV is expected to exceed 300MW by 2010.

“Air Products is excited to be CHINT Solar’s gas supply partner, and we look forward to applying our expertise in thin-film photovoltaic applications to help them quickly reach their goal of 210MW in thin-film PV by 2010,” said Corning Painter, Air Products’ vice president and general manager, Global Electronics Division. “Grid parity is key for the PV industry. Air Products continues to lower our customers’ cost-per-watt through innovative technical, product and equipment solutions.”

CHINT Solar’s thin-film PV modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As the leading supplier to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility.

Last year, Air Products won more than 20 new contracts in Asia serving both the crystalline and thin-film PV markets. “We are well positioned to meet the growing needs of our customers around the world, particularly in Asia,” said Painter.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry. For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Signs LOI with Best Solar to Supply Its New Nanchang China PV Facility

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to provide liquid bulk and on-site gases to China’s Best Solar Hi Tech Co., Ltd, which is building a new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China. The LOI between Air Products and Best Solar includes the long-term supply of hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and argon gases.

When Best Solar’s facility in Nanchang comes on-stream at its full capacity, it will have an annual solar module manufacturing capacity of 330 MW at Phase 1, using amorphous silicon thin-film technology.

Late last year, Air Products also signed a turnkey gas supply contract to provide on-site, liquid bulk gases, specialty gases and gas equipment to Best Solar which is also building a new thin-film PV facility in the Wuzhong Economic Development Park in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The capacities of both Best Solar’s Suzhou and Nanchang facilities will be 330MW.

“We are proud to again be selected by Best Solar to support its PV facility in Nanchang in addition to our turnkey gas contract for its Suzhou’s facility. It is a great testimonial of our supply capabilities and leadership position in the PV market,” said Corning Painter, vice president and general manager, Global Electronics, Air Products. “Our global PV business has shown great momentum, and we will continue to develop new offerings to meet the growing investments for PV markets.”

Air Products supplied more than 20 new projects in the Asia region serving both the crystalline and thin-film PV markets in 2008. The outlook for 2009 remains just as bright, as Air Products anticipates worldwide demand for gases, materials and equipment for PV manufacture to continue growing for the foreseeable future.

Best Solar’s thin-film PV modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large-scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit: /photovoltaics.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Initiates Gas Supply Contract With Taiwans Green Energy Technology

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has begun supplying bulk and specialty gases to Taiwan-based solar energy company Green Energy Technology’s (GET, TWSE: 3519TT) new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) production facility in Kuanyin Industrial Park, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

The contract between Air Products and GET calls for long-term supply of nitrogen as well as silane and the requisite gas delivery equipment and piping.

GET has built a generation 8.5 large-sized thin-film PV plant in Kuanyin Industrial Park. By leveraging the thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) experience of its affiliate company, Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT, TWSE: 2475TT)―the fifth largest TFT-LCD supplier worldwide―GET began thin-film line mass production in December 2008. GET plans to reach an annual capacity of 30 megawatts (MW) in the first quarter of 2009 and reach 50MW by the end of 2009.

“Air Products is very excited to be working with GET as their gas supply partner, and we feel our expertise and complete turnkey offerings will enable a fast ramp up to meet the company’s growth plans,” said Corning Painter, Air Products’ Taiwan-based vice president and general manager, Global Electronics Division. “We continue to work on new offerings to drive down our customer’s cost per watt with innovative technical, product and equipment solutions. We are also positioned to meet the growth needs of our customers around the world, especially in Asia.”

Air Products’ photovoltaic (PV) business last year won more than 20 new contracts in Asia serving both the crystalline and thin-film PV markets.

GET’s thin-film PV modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much the same way as TFT-LCDs. As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility.

“Our strong supply position in the TFT-LCD market, coupled with our comprehensive low-cost, turnkey offerings specifically designed for photovoltaic customers, has enabled Air Products to grow with this emerging industry,” added Painter.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit: www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products to Supply Gadir Solar With Turnkey Contract

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:49:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a turnkey gas supply contract to provide liquid bulk and specialty gases, related gas distribution equipment, and engineering services to Gadir Solar at its new silicon thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain.

The contract includes the long-term supply of nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, oxygen, and specialty gases such as silane, NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride), and dopant gases. Air Products will also install and operate the complete gas distribution systems from the source containers to the point of use.

“Air Products is very excited to be working with Gadir as their gas supply partner. Gadir is a leader in the Spanish energy market, and we feel our expertise and complete turnkey offerings will enable a fast ramp to meet Gadir’s growth plans,” said Jeff Handelman, Air Products general manager, Photovoltaics. “Our cost roadmap and partnership approach ensures our customers will always have a secure and reliable supplier that can grow with them, regardless of geography. We are committed to achieving the lowest cost of ownership for our customers and assisting them to reach the overall industry goal of grid parity.”

David Naranjo, CEO of Gadir Solar said, “We chose Air Products for their reliability, safety record, engineering expertise, and experience on the thin-film PV platform technology. We have aggressive growth plans, and we feel Air Products is the right business partner to meet our needs.”

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry. Air Products has business on all of the major OEM tool sets.

For more information on Air Products’ photovoltaic offerings, please visit: www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Signs Contract with China’s Best Solar

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed a turnkey gas supply contract to provide on-site gases, liquid bulk gases, specialty gases and gas equipment to China's Best Solar Hi Tech Co., Ltd, which is building a new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) facility in the Wuzhong Economic Development Park in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. When the facility comes on-stream at its full capacity, it will have an annual solar module manufacturing capacity of 330MW.

The contract between Air Products and Best Solar includes the long-term supply of hydrogen, nitrogen and argon, and specialty gases such as silane, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and dopant gases. Air Products will also install and manage the bulk gas and specialty gas supply systems.

"We are proud to have Best Solar's confidence in our supply capabilities for what will be one of the world's largest thin-film photovoltaic production facilities," said Corning Painter, vice president and general manager, Global Electronics, Air Products. "Our leadership position in the supply and delivery of the key materials for the PV market makes Air Products the safe and reliable choice for the growing PV industry."

Best Solar's thin-film PV modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the largest suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility. This contract marks Air Products' largest investment in the burgeoning thin-film photovoltaic industry and complements its existing crystalline PV offerings.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these developing markets with its expertise and project experience in areas including large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure, leading natural gas liquefaction technology and now the growing supply of gases and services for the photovoltaic industry.

For more information on Air Products' photovoltaic offerings, please visit: /photovoltaics

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. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in more than 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products to Supply Bulk Gases to Schott Solar

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) announced an agreement to supply Schott Solar’s new production facility in Albuquerque, N.M. with liquid nitrogen, oxygen, argon and hydrogen. The new plant, which will manufacture photovoltaic modules and receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants, is expected on-stream in the spring of 2009.

“We are proud that Air Products’ expertise in the safe and efficient handling and delivery of bulk liquid gases helped win this new business and we look forward to growing with Schott Solar in the future,” said Jeff Handelman, general manager, Photovoltaics, for Air Products. "We view the solar market as a strategic growth engine for Air Products' Electronics division. Our strong materials position globally, along with our technology, supply chain and project management experience fits well with the needs of this industry."

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these emergent markets due to its experience in areas such as: large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure issues, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, advanced materials for lithium ion electrolytes for longer life batteries, and now the mounting supply of gases and services for photovoltaics.

To learn more about Air Products’ offerings to the photovoltaics market, please visit: www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics

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. Air Products has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 22,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

About SCHOTT Solar

SCHOTT Solar’s high quality products exploit the virtually inexhaustible potential of the sun as a renewable source of energy. For this purpose SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy plants with parabolic trough technology. In the photovoltaic industry, the company is one of the few integrated manufacturers of crystalline silicon wafers, cells and modules. Wafer production is mainly carried out through a WACKER SCHOTT Solar joint venture, which ensures the supply of silicon necessary for long-term growth.

Thanks to over 20 years of experience in thin-film technology, SCHOTT Solar also regards itself as one of the industry’s cutting-edge companies. In receiver production for solar power plants with parabolic trough technology, SCHOTT Solar considers itself to be the market and technology leader. The receivers are key components in large-scale power plants that generate electricity from solar energy centrally on the basis of parabolic trough technology and can supply entire cities with power.

SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic, the USA and Spain. SCHOTT Solar’s innovative power and technological expertise date back to the late 1950s. SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT technology group. The SCHOTT develops special materials, components and systems for the household appliance, pharmaceutical, solar energy, electronics, optical and automotive industries. With around 16,700 employees, the SCHOTT Group generated a worldwide turnover of about 2.1 billion euros in fiscal year 2006/2007.

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

Air Products to Shine at 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD), a leading supplier of gases and chemicals to the global photovoltaics industry, will exhibit at this year’s European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition in Valencia, Spain. Stop by the Air Products booth at Hall 2, Booth C9, in the Feria Valencia Conference and Exhibition Centre to get a closer look at a new amorphous silicon thin-film photovoltaic module manufactured by Signet Solar at its Mochau, Germany, facility using Air Products’ materials.

The Signet panel is a thin-film solar module manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) are produced. As one of the largest suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to provide the turnkey installation, operation andsupply to Signet’s facility. With Air Products’ support, Signet was up and running in just ten months.

Besides the Signet module, our newChemGuard™ Teflon systemfor state-of-the-art POCl3 dopantdeliverywill also be on display. In addition, Air Products will be exhibiting in a visual presentation on Wednesday, September 3, entitled "Improved Dry Plasma Phosphorous Silicate Glass (PSG) Etch for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells."

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these emergent markets due to its experience in areas such as large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure issues, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, advanced materials for lithium ion electrolytes for longer life batteries, and now the mounting supply of gases and services for photovoltaics.

To learn more about Air Products’ offerings to the photovoltaics market, please visit www.airproducts.com/photovoltaics.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 22,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Acquires Harvest Energy Technology to Enhance Global Hydrogen Product Offerings

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has acquired Harvest Energy Technology, Inc., a leader in the development of hydrogen generation technology for industrial and energy applications, to enhance its overall global hydrogen product offerings. Terms of the deal for the company based in Sun Valley, California are not being disclosed.

“This acquisition enables Air Products to offer a cost-effective generated hydrogen solution to augment our current gaseous tube trailer and liquid hydrogen tanker offerings,” says Robert Dixon, senior vice president and general manager, Merchant Gases at Air Products. “This new hydrogen generation offering rounds out our merchant gases portfolio and enables us to better serve our customers globally.”

“We have worked with Harvest on several hydrogen fueling projects for smaller scale systems. The combination of Air Products’ hydrogen pressure swing adsorption capabilities with Harvest’s reformer technology provides the lowest cost hydrogen available for the merchant market in this production range. Beyond fueling stations, we have already identified several global industrial applications for the system’s capabilities, enhancing our offerings to the steel, glass, metals processing, and photovoltaic markets,” said David Guro, the generated gases global product manager for Hydrogen Generation and Purification at Air Products. Guro added, “This highly packaged on-site hydrogen generation technology allows for easy field installation and is an important addition to the Air Products portfolio of hydrogen delivery options.”

Air Products has teamed with Harvest’s patent-protected on-site reformer technology previously for two United States Department of Energy hydrogen energy station and vehicle fueling projects. The demonstration projects located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in State College, Pennsylvania at The Pennsylvania State University, provided optimal testing grounds for the successful combination of the two companies’ technologies and also provided early insight to potential industrial system applications.

“We are pleased to join a company who is a leader in the supply of hydrogen for industrial and energy applications,” said Dr. David Warren, chief executive officer of Harvest. “Our team is looking forward to executing new projects and further developing larger and more cost-effective hydrogen generators.” Harvest’s employees will join Air Products and work from their existing California location.

Since 1998, Harvest had delivered over 20 fuel processors to clients located throughout the world and has gained unparalleled experience in the design, fabrication and operation of shop-fabricated, automated steam methane reformer hydrogen generators. Harvest partnered with leading companies to commercialize hydrogen technology for industrial use, transportation and stationary power applications.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 22,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Introduces GASGUARD® Very High Flow System (VHF) for Specialty Gas Delivery

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) is pleased to introduce its new GASGUARD® Very High Flow System (VHF) for bulk specialty gas delivery. The VHF is the latest offering from Air Products' industry leading Bulk Specialty Gas Systems (BSGS). The new VHF can economically deliver 1,000 standard liters per minute or more, contingent on service and application.

"As the demand for specialty gases to the semiconductor (IC), photovoltaic (PV) and TFT-LCD industries continues to grow, we have been able to deliver gases in the safest and most cost effective manner," says Joe Stockunas, general manager, Electronics Equipment and Services. "Our new VHFS enables fab operators to lower their cost of ownership by reducing capital costs, as well as lowering square footage and exhaust flow requirements. The VHF is specifically designed to address the needs of IC, PV, and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display manufacturers."

For device manufacturers who are using high volumes of specialty gases, the VHF offers improved flow, improved cost of ownership (CoO), and product dependability. Air Products has leveraged its experience as the leader in providing BSGS technology to customers around the world with more bulk gas systems installed than all competitors combined.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 22,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Signs Supply Deal with Signet Solar

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today announced it has signed an agreement with Signet Solar Inc. to supply turnkey installation of gas delivery systems and services and related gas needs for a new, thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module production facility in Mochau, Germany. The long-term agreement includes the supply of hydrogen, helium, nitrogen and argon, as well as specialty gases such as silane, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and dopant gases. The new plant will be onstream in the summer of 2008.

“We are delighted to have been selected as the gas supplier to Signet Solar and are confident that our expertise in turnkey gas delivery solutions will be invaluable in the safe and effective start up of Signet’s new facility in Mochau,” said Corning Painter, vice president and general manager of Electronics for Air Products. “We look forward to Signet’s success and growing with the company in the future.”

Signet Solar’s thin-film PV modules will be manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD) are produced. As one of the largest suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility. This agreement marks Air Products’ entry into the burgeoning thin-film photovoltaic industry and complements its existing crystalline PV offerings.

“After an extensive evaluation process we selected Air Products as our long-term gas supplier for our first manufacturing plant in Germany,” said Gunter Ziegenbalg, Managing Director of Signet Solar GmbH. “We found Air Products’ offering to best match our need for reliable, safe and high-quality gas supply as well as for an extensive on-site support. We are looking forward to growing the business together as Signet Solar will expand its production capacities worldwide.”

“Our position as one of the leading suppliers of NF3, high purity ammonia, helium and hydrogen combined with our complete supply chain and bulk delivery system expertise in silane, enables us to be the safest and most reliable long-term supplier to the PV market,” said Painter.

PV modules convert sunlight directly into electricity. When production begins later this year, Signet Solar will be manufacturing the world’s largest PV modules, measuring 2.2m x 2.6m, for use in solar power stations, solar panels integrated into buildings, and for free-standing solar plants in areas without electricity.

With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on the rise, Air Products is well positioned to take advantage of these emergent markets due to its experience in areas such as: large scale hydrogen supply for cleaner transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy, hydrogen vehicle fueling and infrastructure issues, leading natural gas liquefaction technology, advanced materials for lithium ion electrolytes for longer life batteries, and now the mounting supply of gases and services for photovoltaics.

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 and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices. The company has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and over 22,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Air Products Selected for Technology R&D Project by National Institute of Standards and Technology

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE:APD) and Konarka Inc. of Lowell, Mass., have been selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Advanced Technology Program (ATP) to conduct research and development on transparent, flexible solar modules for windows and other building integrated applications. The $4.7 million award is part of NIST’s Advanced Technology Program which looks to foster new technology developments by U.S. companies.

“Air Products is pleased to be working with Konarka, a global leader in OPV technology, on this project,” said John Dickenson, senior business development manager at Air Products. “Our novel polythiophene-based HIL (hole injection layer) materials have demonstrated clear lifetime enhancement in conventional OPV’s, and we look forward to developing new grades suitable for transparent devices.”

Organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology is unique among solar energy alternatives in offering the potential for selecting materials for varying levels of transparency, capable of absorbing narrowly or broadly in one or more regions of the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Air Products will develop high-conductivity polymers with more efficient charge injection capability in OPV cells, thereby improving overall cell electrical performance. Konarka will further develop its patented, transparent, metallic grid electrode technology for the new cell and module architecture.

The technology will be suitable for use in windows capable of controlling transparency for privacy, regulating the wavelength of light passing through for energy conservation, and for aesthetics. Since the materials are capable of harvesting indoor as well as outdoor light, the solar modules can be integrated into building sensors, battery chargers, lighting and displays, and wireless security monitoring systems.

About Konarka Technologies, Inc.

Konarka builds products that convert light to energy – anywhere. As the leading developer of polymer photovoltaic technology that provides a source of renewable power in a variety of form factors for commercial, industrial, government and consumer applications, Konarka has a broad portfolio of patents, technology licenses and an accomplished technical team. The company’s Power Plastic^® technology is focused on delivering lightweight, flexible, scalable and manufacturable products. Konarka Technologies is headquartered in Lowell, Mass., U.S.A., with European headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, business development offices in Asia, and a research and development facility in Austria. For additional information, visit http://www.konarka.com.

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. Air Products has annual revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and over 20,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

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

Konarka Contact:
Tracy Wemett
Tel: (617) 868-5031
E-mail: tracy@broadpr.com

Air Products Completes Expansion of Its China Technology Center

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Air Products (NYSE: APD) has embarked on a major expansion of its China Technology Center in Shanghai to support the fast-growing businesses in Asia. The expanded center will further complement Air Products’ regional technology centers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

The expansion, built on space adjoining the current facility, has a high bay which is equipped with two high-pressure polyurethane machines and accessory tools for both rigid and flexible applications that supplement the existing shoe sole capability. Two spray booths, aqueous and non-aqueous, will be used for spray coating development. The new space also features a general-purpose lab with additional fume hoods, expanded chemicals storage areas and associated office space to provide new application and product development, technical services, process R&D and in-region analytical to support all businesses including Gases, Performance Materials and Electronics.

The expansion of the China Technology Center will enable Air Products to enhance its capabilities and material solution offerings, and bring support closer to its key customers in Asia, particularly in sectors such as polyurethane, coatings, inks, adhesives, civil engineering, personal care, cleaning, mining, oil field and other industries. These markets are growing at over 10 percent a year, and growth is expected to accelerate as China continues to develop as a global manufacturing center.

“This latest step in strengthening our technology capabilities will support our fast-growing businesses in China and across the Asia region,”said Wilbur Mok, Air Products’ Asia President. “Our new investment in China will bring us closer to our customers throughout the region, and increase the speed by which we create innovative solutions and value-added offerings that address the specific requirements of local markets.”

Bobby Chen, Air Products’ Asia Technology Director, said the expansion in Shanghai underscores Air Products’ commitment to driving growth through innovation. “Our Asian Technology Centers are fully integrated into our global technology network,” he said. “They complement and support one another, with each center having specific market focus in serving customers by leveraging the company’s strength in material and surface sciences, analytical technology, application and engineering excellence.”

The company has also recently upgraded its Electronics technology capabilities in Korea and Taiwan, and Performance Materials technology capabilities in Japan. The Electronics and Performance Materials business is one of Air Products’ four global business divisions.

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 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 www.airproducts.com.

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