EMCC Opens in Zhangjiagang

With the presence of local government officials and customers, the ground breaking ceremony of Air Liquide Electronics Materials Center China (EMCC) was held in city of Zhang jiagang, Jiangsu on July 23, 2007.

Located in Zhang jiagang Yangtze International Chemical Industrial Park, Air Liquide EMCC is scheduled to operate in the second quarter of 2008. With a total investment of 9 million USD, and ground space over 15,000 square meters for Project Phase I , EMCC will transfill, analyze and provide produce Silane (SiH4) to our domestic customers including semiconductors, electronics, photovoltaic and other high tech related manufacturing industries. Annual production capacity of current system is 100 ton per year.

The Asia-Pacific region is at the heart of the semiconductor activity, with more than 80% of the new investments anticipated to take place here. China, especially the eastern China area is becoming one of the centers of these investments. In order to catch the fast growing precursor market in this region, Air Liquide has decided to invest this EMCC in Zhangjiagang where Air Liquide has already several investments.

In 2006, Air Liquide commissioned three plants in Jiangsu Province:

- one in Wuxi to service Hynix-ST, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, with high purity gases,

- one in Changshu to supply metal fabricating customers with nitrogen and hydrogen, and

- one in Jiangsu Yangtze International Metallurgical Industrial Park to supply Zhan Jia Gang Posco Stainless Steel with oxygen, nitrogen and argon.

In March 2007, Air Liquide signed another long term contract with Shagang in the same park. The plant is now under construction. Total investment of Air Liquide in Jiangsu Province is around 200 million euros.

As part of our Tengfei Program, the opening of Air Liquide EMCC marks another strategic step for Air Liquide in China. It will surely enhance our position to help our local customers to succeed in the competitive market.

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Established in China in 1916 and with an increased presence in the last 15 years, Air Liquide China employs about 1,200 people with annual sales of about 2 billion Yuan on the gas activities operating in the areas of Beijing/Tianjin/Shandong/Shenyang in the north, Shanghai/Jiangsu/Zhejiang in the east, and Wuhan in Central China.