Air Products, a supplier of atmospheric, specialty and industrial gases, has acquired an integrated gas liquefier and air separation unit (ASU) from Guizhou Kaiyang Chemical in Guiyang in China. Guizhou Kaiyang Chemical is a subsidiary of the Yankuang Group, a state-owned coal mining company in China.
Air Products has entered into a long-term contract with Guizhou Kaiyang Chemical to supply gaseous nitrogen and oxygen of volume 2,000 t per day for the latter’s coal to ammonia conversion plant. The liquid gas will be primarily supplied to the industries operating in the region and also to Guizhou Kaiyang Chemical. This is the second such contract that Air Products has signed with a Yankuang Group member.
Air Products is working in conjunction with Yankuang Group company, Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical for the construction of the biggest ASU unit ever to be awarded to an industrial gas supplier. Shaanxi’s coal chemical plants will be supplied with 12,000 t per day of oxygen and substantial volume of nitrogen along with dry, compressed air. The ASU and liquefier acquired by Air Products at Guiyang are expected to be ready for operation from October 2012. Mr. Wang Xin, chairman of Yankuang Group stated that the success of their expanding manufacturing facility is tied to reliable industrial gas supply from Air Products.
Air Products commenced operations in China in 1987. The company has a strong foothold in the Chinese industrial gases market by virtue of its 50 production facilities with employee strength of approximately 2200 spread over 40 entities catering to a wide range of industries on China.